Need to vent . . .really badly need to vent.

[flamin lib]

I just gotta bitch. Bear with me.

I’m a real estate agent in Texas. In the last four years I’ve had buyers get up and walk out of closing because for no apparent reason. I’ve had buyers die on the way to closing. I’ve been sued by my client for following that client’s legal instructions, as I’m required to do by law. I’ve spent 14 months finding a home that meets 4 pages of criteria. I’ve spent six months showing homes only to have my client decide to involve a new home manufacturer without my knowledge, removing me from the transaction. I’ve had a prospect use his cell phone to call his “friend in the business” from a property I was showing him and change agents on the spot. I’ve had a buyer decide to close a week early without telling anyone, he just showed up at the title company because the contract said “on or before”. I’ve listed four homes on the seller’s assurance that they would take my advice and prepare the home only to be bitched out when it didn’t sell in the first month with dirty diapers spread around the house, a pit bull chained in the yard and enough cat urine in the carpet to make your eyes burn.

Today, for the third time, I’ve had a lender negotiate financing terms outside the contract I’ve written and not tell anyone. We’re supposed to close tomorrow at 10:00 AM and today I find the entire third financing addendum everyone signed does not match the loan documents provided. I was not informed. The seller’s agent wasn’t informed. The seller wan't informed. The title company wasn’t informed.

Half the population thinks I’m blood sucking vermin and I’m sure I’ll hear from them. To them I say walk a mile in my shoes—that way you’ll be a mile away and I’ll be barefoot so I can’t smack you up side the head ‘cause in the mood I’m in right now I really need to hit somthin’.

[niyad]

1. I wish I had something helpful to say, but all I can do is offer a

sympathetic ear.

I know you are one of the honourable agents. can we call on you? pity you are in texas!! friends of mine are trying to buy a house, were supposed to close, only to discover the loan, which they had been assured was fine, fell through. then they discovered that the house they are attempting to buy is about to go into foreclosure (a tiny fact undisclosed by the seller's agent) and all the real estate agents are at a convention this week.

[flamin lib]

22. Point of law here.

The agent representing the seller is forbidden by law to disclose anything that is adverse to the seller unless it relates to the condition of the property. Being in foreclosure is adverse to the seller's negotiating position so it is illegal for the agent to disclose that without permission in writing (in Texas).

Same goes for the buyer. If you, as buyer, had won the lottery your agent could not reveal that because it puts your bargaining power at a disadvantage.

Anything relating to the condition of the property, ie foundation condition, roof, plumbing or legal status MUST be disclosed by anyone who has knowledge of it.

[Kookaburra]

2. Aw Flamin

I'm sorry you're having such a bad day, honey. I do hope it gets better. If you have a picture of *, put it on a dart board and throw 'em at it.

[Drum]

3. Awful business

from the sound of things. Sorry you are goin' through it! It may come as cold comfort, but at least you are doing the job...if it weren't you, it might be some asshole.
Here's a :toast: to your endurance. Hope the equillibrium returns soon.

[demnan]

4. It sounds to me like your state laws need to be fixed

I know in Virginia we have very strict laws about titles, and such and I don't think we have as many problems like that. Don't they have to pay the closing costs too if people just walk out? I would work with your association to see what you can have done about improving the Real Estate laws in your state.

No, you aren't vermin and I'm not a real estate salesman, but my mother was, and that is probably what she would tell you. Hang in there. It's probably no fun these days being a real estate saleman.

[flamin lib]

11. Texas has very strict laws regarding title and agency.

Being a licensed agent is the most difficult thing I've ever done. It's just that not everybody follows the rules in a timely manner. This wouldn't be a problem if anyone were advised of the changes when they took place a week ago. Now it's scramble and play grab ass for everybody involved.

Yes, the walkout did have to give up the earnest money--total cost of about $1500. But the seller was still left sitting in a loaded U-Haul in the title company parking lot with no place to go.

[seabeyond]

5. i am sorry. lol lol. i have thought about going into that business

but dang, if you didnt convince me i like my current job better. staying at home and taking care of the family. and i was gonna bitch at the kids when they got home. think i wont, wink.

i am sorry you are having such a hard time. hope your day improves. some ray of sunshine or sprinkle of fairy dust comes your way to lighten up your mood.

[photogirl12]

6. ...and isn't dealing with the public great?!?!?

Is it just me or have people gotten harder to deal with in the last 10 years (I can only say 10 because I have been dealing with the public for 12)? People who don't deal with the public on a daily basis just don't understand what it is like. I am a professional photographer, I constantly have people complaining that "I don't like that background" after I have finished with their portrait sitting and "That is not how my child smiles". The public has just become unreal!

[flamin lib]

15. Thanks! I needed that!

I have a degree in photography too and thankfully never went into that line of work. I bow to the greater pressure you endure!

[photogirl12]

19. Ohhh...that's nothing

Until you have a mother say to their chilren "Quit your crying or I am going to give you something to cry about". Yup, that sitting is going to go well. That child is really going to smile. The fear thing really works.

[flamin lib]

26. I gotta' relate this story.

I'm at the marina and this dad & five year old son are fishing off the pier. Kid falls in. Dad goes into full protection mode and retrieves kid from water, checks him out and hugs and kisses all 'round. Then, all of a sudden Dad smacks the kid and says, "Didn't I tell you to be carefull and not get too close . . . "

LMAO. So I go into the Ship's Store and relate the story to the clerk behind the counter. She says, "That's nothin'. My grown kids come back to live wif me an' brought the babies. Baby comes home from school wif a note 'cause he got'n a fyte. Momma drags that kid inta' the bedroom and all I hear is, '!WHACK! Ain't Ah tole you !WHACK! that hittin' !WHACK! ain't no way !WHACK! to behave?'"

[photogirl12]

29. LOL LOL LOL!!!!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

OK, you gave me and my business partner both a good laugh!!!

[libodem]

7. cripes no wonder you are mad

you have plenty of good reasons. Hope your venting released some frustration. I read your complaint and can only validate your feelings. Too bad we can't fix other people. We can only work on ourselves, we can only change ourselves. Too, bad you couldn't just punch one of those stupid people, though! :)

[jokerman93]

8. Hang in there bro

Sounds like it's been a tough few years. You can use the anger to get yourself into a better place and it'll pass.
And remember - you are who you know you are. Everything else is conjecture.
:toast:
J

[Ezlivin]

9. Cheer up! The real estate industry will crash hard in 2007

Well, that's what they are saying, even though when I look around here in the D/FW area it seems like we'll never stop building. When we moved here there was one high school in our town of approximately 12,000. My property taxes have tripled along with the population and we need five (5) high schools now. Driving through Southlake and Colleyville would make one think that the US is doing exceedingly well; you'd never know that we're involved in a war. Of course this is a very Republican area.

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. The Real Estate business is really, really tough sometimes.

My ex-MIL was an agent and worked her ass off. I KNOW what you're going through. I feel your pain. Keep your chin up...it'll get better. Working with the public really sucks sometimes. People can be such HUGE assholes. NOW, go have a beer! :beer: You need one!

[calimary]

27. They sure are. I remember managing the campus coffee house during

college. That included everything from booking the talent to waiting tables and ordering the kitchen supplies. ROUTINELY we'd have students' families come in and sit, all night, taking up one of the few tables available, ordering all kinds of stuff, sending things back because they weren't this-or-that enough, demanding special orders and menu changes, and treating me (and other students working there) rudely - and then they'd leave NO TIP. It taught me to respect table servers and to be a better tipper, that's for sure.

You work hard for your money and put up with all kinds of unreasonable crap, and you don't deserve that! You'd think people would have some simple respect.

I don't envy you.

[Parche]

12. i feel your pain

I am in the 'sales' business also........

Sometimes people just suck period........

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

13. I love my agent

She worked hard helping me buy, now she's working hard helping me sell. She is very candid and her advice has been invaluable. When I get frustrated and take it out on her, she takes it in stride. Then I bake her some cookies.

Sorry the lousy clients and vendors are getting to you. Have a cookie. :)

[Mist]

14. I do interior design and "presentation for sale." It's amazing how many

people think their house should sell without a good de-cluttering. I mean, they ARE paying for my advice; why not follow it?

[flamin lib]

18. No, they aren't paying a thing unless the place sells. That's the

problem, they nod their head and agree that the place smells to high heaven and needs the carpet replaced then do nothing. Meanwhile, as soon as I hit "enter" on the MLS listing I spend $500. The sellers think we just list it on the MLS and it's all free.

They never take the advice of the FIRST realtor . . .

[marions ghost]

16. this is what happens

in a dog-eat-dog world. Not much civility left. Not much morality. There are problems in the real estate business, and mostly I hear people bitch about shady realtors, but I know you are not all bad. (We need to clean up the real estate business but not holding my breath--like many other businesses such as building construction, it's out of control...). It's no wonder that people get cynical and think anything goes. Sorry for your distress. You don't deserve it I'm sure. It's a sign of the times IMO.

[flamin lib]

20. Real estate law is pretty tough on sales agents in most states.

If you want to see a real can of worms look into mortgage fraud and predatory lending practices. I went to a seminar last week and the bottom line is that it isn't even being investigated unless it exceeds $millions and is a serial crime.

The FBI is more interested in looking at who is flying where and there aren't any other agencies with the jurisdiction.

If I were to give advice to a seller or a buyer it would be to know everybody in the transaction and get referances. The seller's agent, the buyer's agent, the lender and the title company.

Mortage fraud and predatory lending practices are two major contributing factors to the high foreclosure rate today.

They're getting worse, much worse.

[marions ghost]

33. well I have seen some practices

by real estate agents that I don't think are ethical, no matter how tough the law is. But in any business these days, people push the law as far as they can. Flying 'under the radar' has become a fine art. I wouldn't single out real estate for special censure at this point.

But I do agree that the whole business of buying and selling houses for the average homeowner can be treacherous. What bothers me is that (esp under Repug rule) these predatory lending practices are legal. A person does not even qualify and yet they are offered a loan that will eventually sink them. It's scandalous and like you say, nothing is done.

Re Your well-meant advice...well info is only as good as the person you get it from. There's a limit to how much research and investigation people can do on their own. People who are new in an area can't always get good references. There needs to be some outside regulation. Sort of a consumer's union for local house-related businesses. Forget the better business bureau and that sort of thing. It has to be an independent consumer-advocate resource. I would also like to see support groups for buying & selling houses, building and remodelling. Literally. People need independent experts to turn to. It just can't be left to "buyer beware." This is benefitting the predators and hurting the consumers.

[seemunkee]

17. Sorry man, some people are just assholes

I've sold 2 houses and bought two with the same agent(s) and would use them again if I ever have the need. What they did was worth every penny I paid them.

[dkofos]

21. It could be worse

You could be selling cars!!

[flamin lib]

23. Oh, yes, that is bad in so many dealerships.

I bought two cars in the last year and some of those people are under such pressure it's terrible.

I found a dealer that treated their sales people like human beings.

If they're gonna' treat their employees like that how are they going to treat me?

[NotGivingUp]

24. i just quit real estate. i know where you're coming from!

[cap]

25. seriously rethink what you are doing

the real estate industry is in a major shake up right now. Similar to the dot coms... some will be hit very hard... others will just be miserable and some will hold tight... a few will prosper.

Really think hard about where the money is in your area and where its gonna stay.

Have a back up plan as to what else you are going to do with your life if things dont work out for you.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[newyawker99]

31. Hi MAJ!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[bullwinkle428]

30. Banks can be absolutely rotten...I've had a couple of really bad

experiences in making real estate purchases. One pulled out the "Oh, we can only make you a balloon payment loan" (due in 5 years) just days before the closing, when I had specfically requested (and signed all the papers for) a fixed rate 30-year mortgage. I really wanted the place and the price was good, and I was fed up with the landlords of the place I was renting so I went ahead and took it. KARMA IS A BIZZLE - I refinanced three years later at a rate around 3.5% less than the original rate, and told the original bank where to stick it.

[Rowdyboy]

32. Damn...My guy retired in June and considered real estate as a 2nd career..

I'm really glad he decided to go with the H&R Block tax preparer class!

Sorry to hear evidence of what a truly characterless society we have become. Its very sad.