FAMILY FEUD IN SHELL KNOB, MO
The divorce rate is holding at about 50% nation wide. It would appear that our small chunk of the planet, Shell Knob, MO, is no different. Divorcee's or widows, often re-marry. Both bride and groom have children from the previous marriage, but unfortunately, The Brady Bunch is more myth than reality.
Mom and Dad are now gone. The lakehouse in Shell Knob, has to be sold. According to the will, the children will now share equally in the proceeds - all six of them and their spouses.
Now the fun begins. Turns out there are 3 kids from each parent, and they not only don't like each other, they detest one another! So how is the listing agent to negotiate and communicate with the twelve when an offer comes in?
She saw how they behaved earlier when an auction was held for the home's furnishing. A battle of wills occured between the heirs bidding items up, because they didn't want the opposing heirs to have grandma's china, etc. It wasn't nice to see.
Now comes an offer on the house, offering $250,000 on a $299,000 listing. CASH. That was turned down in the spring. Six months later, there have been no offers, but the same potential buyer returns with his offerfor the property. The phone calls, the emails, the FAX's all finally result in a counter offer of $285,000. Rejected by the buyer, the offer goes into File 13.
The heirs are now fighting among themselves and playing the blame game. I think the listing agent did a great job trying to bring these sellers together, even when she was the object of more than one tongue lashing, as she told one fellow :I'm only the messenger".
I got a real clear message from observing this fiasco. Call your attorney and get the will clarified, so this doesn't happen in your family.
CALL JOAN FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS 417-858-2209
TRI-LAKES REALTORS 417-858-3344 
