Dumbest things your realtor has said to you.

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Dumbest things your realtor has said to you.

Timothy W.
Attorney · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes

Alright, let's admit it. We've all heard some pretty dumb things out of realtors. This just happened to me this week and is easily my favorite. I would say only what he said, but you need the background story to get the full scope of this.

I was out of town this week in Florida for a family funeral and I had to close on two houses - a purchase. The closing was supposed to happen at the beginning of the month but title issues pushed it back to this past Wednesday. Luckily I had the day free Wednesday to do all the paperwork and my bank had a branch location in Florida to wire the funds from.

As I'm out of town, I call my Realtor to ask him if by chance he did a final walk through the day of or day before closing. I hadn't asked him to do that but I figured since I've given him about 20 closings, he might think to do that as a service to a repeat client. His reply, "Well it doesn't matter on this one because you're buying as is. That and I didn't want you to find a reason to not do the transaction. I really wanted the transaction to go through." I'm not kidding.

Now to clarify, I wasn't mad. I don't believe him for a second anyway when analyzing deals so his lack of real care about my businesses' performance doesn't negatively impact me. I was mildly shocked and very amused at his level of honesty. My response literally was, "Aaron....I know all you care about is your commission but can you at least pretend to give a rip about the property you're getting me into? I know your full of sh** whenever you're talking to me and I can respect that you're just trying to sell me on something but don't ever say this to another client. Geeze man, you have truth tourettes."

I'd use another Realtor if I knew of one in my area that operated differently but they don't and frankly what he lacks for in smooth sales operations, he makes up for in flat out drive that the "diva" Realtors lack.

So what's the dumbest thing your realtor said to you?


Tim

P.S. This thread isn't meant to insult the "good" Realtors out there. It's meant to be fun while educational and make the point that YOU are responsible for the quality of your investments.

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Mark N.A
Real Estate Investor · North Carolina · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 483 votes
17y

I had a very prime river-front double-lot to sell. Owner had been ill for years and the house was in bad shape. The entire lot was very overgrown from the road to the beach.

I studied the newspaper and found a broker whose name was everywhere. I called her and she sounded very enthusiastic about repping the property. And she'll run out there that very afternoon to figure a selling price.

So I don't hear from her for a couple days. I call her and she tells me: "Honey, you don't expect me to walk around that place in heels and hose, do you?"

I don't guess so. And you don't expect me to hire you now or at any time ever in the future, do you?

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  • Mark N.A
    Real Estate Investor · North Carolina · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 483 votes
    17y

    I had a very prime river-front double-lot to sell. Owner had been ill for years and the house was in bad shape. The entire lot was very overgrown from the road to the beach.

    I studied the newspaper and found a broker whose name was everywhere. I called her and she sounded very enthusiastic about repping the property. And she'll run out there that very afternoon to figure a selling price.

    So I don't hear from her for a couple days. I call her and she tells me: "Honey, you don't expect me to walk around that place in heels and hose, do you?"

    I don't guess so. And you don't expect me to hire you now or at any time ever in the future, do you?

    1Reply
  • Diane Menke
    Contractor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2008 · 183 posts · 17 votes
    17y

    I have 3 off the top of my head -

    Realtor #1 in Florida - A house in my parents neighborhood stood empty and we thought to buy it as a rental. I told realtor price was too high to cash flow. Realtor explained to us for 20 minutes how a property does not need to cash flow. It was couched in the "little lady let me tell you a few things" approach I love so much. We did not buy.

    Realtor #2 when I was shopping for a home at a good price - "Aren't you excited! I'm excited! This is such an exciting house for you!" Not if its not the right price and looking like its going to appreciated nicely its not.

    Realtor #3 (a newbie realtor) After I spent a while explaining what kind of investment properties I was interested in, kept sending me MLS's of SFH for 1st time buyers - not investing in. I pointed the problem out and she suggested prices were AMAZING so just buy buy buy!

    Diane Menke

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  • Michael Culler
    Real Estate Investor · Tampa Bay, FL · Member since 2009 · 180 posts · 17 votes
    17y

    I had a Real Estate Broker and another agent tell me that wholesaling was illegal.

    They said because I marketed the property for sale without owning it, I was breaking the law.

    I informed them that as a principal in the transaction, I would continue to do so. And of course I pointed out to them that millions of other people, title companies, lenders, etc... are very familiar with the process they were saying is illegal.

    They may wish it was illegal, but that doesn't make it so.

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  • Nick J.
    Residential Real Estate Broker · Payson, AZ · Member since 2009 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    17y
    Originally posted by Michael Culler:


    They said because I marketed the property for sale without owning it, I was breaking the law.



    Isn't that exactly what an agent does (or is supposed to) Market the property they don't own for sale :roll:

    the dumbest things Realtors say to me on a regular basis is, " you can't do that"

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  • Michael Culler
    Real Estate Investor · Tampa Bay, FL · Member since 2009 · 180 posts · 17 votes
    17y
    Originally posted by Nick Johnson:
    Originally posted by Michael Culler:


    They said because I marketed the property for sale without owning it, I was breaking the law.




    Isn't that exactly what an agent does (or is supposed to) Market the property they don't own for sale :roll:

    the dumbest things Realtors say to me on a regular basis is, " you can't do that"


    Yeah, that's what they were saying. They said by marketing a property I don't own for sale, I was acting as an agent. I told them that is not true, because I am the BUYER and a principal in the transaction,

    I found it hilarious, considering I am in Florida. I think wholesaling was pretty much invented here. I mean, Carlton Sheets came from here, come one now guys...

    :mrgreen:

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  • Jeff TumbarelloPro Member
    Real Estate Broker · Fort Myers, FL · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 323 votes
    17y

    As long as you have an equitable interest in the property, you can wholesale it. You have to be very carefull as to what you say in marketing. I know a "motivational guru" who had to turn to MLM due to 7 cease and desists from the state of florida. He derserved to get those, FYI.

    A good realtor is worth their weight in gold. 90 percent can not spell the word investment. 90 percent of the "investors" can not either.

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  • Joe Salimao
    Real Estate Investor · Blackwood, NJ · Member since 2009 · 79 posts · 10 votes
    17y

    About two months ago I was interviewing a realtor and they told me that i wasn't going to find a lot of good deals in this market. He said it is very difficult to find foreclosures now and when you do they just aren't budging on the price.
    Never seen him again and hope to keep it that way.

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  • Josh Green
    Financial Advisor · Tampa Area, FL · Member since 2008 · 956 posts · 214 votes
    17y

    one of the worst things i've ever heard from a realtor was:

    "can we reschedule?"

    f that!

    0Reply
  • Mike Suchowierski
    Real Estate Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2008 · 4 posts · 0 votes
    17y

    I had a real estate agent tell me I should pay 10k more for a property. I asked him how many properties outside of his primary he owned and he said none!

    Hmmmmm.

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  • Susan Anthony
    Real Estate Investor · Poughkeepsie, NY · Member since 2008 · 69 posts · 4 votes
    17y

    "I had an offer on your house, but it was $6K less than you were asking, so I didn't bother to tell you about it."
    New York State law requires that agents and brokers report all offers to the seller. It is ILLEGAL not to do so.

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  • Jake Kucheck
    Residential Real Estate Agent · Costa Mesa, CA · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 380 votes
    17y

    As a Realtor myself I get to interact with a LOT of idiots every day, while doing my best not to be one of them.

    That said, reading property descriptions and the "agent remarks" section can be pretty hilarious. I've seen properties that are geologically impacted and needed to be torn down that according to the agent "needed some TLC". I've also seen the agents make fun of their own clients in the private remarks "Owner is a bit slow and smells funny, please be patient".

    However, what pisses me off the most is when an agent calls to tell me my listing is over-priced. Is that a good use of anyone's time? If you had a buyer, you would be calling me with an offer. If you don't, what the hell do you care? If nothing else, you should hope it sells at that price that is too high so that the next time you have a similar listing, you can use a higher comp and make a larger commish!

    Rant over.

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  • Eric L.
    Rental Property Investor · Omaha, NE · Member since 2008 · 62 posts · 14 votes
    17y

    I think it would be easier for me to report intelligent things I have heard from Realtors. When you look through the MLS in my town you will notice an average of one misspelled word per listing.

    Lately, I have been driving around and checking out listings only to find that most listings have an accepted offer from two weeks ago and the Realtor never bothered to mark the property as sold.

    I'm happy that Open MLS is taking away the expensive middle man that is just a door opener.

    0Reply
  • Account Closed
    Tucson, AZ · Member since 2008 · 945 posts · 45 votes
    17y

    There IS what is acting like an (open )mls in many places: Craigslist. As I peruse the real estate section, I see the BROKERS and Agents have taken it over. It's hard to find FSBO's there.
    Several agents have told me they get most of their sales via Craigslist. I'd like to see brokers either banned from Craigslist, or relegated to a separate section so the the FSBOs are easily seen, or FSBO's able to post on the MLS for free, just as the agents and brokers list on Cgaigslist.
    If btokers, agents and the NAR do not want fsbos on the mls, they should keep the brokers and agents off Craigslist and other lists like it!
    Ofgift
    who is in the process of preparing to sell the former residence...
    Anybody interested?

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  • Dave Versch
    Murray Hill, NJ · Member since 2008 · 204 posts · 15 votes
    17y

    Me: Is the property located in the 100 year flood plain?

    Realtor: Yes, but don't worry -- the whole town is in the 100 year flood plain.

    I feel much better about it now!! :lol:

    0Reply
  • Ariane Randolph
    Real Estate Investor · Jacksonville, FL · Member since 2009 · 49 posts · 5 votes
    17y

    As a new Realtor wanting to focus on clients seeking investment/income producing properties, I have found this thread very educational, interesting, and comical. Thanks for sharing.

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  • Timothy W.
    OP
    Attorney · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    17y
    Originally posted by Dave V.:
    Me: Is the property located in the 100 year flood plain?

    Realtor: Yes, but don't worry -- the whole town is in the 100 year flood plain.

    I feel much better about it now!! :lol:

    I nearly shot coffee out of my nose in Panera reading this....lol....

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  • Account Closed
    Tucson, AZ · Member since 2008 · 945 posts · 45 votes
    17y
    Originally posted by Dave V.:
    Me: Is the property located in the 100 year flood plain?

    Realtor: Yes, but don't worry -- the whole town is in the 100 year flood plain.

    I feel much better about it now!! :lol:

    I'm STILL laughing! thaks--I really needed a belly laugh this morning!
    Ofgift

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