Not sure why seems to be a status symbol or maybe a peer pressure thing, or something in the water here...

Sure, you can play games with escrowing the agent's commission, but in the end, unless/until the seller is incented to get out, you're going to be fighting an uphill battle.Put pressure on the listing agent (trust me, after all these months, they want their commission), but be firm that you won't close unless the house is vacant.Of course, as Jon pointed out, the seller still has a week, so perhaps they just haven't started the moving process yet...

I immediately felt pressured and said I needed to think about it and see how that fit in with my budget, plus I was traveling the following week and would not be able to make a decision until after I returned.

. - sounds like you are a bit under pressure; I am sorry to read that.I also don't think that a lawyer will get you very far on this - first there is a pretty steep cost to hiring an attorney; probably a couple thousand just to get started.

I am not a MultiFamily unit at all.Believe me, my blood pressure is going up and down w/all this research.

I do like the idea of putting pressure on them. 

No pressure.

They pressure wash old engine blocks with your recycle grey water.

But given the pressures on affordable housing, I think it's only a matter of time until the scales tip in favor of tiny homes.

I'm not an appraiser, but it seems to me that role could be a tough one with pressures to not overvalue the property and pressure from the real estate agents to make sure you appraise at the contract purchase price.One thought might be to see if there is an opportunity with your local tax assesment office.