A Bumpy Road by John & Pandora Elandson

Sometimes selling a property means encountering unexpected hurdles and requires a higher level of cooperation. Teamwork is most often the difference between success & failure! We really do need each other. Real estate transactions require collaboration with listing agents, buyer’s agents, title companies, lenders, inspectors, buyers and sellers, working together with the mindset of getting to a successful closing.

However, this one went to another level. We listed a lovely home and the adjoining acreage near Golden, and before going on the market we encountered our first hurdle. The property was an estate, as the mom recently passed away, and the old documentation of easements and land swaps up the canyon was more informal 25-years ago. The family worked with us, along with the county, and a persistent attorney to put the pieces together and solve the puzzle. We went on the market, ultimately got it under contract and all was well.

But then we were presented with another unexpected bump in the road… the lender for the seller would not loan on the land because it was a distinct parcel from the house.  We had to separate the land from the house, and the land had to be sold post-house closing. Why was separating it a problem?  Well, did we mention the lack of an easement from one property to the other?  If for some reason the buyers didn’t close on the land it would be an orphan property, i.e., no access to get to it, which meant it would have little value. So it was risky for our sellers that the house and land were closing separately. Another hurdle that was ultimately solved.

Why did the land have to close later than the house?  Well, there was yet another obstacle.  It was discovered during title work that 5 acres of the 35-acre land parcel was not properly deeded because of old survey issues, so although we thought we were selling 35 acres, turns out we actually were just selling 30 acres, with the 5 acres out there in no man’s land. This had to be figured out but would take time, and the buyers needed to close on the house sooner rather than later.  We got it resolved and moved forward.
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Each bump in the road meant long conversations with our seller and strategizing with the buyer’s agent.  Building trust and rapport, we became an effective problem-solving team. There were so many hurdles, we had to laugh when one of us received a call from the other starting with “Well, you aren’t going to believe this but…” Each time though, we both had the mindset that we could find a solution. The agent was terrific, and there were so many more… the surveyor, attorneys, the family of the estate, the title company, and the county.  Walking the property with the surveyor and multiple conversations with him about easements, deeds, and boundaries, going down to the county offices for clarification, communications with the estate attorney, researching records, talking to the title company to get their expertise, and working with the family. What a journey. Hundreds of emails, phone calls, and texts later, we made it to closing! Yes, there were obstacles, but the positivity and can-do attitude of everyone involved made it a rewarding adventure, and one in which we learned a lot. Bottom line… relationships, good people and teamwork really matter. – John &  Pandora