In Massachusetts, the standard form Greater Boston Real Estate Board Purchase and Sale Agreement (“P&S”) is almost always the governing contract between the Buyer and the Seller regarding the proposed property to purchase. Most Buyers submit an initial offer to a Seller, which spells out the terms of the contract. The P&S supersedes the offer, and can be thought of as the “long form” contract.

At first blush, the purchase and sale agreement, like most legal documents, can be difficult to read and comprehend. The best way to understand it is to divide the document into several sections.

Deal Terms

First, like all contracts, the purchase and sale agreement sets out the terms of the deal. These terms primarily are taken from the offer. This includes the names of the parties, the legal description of the property (taken from the current deed), the purchase price, the mortgage commitment date, the closing date, any Seller credits, and any agreed upon fixtures that will remain with the property or be taken by the Seller.

Title and Deed

Second, the purchase and sale agreement deals with the title to the property and the deed. It lays out the framework for a conveyance (a real estate transfer) in Massachusetts. The agreement spells out that the Seller conveys the deed to the Buyer in return for consideration, then the deed is recorded and the Buyer becomes the owner of the property. However, in Massachusetts, once the deed is recorded at the proper Registry of Deeds, then any title issues “run with the land.” Thus, the new owner becomes responsible for any outstanding encumbrances or liens that were not properly discharged. In order to protect the Buyer, the purchase and sale agreement provides that the Seller must convey “good, clear and marketable” title. Acting as the buyer’s or lender’s counsel, or both, our attorneys will review the title exam and work with the Seller’s attorney to clear any title issues, so that the buyer will receive a certification of title and an owner’s title insurance policy.

Seller Responsibilities

Third, the purchase and sale agreement lays out the responsibilities of the Seller. This includes maintaining insurance and upkeep on the property until closing, obtaining a smoke and carbon monoxide certificate at closing, paying the broker’s commission, obtaining a 6(d) certificate for a condominium, and requiring that the taxes be paid by Seller up until the closing date (through an adjustment to the HUD Settlement Statement). The agreement also provides that the Seller’s agent (either the realtor or the attorney) holds the buyer’s deposit in an escrow account.

Anything But “Standard”

There is a note of caution about the standard form Massachusetts purchase and sale agreement. We like to say that it is anything but “standard.” The standard form provides several hidden advantages to a Seller. Thus, buyers must have an experienced attorney revise the agreement and flag those built in deficiencies. For example, if a Buyer were to default prior to closing, the standard form document provides no cap on the damages; a skilled attorney will know to cap the damages at the deposit. The same is true if a buyer loses his rate lock if there is a delay of the closing; a skilled attorney would use language to protect the buyer in this situation.

An experienced attorney will produce a Rider to the purchase and sale agreement that will have language that protects a Buyer’s deposit and provides an aggressive layer of due diligence. For example, if the Buyer is purchasing a condominium, the Rider should have the Seller make representations that the association is not contemplating any special assessments, there are no pending lawsuits against the association, and the budget is in good order. Other issues include seller repairs, septic system/Title V compliance, radon gas, UFFI insulation, lead paint, and buyers’ access to the property while it is under agreement.

Signing The Agreement

When the P&S is ready to be signed, the following generally will occur:

Buyer- Once both parties are in agreement, our office will send a "clean" final version of the P&S to the Buyer's agent. The Buyer's agent then will electronically circulate the P&S to the Buyer for e-signature via DocuSign or DotLoop (similar to how the signing of the Offer was handled). The Buyer's agent also will coordinate the receipt of the Buyer's deposit check and arrange to provide the P&S and deposit check to the listing agent. The Buyer's agent will circulate the fully executed P&S once it is available.

Seller- The Buyer will sign the P&S first. Once the Buyer has signed the P&S, the listing agent will send the P&S to the Seller for electronic signature. The listing agent also will let the Seller know when in receipt of the Buyer's deposit check. The listing agent will circulate the fully executed P&S.