Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Nebraska

Re: Painter placing a lien

Some of this will depend on how the purchase agreement was worded and if a separate document was created to define the terms of the money placed in escrow. If the selling agent did not have your authorization to negotiate with the painter, then you are not bound nor protected by the agreement between painter and agent. An estimate should have a reasonable resemblance to the final bill and painter will have to justify the difference in price with an explanation to the court. Painter may place a lien against the house. For the amount of money involved, your best option is to contact seller's agent and demand that he satisfy painter or you will file an action in small claims court against him, the painter, and the seller (if seller still resides locally). If he refuses, then file a claim in small claims court. You can get the instructions for small claims proceedings on the court's website.