Kinda' broad I think, but thought provoking, I think a deal goes "Bad" when one side or both are poorly educated by thier respective Realtors. I mean most people only by once, so they need to be educated by "US" as professionals on how it works, and what to expect. If they have thier eyes open the entire time, there is nothing to complain about in the end.

I guess  I am fortunate to never have had a deal go bad.  Yes I have has a few problems along the way but all of my deals have gone to completion once escrow was opened with the exception of one where the seller was unable to get a clear title but I ultimately took my buyer to another property.

Levi - You are correct, it is a broad quesiton.  i think everyone has such a different version of it I found it hard to narrow it down.  I totally agree with you, it is up to us to make their experience a good one.

Darrell - I have on ly had one buyer back out of a deal, but found them another home.  I have had a few close calls as well but was able to keep it together and get the deal done with all parties happy at the end.

thats a very good question. i can deal with all the STUFF in a transaction, but to me a BAD transaction is where TRUST has been breached in the form of dishonesty. when your client becomes dishonest in their dealings with you, that i can not tolerate.

Joe as I was reading this I remember one deal that sums it up. When the DA's office calls for information about your seller the deal is BAD.

Many of you have only sold during the "good times" when money was loose and the buyers were willing to buy without demanding anything.  That has changed.  We are back to the way it was in the late 80's...Every deal will have something or more than one something when money tightens (which it has, is).  Selling and buying a house is the third most tramatic thing in a person's life...right after 1.  severe illness or death in family  and 2. divorce.  It is also a lot like having a baby.  There is a lot of pain right up til the end and then after closing,...the baby is yours.  I am back to telling my sellers just to breathe through this.   You have to give a lot to the buyers right now, just because there are so few available....so just breathe, and do not let a 40$ repair cost you $300,000.  R

I think you definitely hit on some of the high points regarding when a transaction goes bad....those are all really, really bad signs!

I agree with Douglas. I can cope with honest folks and difficulties with their transactions. It is the dishonest ones who I can not respect that make for a BAD deal.

I'm only in the business for a little under a year but I've had some hard lessons and thought I'd share them.

A deal goes bad when you let your emotions get the best of you.  I did on my first listing when the sellers wouldn't adjust the listing price.  I took it personally.  My emotions got involved.  It came back to bite me after there was an offer that was accepted and the sellers continued to be demanding. 

A deal can go bad when your sellers stop communicating with you.  I have sellers that just accepted an offer after an incredible process that found me thinking that if I sold this home it would be a miracle.  More on that at another time.  The good news is I DIDN'T get emotional.  I think this helped everybody continue to think straight.  Right now, though, the seller doesn't return my calls.  When he does, he speaks in monosyllabic words.  Things seem to be moving forward, but I'm waiting for the next crisis.

I've always tried to be mindful of my 'quality of play' during a sale.  Sometimes, even when I close the deal, the quality of play isn't the best.  That's a process in need of improvement  that I can learn from. 

Joe-You named some "hurdles" or "obstacles" that need to be dealt with during the course of a transaction. None of them are pleasant and we get paid the big bucks to deal with those situations.  Although they are unpleasant, we are the ones that are trained and have the license to work through those situations.  The only way I consider it a "bad transaction" is when it doesnt close.

When the police are staking out the sellers house....

when the refinance company pulls all property from your deed ,not just the house you are refinancing. when you try to sell a pice of your property you find out what they did and it has been over 8mts now and its still not fixed.

A deal becomes bad when both sides stop communicating.  As long as both sides are willing to talk to their agents, we have a chance to close the deal.  Most things can be negotiated in theory! 

Joe - yes there are a lot of things that can make a deal go bad. good communication with everyone involve will stop most things from causing a deal to go bad, but to me I say it is when the other agent does not communicate with you