Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Pennsylvania
How Can I Do This Legally?
I know of a property for sale near my house. I also know of someone who might buy it, if they knew about it. What I want to do is get an offer from the potential buyer and present it to the seller but the offer I tell the seller will be lower than what the potential buyer offered. If the seller agrees I will get the difference. For example: The potential buyer says they will be it for $10. I offer the seller $8 and if they agree I get $2. I would prefer if the seller wrote two checks at closing - one to the seller for $8 and one to me at $2. I am not a real estate professional, only a person with an idea. Is this situation workable in any in any legal way?
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: How Can I Do This Legally?
You probably can not. First, if the house is listed with a broker he's entitled to his fee. Also, if you try to cut him out you can and probably will be sued for tortuous interference with a contract. As you pointed out you aren't licensed to do anything with real estate so its probably a bad idea.
{John}
Re: How Can I Do This Legally?
There are two typical ways to accomplish your goal. One way is to get the property under an agreement of sale with you as the buyer with the right to assign the agreement. You then assign the agreement for your price. Another way is to get an option to purchase the property which is assignable and then sell the option to the other party.