<HTML>In a message dated 12/9/02 2:19:22 PM Central Standard Time, mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">So what on earth is one to do contract-wise? When I buy an old car or piano face-to-face, you can make the $ and contract exchange at the same time. How does one handle this long distance? Thanks for any scholarly (or not so scholarly) advice. Terry Farrell </BLOCKQUOTE> First of all, you have to remember that any contract between any two individuals is legal, as long as both of you agree on the content of the contract. The problem arises, and this is where lawyers make their money, is on the interpretation of the contract if one of the parties thinks the language is not what he thought it was. So, keeping that in mind, the best way to handle this is for the seller to give you a contract saying you are buying the piano for X number of dollars, with a $500 deposit, and the balance due upon delivery. You might want to include that you have the right to decline the contract, and give this guy his money back, if you don't think he sold you what you thought you were buying. The seller, on the other hand, will probably want some sort of compensation for moving the piano down to you. As I said, any agreement between the two of you needs to put down in writing, so that there is no misunderstanding. And even then, there is a chance something will come up that neither one of you thought about. One last thing I though of, is that you want to post date your check until after his arrival. This way, if he doesn't show up, or if he has an accident, you can stop payment on the check. Wim </HTML>