It depends on what the question is. What did they ask?

Weedyacres- It was just a basic question for starters, but I can see it esculating to larger issues or becoming more frequent for petty issues.

I would love to read that thread you mention.

Here is the thread I mentioned.

Also just noticed a typo. I intended to say "no" inspection not "now" inspection

Here is a link that might be useful: Buyers ?'s after closing

Here is another thread about the same problem, but much later after closing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Second thread: Buyers after closing

Those links will answer my questions. I didnt have any luck finding them previous to posting.

Thank you for posting the links for me.

It's always nice to create a FAQ for the new owners telling them where the main water shutoff valve is in the home and the street, the size of filter that the air handler uses and where it's located, the name brand and door style of the kitchen cabinets and where you bought them (for a new reno) and other answers to the questions that they might have. Once you give them that, you're done with answering questions.

I actually think that people here are way too suspicious of buyer's just asking simple questions. I basically would answer a buyer's question if it is the kind of question I might have if I moved into a new home. Where is the thus and such? What is the code for this? I don't think any of that means they are going to make a claim for anything. There is no need to just be obstructive for no good reason.

When I moved into our current house there was a remote for a ceiling fan that I couldn't. In the room in question it was also the only way to turn the light on so without the remote I couldn't turn the light on. I do the prior owner had the remote as we had spoken to him while we were under contract and he had the remote velcroed to his desk.

As you've probably guessed, he had managed to pack the remote with his stuff. It was going into storage so he had to go to storage and fish it out.

"Just a basic question" doesn't tell us much. While I agree that some buyers can push the limit (per the above-linked threads), often questions can just be things that will help them as they move in.

I don't recall ever asking sellers a question after buying, but our recent buyers asked (through our respective agents) what the key pad code on the garage was, because they couldn't reprogram it. And when I saw them at the walk-through they asked where we got our hardwood because they wanted to add it to another room. And Mr. Weedy went back to get his tractor after closing and met them there doing some pre-move-in stuff, and he pointed out a few things like how the septic ran and some crawl space plumbing stuff for their reference. I see no harm in those types of things.

My parents, some years ago, 5-10 years after selling a house they had built, were contacted by the buyers because there had been some subsidence issues and they were looking for the original architectural plans so they could engineer a fix.

So yes, you need to have your radar up in case the buyers are headed towards trapping you into fixing something that is their responsibility. But I think it's common courtesy to be helpful.

I honestly wouldn't know how to get in touch with our sellers, except through our agents, I guess.

Since we moved in I've fielded calls for them from a collection agency posing as Revenue Canada (our version of the IRS -- no kidding!) and a late-night visit from police officers asking about their kids. So I'm kind of glad I can't get a hold of them, to be honest with you.

Funny. Less than a week after I closed on my home in July my washer and dryer stopped working. Of course my own agent hadn't asked them to pay the $50 for the home warranty to cover those. They worked empty so they passed inspection, but when they had clothes it would stop at the spin cycle. I never thought to complain and try to get them to buy me new appliances. I took it as a lesson learned and shelled out the $900 for a new set. Thank goodness for July 4th appliance sales! I didn't know that it was an option to complain when I signed the document saying I accept the house for the condition it was in. Silly me. (Sarcasm)

Depends on the question, e.g.:
Did you know that your roof leaks? If no, why are there buckets in the attic? Did you know that you were supposed to disclose this in the contract?

I did contact our seller several months after we moved in, I had her address, phone from our title company papers but we were friends before the business transaction.

Friday night so my telephone options were limited, first warm spring week after moving in the previous Fall, and I was greeted at the master bedroom end of the house with a growling, rumbling sound and could feel a vibration with my hands on the wall at the head of the bed. We looked (frantically), climbed around everywhere, had not realized until that evening that a firewall separated the master suite from the rest of the attic space.

It was an attic fan on a thermostat coming on for the first time since ownership, and the fan clearly needed some attention if someone planned to sleep in that room under it. I called the former owner now two states away, and she graciously and laughingly told me where to find the manual wall switch, hidden inside the linen closet.

"What if they waived a home inspection and something later comes up?"

My buyers were satisfied by their home inspection but the very thought of something coming up after closing made me very concerned. So much in fact, today I asked my realtor if the buyers could back out after closing which he told me they could not. Since I sold a house almost 100 years old I expect things to come up at a later date. We kept up with our house but at time things happened. For instance one year the furnace went out and I learned how to clean the flame sensor, then had it replaced. Once a pipe burst because I had a hose attached to an outside spigot and never shut the water valve off in the winter. Never make that mistake again.

Due to my suspicious nature I don't think I would answer questions my buyers might have. I left all the manuals for the furnace, hot water tank, etc., in the house. I am not trying to be mean or anything but I sold my house and it is now their house.

I guess I just don't figure everyone is perfect. You can forget something. I don't see a reason to be a jerk. "Where is the switch for X?" "I am wanting to use the same tile in the other bathroom. Do you remember the name of the tile or where you bought it?" Sure, buyers could be too intrusive and could want to know too much. But if it is a basic question that I would ask myself I don't see a reason to be a jerk and just not answer. (It might be the answer was that I didn't know if I didn't know, but I would still be polite).

I handled these issues through the REA who handled the sale. That way they can be the buffer between inappropriate questions and minor detail type stuff. My REAs have always been willing to help out after the transaction.

I just had a call from my buyer 3 years later. Couldn't find the septic tank cover.

Meantime, I gave the buyers a thick book of instructions, warranties, phone numbers of service people, etc. Said he lost the book and wanted to get the septic pumped out and couldn't find it.

I laughed, didn't mind a bit and enjoyed hearing about my old house and neighborhood.

Jane

I would answer simple questions, out buyer asked about how to turn the gas fireplace on, sprinkler questions, etc. Basic operations, etc. If something isn't working I would just say "Gee sorry we never had issues with it".

My seller contacted me after the sale to ask if she could have the curtains in the bedroom. Our contract had included window treatments since most of them were custom, but of course I let her have the ones that matched her bed linens!

But then, not a week later, I had to contact her because the water main was leaking and it turned out that she had known, made a temporary fix, and did not disclose it. Since she had falsified the disclosure form I could have taken legal action. I merely asked her to pay for the permanent fix, which she did.