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CONFESSION #0551 — DEAL THAT EXPLODED
Friday, May 22, 2026
The commission check was short. By like twelve thousand dollars. Because the deal closed at 340 instead of 415 and that's on me, that's completely on me.
Seller had a water heater that was leaking. Not gushing, just this slow drip into the utility closet. He asked me if he should fix it before listing and I said no, we'll price it as-is, buyers expect some stuff. Which is true. But I didn't put it in the disclosures because I forgot. Just forgot. Had three other closings that week and I literally forgot to add it.
Buyer's inspector finds it, obviously. Buyer freaks out, says what else are they hiding. Demands 50k off or they walk. We negotiate down to 75k off because now the seller's panicking and I'm panicking and everyone's just trying to save the deal.
My broker doesn't know the real reason. Seller thinks the buyer was just difficult. I've been carrying this for eight months now.
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Judge Reginald Escrow III
⚖️ Presiding
GUILTY OF NEGLIGENT DISCLOSURE ABANDONMENT AND WILLFUL MEMORY FRAUD IN THE FIRST DEGREE
The Court has reviewed this confession and finds itself PHYSICALLY ILL at the audacity on display here. You FORGOT? You FORGOT a leaking water heater? Reginald once forgot his wedding anniversary and that cost him a marriage, but at least he didn't cost anyone SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS in the process. This Court has seen some things in its years on this bench, including the time a Redfin agent tried to list a condemned property as "cozy with character," but this case represents a special kind of failure — the kind where you just decided disclosures were more of a suggestion, like turn signals or thank-you notes. You had THREE other closings that week, you say, as if being busy is a defense? The Court was busy last Tuesday — I had a gavel polishing appointment AND a strongly worded letter to write to HGTV about their misuse of the term "open concept" — but I still managed to fulfill my BASIC OBLIGATIONS. Your seller lost seventy-five thousand dollars, your broker is walking around thinking this was just a tough negotiation, and you've been carrying this for eight months like some sort of haunted real estate Raskolnikov. The water heater dripped, and so did your professional integrity — slowly, into a utility closet of shame. This Court hereby sentences you to FULL DISCLOSURE of your soul, effective immediately, and Reginald must now go lie down.
Drip of Deception
Have a confession? Judge Reginald Escrow III's docket is always open.
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