When a home is listed with a real estate company, that company acts as an agent of the seller.  As such, the company operates in the best interests of the seller.  Since buyer agency is utilized in Indiana, the Realtors working with the buyers are agents of the buyers.  As such, they operate in the best interests of the buyers.  When the listing company and company of the buyers' agent are the same, the company operates as a limited agent.  As such, the company operates in the best interests of both the sellers and the buyers.

When an offer is received, sellers have 3 options:  accept the offer, reject the offer, or counter the offer.  When countering, a Counter Offer form is used.  Any item or items in the offer can be countered, with price being the most common.  Counter offers can then also be accepted, rejected, or countered.

When an offer is accepted, either the original or the latest counter, it is normally the responsibility of the seller to contact a title company in order to begin the title work.  This is usually done by the listing agent.  When the seller does not have a specific title company in mind, the listing agent usually has a title company with whom he or she is familiar and will contact that company.  The title company then coordinates the activities leading to closing, held usually at the office of the title company.  Closing is normally about 3 to 6 weeks after the acceptance of an offer.

An inspection amendment is usually submitted by the buyers to the sellers within a day or so after a home inspection.  Such an amendment may request that the sellers correct any problems which affect the habitability of the home.

Buyers and sellers both normally attend the closing, along with the listing agent and the buyers' agent.  Closings usually last about an hour.

Ken Gordon