Double-Check Everything!
I had an interesting experience a few weeks ago that affects the contract forms we use for all real estate deals. Early this year I subscribed to an online software company that provides all of my real estate forms. I've used these folks for years, and I have never had any issues. Actually, I love the ability to have any and all forms I need just a keyboard click away.
I was filling out a purchase agreement with all of the accompanining forms. I read through each one, made sure I had all of the appropriate forms included in the purchase package. The buyer scanned the forms, initialled, signed and returned them to me. I scanned them to a file, compressed the file and sent them on their merry way to the listing agent.
The next day the listing agent sent them back with a dozen corrections. Suddenly, the house my client was buying had all kinds of amenities that we knew it didn't have. I was listed as a realtor in another state, and I was listed as the buyer. All of the areas that were changed were areas where you simiply check a box. No address, buyer name, EMD amounts, purchase amounts, etc., were changed. Just those areas where you have long lists to check with yes/no/na.
Here's the odd part. Both the buyer and I had double-checked every form 
online. Every form had the appropriate checks and other data. But, when we printed them out they were slightly different. There weren't any major changes, but there were a number of odd minor changes. In our haste to get the offer to the listing agent's client we simply accepted what we could see online and printed, signed and initialled.
online. Every form had the appropriate checks and other data. But, when we printed them out they were slightly different. There weren't any major changes, but there were a number of odd minor changes. In our haste to get the offer to the listing agent's client we simply accepted what we could see online and printed, signed and initialled. 
The moral of the story? Double-triple-quaddrupple check everything. It didn't hurt anything this time, but it did reveal a problem either in my computer or in the software that could have devastating consequences if not caught. I approach my computer and this software with great suspicion now, but that's probably a good thing.
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