Can a realtor show a buyer a different property if the buyer is already in a contract for another property?
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Can a realtor show a buyer a different property if the buyer is already in a contract for another property?
We had a buyer for our home and were negotiating terms after an inspection. Both buyer and seller signed the contract and the buyer asked us to do certain repairs. The contract stated that we
had 72 hours to respond to the buyer. During that 72 hours the buyer was shown a different property and they proceeded to walk away from buying our house before the 72 hours was completed. The buyer broke the contract we had with them before the 72 hours was us. They have put an offer in on the other property. Did the realtor break any ethics laws? The realtor represented both of us as a dual realtor.
Asked on March 17, 2019 under Real Estate Law, Louisiana
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
The realtor's obligation to her buyer, even when the realtor is in dual representation mode, is to show the buyer properties and give the buyer options: the realtor did nothing wrong in showing the buyer other properties if the buyer were interested in seeing other properties. Indeed, the realtor would have violated her obligations if she did not show the buyer other properties on request, or mention to them properties which she became aware of which met their criteria and were suitable for them.
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