NEVER FORGET,
ALTHOUGH YOU MAY BE PAYING
FOR THE
SERVICES OF AN AGENT, MOST
ARE WORKING
FOR THEMSELVES!
Frauds, Lies,
Immoral Cheats,
& Unethical
Scams…
…’The Real Truth ‘WHY’ According to
the Harris Poll®, Real Estate Agents Rank ‘DEAD LAST’ On the List of America’s
Most Respected Professions. ’
…AND HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM
GREED & DESPERATION!
Dear
Friend,
“Whether you realize it or not, the biggest threat to your real estate
sanity isn’t the market – it’s the ‘moral compass’ of your agent!” My name
is Zachary Betts, I’ll tell you “why now” I decided to write this report in a
moment. But before we begin I must ask a favor of you. Please do not let this
report fall into any other hands except yours. I am sincere in my request…
Here’s
why: Maybe you’ve heard the story of Frank Lucas, maybe not. In the early
1970’s Frank Lucas was a kingpin in the Harlem drug
scene. He controlled the market with a product he called “Blue Magic” – where
he bought pure heroin wholesale and "chopped it down" only slightly
before selling it on the streets. Lucas secretly smuggled heroin into the
United States by hiding the drugs in the coffins of soldiers who died in the
Vietnam War—affording him, the ability, to sell heroin that was twice as pure
for half the cost. If this story sounds at all familiar to you, that doesn’t
surprise me. In fact, Denzel Washington recently played Frank Lucas in the
blockbuster movie, American Gangster.
Now there’s more to this story. Russell
Crowe was also in that movie, he played detective Richie Roberts. Roberts was
one of the few honest cops NOT “on the payroll” of any of Harlem’s drug lords,
or even that of Frank Lucas. While other cops were “shaking down” drug dealers
for cash, and accepting bribes to turn a blind-eye. Richie’s honesty made him
public enemy number one. Instead of keeping nearly $1 million in unmarked bills
(that he found during a routine traffic stop) he turned it in. Word got around,
and now, other cops saw him as a threat. He couldn’t be trusted—he was too ethical…
Richie
could care less though. He was a man of integrity. He hated corrupt cops. He
hated them more than the heroin dealers themselves. As Frank Lucas’s empire
grew, more and more
of these cockroaches appeared from the wood work, looking to cash in. Lucas
hated this, hated them. In fact, when Richie finally brought down Lucas, the
two, obviously on opposite sides of the fence, cooperated to nail their common
enemy: corrupt NYC detectives… In the end, and nobody would have expected it,
three-quarters of the entire NYC’s Drug Enforcement Agency was arrested and
convicted.
Unethical, immoral, cheats & liars…
…nobody likes them.
And while that same sentiment rings true in real estate, concerning
unethical real estate agents, I’d appreciate discretion. This report, like
Richie Robert turning in the nearly $1 million in unmarked bills, puts me the
line of fire. Unethical real estate agents would prefer I just keep my mouth
shut. Keep quiet. And not talk about any of this. And, personally, I could
careless what they think. But, if enough of these unethical agents complain to
the Clark County Association of Realtors, or the national board – NO MATTER HOW TRUE ALL THIS IS – they
may force me to stop publishing this report. Threaten to take my license, or in
other ways, try to silence me.
And that would be a shame.
You
see, nobody likes to admit corruption in their own “precinct.” Do you think
the NYC Drug Enforcement Agency ever commissioned their own internal
investigation
to crack down on the unethical detectives in their agency? No! Of course not. Why? Because it would look bad. If not for Richie
Roberts catching Frank Lucas, and Lucas’s equal and general hate (and distaste)
for those unethical detectives, who knows how long it would have continued?!?!?
Here’s the truth: Whether you’re a
buyer or seller, you better know what you are doing and how to “play the game”
because if you get screwed, well, that’s your own fault. That is what they will tell you. How can this be, you
ask? Real simple. Because the
National Association of Realtors® (NAR) is one of the largest special interest
groups in the nation. They collect money from real estate agents in the form of
“membership fees” that then, are used to lobby on the behalf of its members. What
does this mean? It means they have squeezed congress to write real estate laws
in their favor. Which means, if you make a bad decision in a real estate deal,
shame on you, that’s your bad, not theirs. “You should have known better” is
what they will tell you. “You should have known
how the game was played” is what they’ll say.
That’s only fair, right?
They have the real estate licenses and the
“badges” but you’re on your own. That’s how it is. And whether you like it or not,
accept it or not, acknowledge it or not, fair or not, that’s the reality, for
many people, of how this game is really
played.
And It’s a Crying Shame!
It’s absolutely wrong!
But
that’s why it’s so important to protect yourself, to do you own due diligence –
commit to reading this report – and that you take it seriously. Please do not
get me wrong, I am not suggesting all real estate agents are bad people,
unethical, or even guilty of one or more things in this report – but many are.
I’ve witnessed it. And I suspect, like the three-quarters of the NYC detectives
found guilty, it may be a higher percentage than you or I would ever think to
guess.
Who
knows? Maybe you’ve experience your own horror story real estate agent. Maybe
you know all this all too well…
Maybe all this resonates a bit too close to
home. A bit too deep. I certainly know plenty of good families (negatively)
affected by an agent. In fact, it is for this reason, why I wrote and published
this report. To help people like yourself and other rightly concerned
homeowners, buyers and sellers, and good people with families—know how to stand
up and protect themselves from “this” happening to them. Nobody deserves to be
put through the financial or emotional ringer of a horror story with a real estate agent.
And now
with the market the way it is, from my own experience, and what I’m seeing on a
daily basis—in many ways it’s only gotten worse. Generally speaking, I do not
believe
as people say, “Money is the root of all
evil.” I believe, money, in the right hands can actually do
a lot of good. Just look at Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. How many billions
have these two men raised and donated? How many people have they helped? How
many schools have be built… and how many doses of AIDS medication have been
provided?...
How many computers have been donated to schools and worthy
foundations?
Of course, for
every cloud with a silver-lining there is a dark-underbelly. For every
humanitarian and philanthropist like Gates and Buffett there is a ruthless,
life-sucking criminal like Bernie Madoff, driven by greed.
But from my experience,
more dangerous then even greed itself,
is desperation.
Here’s what you must understand. And knowing this, and never forgetting
this, will save /make you a lot of money. Not to mention eliminate mountains of
frustration in your next real estate transaction. So please, listen closely:
“Real estate agents are 100% commission based
salespeople. Meaning if they don’t close deals, they DO NOT get paid. Meaning: Zero
income.”
With this in
mind, you must ask yourself, especially now, when the market has contracted,
the number of homes sales has declined sharply, in desperate times like these,
where some 450,000 agents (nationwide) have already been uprooted and forced to
leave real estate, now working at J.C. Penny and Target and at Subway making
sandwiches – and if they don’t want to be next – what would make an agent want
to tell you about the “deal killing” tidbits revealed in this report?
Do you really
think, just because they “say” they have a fiduciary responsibility to you, as
their client, that your best interests trump their own self-interests – their need to make money in desperate times?
You know the answer…
You’ve heard the saying “Dog eat Dog” – “Look out of #1”… I encourage you,
in your real estate transactions, to do the same. In my opinion, greed is not
the primary cause of unethical behaviors here. Greed only amplifies the
unethical characteristics of an already unethical and immoral person. I believe that. Desperation, on the
other hand, is a different beast altogether. Desperation in tied to survival. A
change in circumstance, for example, can cause one of great integrity to become
unethical in times when it can be “justified” and rationalized in that person’s
head.
During
Hurricane Katrina you saw police officers looting convenient stores to provide
for their families.
Was it ethical
or moral for these officers to “steal?” No!
But could they rationalize and justify it in their head? Sure! So they did it… they were motivated by their circumstance to
become unethical. This is how desperation
is different than greed. It is more dangerous. As of recent, I have
witnessed it’s power first hand… I’ve seen it motivate ethical agents, who I
know personally, to do thing to their clients that are, seemingly, totally out
of character—unethical, immoral and disgusting things—things I could never
imagine them normally doing.
Now, to be
fair…
I’m no
anthropologist, but the only thing I can think of, why this happens is—maybe
its some kind of hardwired “Survival Mechanism.” Regardless though, of why it
happens, just know it happens—and because it happens—it’s created a serious
need to protect yourself, from such behaviors.
So… before you go down to your local “agent in a box” super-store and
select an agent off the shelf – lets spend some time right now, to dive into
the things you need to be aware of, to protect and insulate yourself. After
all, that’s why you requested this report… I congratulate you for not “winging
it.”
VERY IMPORTANT: Please understand, in
some of the stories below, I have changed the names of the guilty. As I
mentioned earlier, this is NOT a report to slander or call-out, or expose any
specific agent – Karma is a bitch. They’ll get theirs, don’t worry. This
report, I only wrote it, and made it available to you, to be of the most value
possible. Having witnessed recent events, I feel a sense of responsibility to
alert folks of all the latest threats. As well as provide, information and
opportunities.
This report just happens to fall under the “threat”
category.
So,
shall we…
Dangerous Threat #1:
Living Next To A Sex-Offender:
Do you really think it’s by accident that an agent never advises, reminds,
double checks, or encourage their clients to do your homework about registered,
nearby sex offenders? Talk about the “deal-breaker” of all “deal-breakers” –
this is it.
Sadly, and I
think its disgusting, but agents know it, and they keep their mouth shut about
this. And get this, you want to know NAR’s take on it, they’ve stated, "Agents should NOT bear the
responsibility of notifying home buyers when such offenders live in a
neighborhood." Legally, maybe not, but morally,
as an agent and person myself, who has kids, I can’t imagine any justification
or negligent excuse to omit such information; I mean, seriously—at least raise
the subject.
Talk about it. Make known.
This isn’t a minor omission here,
we’re talking about
Rapists!
Molesters. Insane, demented, criminally inclined to—potentially—harm a client’s
kids, spouse or another family member. Any agent who doesn’t have on their
checklist for new clients: “Double Check for Sex Offenders” should be of serious concern you. Forget the
financial damage that living next to a sex offender causes, this goes way
beyond that. Which, by the way, is significant. According to studies done by
Leigh Linden and Jonah Rockoff of Columbia University, when a sex offender
lives within 1/10 of a mile—home values fall 4%.
Go ahead, do
the math. What’s your home worth? Times that by 4%. For $200,000 home, that’s
$8,000.
Poof. Gone!!
But as a
parent with kids, I tend to agree 4% is a joke. A bit conservative and naïve.
Other studies, according to Steve Mc Linden of Bankrate.com, have said “home
values decrease, on average, by as much as 17%.”
Now do the
math. Poof. Gone!!
It really
doesn’t matter what the actual number is, it’s common-sense. If you buy a house
in a neighborhood with a sex-offender—you’re screwed. Your hard earned money up
in flames. Worse, and the bigger tragedy, your family is exposed to a great
deal of unnecessary, 100% completely avoidable, risk. I recently read of a
couple, Mark and Betty Glasgow, who bought such a home, and all they could say
is, “Why didn’t they tell us?” …”Aren’t
they required to inform people about this type of thing in the disclosures?”
Answer. Nope.
The sad truth is,
most agents are tight-lipped
about this…
Why you ask? Because it’s an instant “deal-killer”… desperate agents, they need the
money, they can’t afford “deal-killers”… thankfully, in case you didn’t know
before, now you do—always double check for sex offenders. You can count on the
fact, most agents are not
freely disclosing this information. You and I both know, they’d really prefer
you never even think about it… forget about it… fail to investigate it…
That’s why I wrote and published this report.
Before you buy
any property, always double check for ‘Registered Sex Offenders.’ This simple
task can literally save you thousands and help you avoid deep, deep, deep
regret. You can do so by visiting sites like http://www.familywatchdog.us/ or by
simply Googling “Registered Sex Offenders,” where you’ll find others helpful
information sites, dedicated to keeping the public safe.
Make an
informed decision. And please (while we’re on this topic) don’t forget to check
crime stats too. Pay a visit to your local police station. And always ask if a
murder or other violent crime has occurred in the home—again, by law, this is
not something agents need to disclose. Why?
Because as they say “…it’s not a material
defect” of the home itself… yeah, well… tell that to buyers who don’t want
to live in a home where someone has been brutally murdered.
Re-sale will be a nightmare.
Your home value will plummet.
Not long ago, I read of a dentist in Washington state, a wealthy guy, owned
a very nice house… worth $750,000+ at the time of appraisal, but since he
murdered his wife in their home, stabbed her to death with a pair of scissors,
in the bedroom, while she slept – after nearly a year on the market—sold for
just a little over $400,000.
Yes, to no one’s surprise, a murder is a huge
profit-killer.
This is why
doing your own due diligence is critical, because in all likelihood, if it
could be a “deal-breaker,” well, you know how it works… you probably won’t find
out from a real estate agent until
it’s too late.
Dangerous Threats #2, 3, 4:
Hidden Commissions & Rampant Greed.
Desperation is one thing, but when you combine desperation with greed, as real estate does—you have
all the ingredients for the “perfect storm” of deceit, deception, and
dishonesty. A lot of people, after being taken advantage of by an agent, feel
stupid or embarrassed or ashamed for “not
being smarter”… you shouldn’t. First of all, it’s almost impossible to protect
yourself, if you aren’t privy to knowing what takes place behind-closed-doors.
It is sad. But. There are “tricks” and “secrets”
known by agents, unknown to you, that earn them more and you less.
Some outright “steal” your money.
One of these tricks is referred to as “shorting
the BAC” – just as real estate agent commissions (for most agents) are
negotiable so is the compensation offered to a buyers agent. I recently had a
conversation with a well-known agent in our community, his picture is
everywhere. You’d likely recognize his name, and… over the course of our discussion,
he mentioned his commission for a recent listing was nearly $9,000. This caught my attention. I was
familiar with the home. I’d driven by it a number of times. And for a home
worth $185,000 (as this one was) his commission should’ve been closer to
$7,000. Come to find out, after taking a 7% commission to list the home, he
gave only 2.25% to the buyers’ agent. In other words, he shorted the BAC (buyer agent commission).
Instead of splitting 55/45
which is normal and customary in favor of the seller to cover additional
advertising and marketing costs – he split more like 70/30. As you can imagine
(you’re no dummy) any listing that pays a buyers agent less money – especially
less than all other comparable homes – is less likely to be sold. Your home
pays X, all the others pay 2X? Which home do you think a buyers’ agent is more
interested in selling? Exactly. This means less showings. Tougher negotiations.
More low-ball offers. And sadly, agents “finding
problems” with your home as a means
of talking their buyer out of buying
it.
I’ve even seen agents manufacture
reasons why they their buyer couldn’t look at it, things such as “…I tried to setup an showing appointment,
but no one answered.” …or… “They’re
not taking any showings this week, their kids are sick.”… If you think it
doesn’t happen, think again.
It does happen,
and to believe it doesn’t, is naïve.
Is it sick? Absolutely.
And, to be fair, if… a buyer’s agent is truly an advocate for the buyer, it
shouldn’t matter what the compensation is (due to fiduciary responsibility).
They should show whatever home on the market that best meets their clients’
preferences—not based on the highest BAC offered. But that’s not reality. You
know as well as me, under the “spell” of desperation and greed, which home pays
the agent the most: IT MATTERS.
It shouldn’t, BUT IT DOES.
One agent I know blatantly told me, “I won’t show a home with a bad BAC.”
And the results don’t lie. Longer days on market. Multiple and repeated price
reductions. In fact, that house (in case your wondering) was on the market 300%
longer than the average home
in that price range and in that neighborhood.
It underwent 7 price reductions. Ultimately, by best estimate, sold for $15,000
to $20,000 less than it probably should have.
So yeah,
go ahead and say
it,
the homeowner got
robbed!!!
His agent, thanks purely to greed, took him to the cleaners for $20,000 bucks. A new car or a year of
college tuition. POOF!! Gone!! …
And, if you’re a buyer, it doesn’t get any better. If it seems your agent
isn’t showing you the homes you want to see, or feels like he’s trying to “talk you out of” buying a home without
good caus—well, guess what?
Now you
know why…
Here’s a tip: As a seller, you should
always, upfront, in advance, agree to exactly how the BAC will be handled. Who
knows? It could save you twenty-grand. If you’re a buyer, ASK. By law, agents
are not required to disclose the MLS offered BAC. Don’t make the kryptonite
mistake of waiting till closing, to see it on the settlement docs—due to
ignorance or sloth, it doesn’t matter—by that time, you’ll likely already have
been “victimized”… steered away from your dream home or worse, pressured into
buying a home “…this is an amazing house.
Great investment. Great resale…” you didn’t really want.
Another of these tricks
is the ole’
…“Turn and
Burn”
Many homeowners assume the agent with the biggest ad, driving the most
expensive car, whose name is on every billboard, and has the most pages in the
real estate book is, by virtue, the most “competent” and “qualified” real
estate agent. And the best choice. This is, may I be honest… a dangerous
assumption.
Here’s
why: In this market, if a seller is lucky enough to NOT to be underwater on
their home value—then after paying off the mortgage, real estate fees, the
closing costs, etc. – all the profit, if there is any, is in the last ten or
fifteen, or $20,000 of the sales price. This is the money that goes directly to
a sellers bottom-line, and into your pocket.
Now
enter the “Turn and Burn.”
These
are the agents who make a fat income by maximizing “turns”—squeezing his or her client to accept the first offer,
low-ball or not, and do so, with little or no negotiation. Often pressuring
you, planting seeds of doubt, saying things like “…this might be the only offer we get for months.” These agents who
utilize the “turn and burn” strategy, use
your own fear and concern and worry, about the market and the economy, against
you.
Obviously, the
faster they can get you, the seller, to accept an offer, the sooner they can
get paid and collect their commission. But now… here’s the kicker. This should
rub you really, really, REALLY raw. Because if your agent fails to negotiate
(hard) on your behalf for that
last $10,000 of potential profit…
You lose $10,000 bucks!
He (or she) on the other hand, only looses 3% of that, or $300 bucks.
You see, if you DO NOT accept the offer, you all of a sudden (in the eyes
of that agent) become the “deal-breaker” in the equation.
He can’t have
that.
This is why so
many of my clients, in past transactions, have told me, “…I felt like I was negotiating against THREE people – the buyer, his
agent AND MY OWN AGENT” and odds are, they were. This is something you need
to be cautious of. Amongst the agent community—in the good ole’ boys club, as
they call it—it’s not a secret of how many of the “top-producers” sell so many
homes. It’s quite simple. They “turn”
through them fast, often “burning”
the client in the process
“…onto the next.” Where the client is
treated as just another cog in the wheel, cow in the herd.
Never
forget, although you may be paying for the services of an agent, THEY ARE
WORKING FOR THEMSELVES. This, unfortunately, is the consequence of real estate
being a commission-driven industry. And if… they view YOU as the “deal-breaker,”
YOU… as the difference between GETTING paid vs. NOT getting paid—who’s self-interest do you think comes first? Yours
or theirs?
Please, just
watch your back…
And don’t even get me started
on the
“Agent
Bonus”
– that’s a real
piece of work!
As a buyer, this should really concern you. In the MLS database there’s a
secret section that is labeled “Agent Comments.” When agents print your version
of the different property listings—this section doesn’t appear in your version.
But it does theirs.
You see,
this is where sellers’ agents offer, especially in this market, very lucrative
BONUSES to buyers’ agents as an incentive to sell their listings over other
competing listing in the marketplace. Now… think about that. Imagine the
conversation going through your agents’ head, if you are a buyer “…Hmmm, if I get the seller (who I do not
represent) the terms they want from my buyer (who I do represent) I… get a
nice, big fat BONUS.” And trust me, this incentive isn’t just some small gift
certificate to Applebee’s.
Think again.
These bonuses often range from $1,000 to $5,000, I’ve even seen
‘paid-in-full’ vacations to places like Hawaii and Mexico. And here’s where it
gets really slimy. Outright heinous. With these bonuses, often comes a
stipulation to receive them, which reads “…for
a full price offer.” How do you like them apples? Does this surprise you…
that NAR has actually made it legal
for sellers’ agents, through agent bonuses, to bribe your agent (you as the
buyer) to negotiate against you.
How’s that for ethics?
Sad
thing is, you’ll never even know these bonuses exist. By law (thanks to the
lobbying of NAR, laws written in favor of the agent) these bonuses are not
required to be disclosed… at least, not until… the time of closing. And even
then, they don’t show up on the buyer’s settlement docs, they show up on the
sellers. A place virtually no buyer thinks to look. You should. Unfortunately, though, at this point, the damage is already
done. Contracts signed. You couldn’t back out even if you wanted to, at least
not without sacrificing your earnest money…
I mean, if you haven’t figured it out by now, the whole
‘game’ is rigged against you.
NAR,
has made “ripping
off”
buyers
and sellers,
people like YOU,
easy.
Yeah it embarrasses me.
I’m
honestly ashamed of the real estate industry and being associated with it,
especially being that it condones such behavior—but that’s why I wrote this
report—to give good people and good families, like you and yourself a fair
shake.
The only solution to avoid such threats
is education;
knowing what to look out for,
the right questions to ask.
This report works to fix all these problems. I, and my team, operate on a
full disclosure policy. For starters, all “Agent
Bonuses” are awarded to our clients—you, not us… and as for
the “Turn and Burn” and “Shorting the BAC” we’ve put systems
(and safeguards) in place to eliminate those too.
Against popular
belief, maximizing your profit IS NOT ABOUT selling your home for more money—IT
IS ABOUT—minimizing the “loss” of falling victim to an unethical,
ill-qualified, or incompetent agent doing their best to “steal” your home sale
profits. And, of course, because every transaction has two agents you must know
how to protect yourself from both sides of the fence, knowing the “game” each
side plays.
I know
this report, like Richie Roberts keeping the $1 Million in unmarked bills, has
made me public enemy #1 to the real estate community “…for airing their dirty laundry” – but hey, this why our clients
trust us so much.
This is why
they have seen such amazing results. And why they happily refer their friends and
family members to read this report. So…if stepping on a few “political toes”
upsets some folks, earns me “hate mail” from the crooks I expose—Oh well!
The other good agents in our community with agree and
support me, on this report.
Dangerous Threat #5: Outright Lying.
One of the reasons we trust (most) doctors is because of their obligation
and responsibility to tell the truth Good news, bad news, here’s the diagnosis,
here are the options – what would you like to do? This is how it should be in
real estate, but it’s not. You must be keenly aware of agents attempting to “Buy the Listing.”
Let me explain.
There’s a show on Home & Garden TV called Buy Me. Each episode spotlights one couple as they attempt to sell
their biggest financial asset, their home. Emotions typically run high. The one
commonality, from one show to the next, is the seller always thinks their home
is worth more.
Every episode. 100% of them… and honestly, they’re supposed to – it’s their
home. There is sentimental value. Whatever is ours, just seems more meaningful,
more valuable. It’s human nature. We all want top dollar for our things.
But when
agents prey on this emotion by “Buying
the Listing” – purposefully, inflating the “value” of the home, knowing
it’ll be music to the client’s ears – it is criminal. Sure, everybody loves
hearing their home is worth more. Who doesn’t?
But it’s a false
reality. It’s a lie.
When an
agent tells a homeowner what they want to hear, that your home will “sell for
more” money, just because they know this will put them in a sellers good graces—this
is how agents try to buy your
business. They make promises they know that can’t be kept. This is a common
ploy. We see it often. Agents who promise to sell a client’s home for $20,000
more than it’s really worth. Once the listing contract is signed, though, then
reality hits. The agent gets honest with the seller, recommending one price
reduction after another. When you ask, why?
They usually blame a change in the market.
Or they blame
it on buyer feedback…
Or in some
cases, they blame you for not making
the suggested repairs or not doing the recommended staging, or for not keeping
your home in ideal showing condition…
In other words,
it’s your fault for not being “realistic”
not theirs for lying to you.
Here’s the bigger problem though: By the time, after multiple price reductions,
your home finally reaches market value--the house, as it is judged by the
public, is stale. Old news, and naturally people start wondering “…What’s wrong with it.”
In this
scenario. If you’re lucky enough to attract a buyer, since the first-wave of
interested buyers is gone, you’re getting pummeled with low-ball offers. Heavy
negotiations. Put at risk of a much lower sales price and, typically, you end
up with expired listing. Of course, you might ask – why would an agent do this?
If an agent only gets paid when a home sells, why would he put his commission
in jeopardy from the start?
ANSWER:
Whether your home sells or not, your listing helps the agent generate more
business. Think about it…. On the “For Sale” sign, and on all his flyers, whose
name is being advertised? Whose website is being advertised? Whose phone number
is being advertised? His. His. And his. Your home like it or not, acts as a
giant billboard for that agent, helping to generate more business whether your
home sells or not. This I why, by the way, agents always talk about the
importance of “getting signs” in the ground…
They (always) win, you lose.
As a word of caution: If an agent is overly “in love” with what you’ve done
with your home, if he agrees too much with you, or pay your home too many
compliments – BEWARE. If an agent starts talking about “all the features” your
home has that other comparable do not, and can’t prove those facts that he or
hse is talking about – BEWARE.
If the agent
seems to be trying too hard to
justify a higher value than you expected, or panders to “how right you are” for
thinking your home is worth more – BEWARE. Maybe
it’s true. And maybe your home is wortg more, but… it is more likely you’re
being fast-talked, by a salesman with
a silver tongue.
Tro be honest, I suppose I’ve lost a
number of clients for being too
honest about home values. But the way I see it, if you were to participate in
my program, you’d be making a good sized investment in me--to help get your home
sold—as a result you deserve only the truth, good, bad or downright ugly. We’re a team. I’ve created some great
friendships with my past clients, some have endured for many years, but my
first order of business is just that… business!
Like your doctor, lawyer or investment advisor, business comes first
with me …and there’s no room in business for anything other than the blunt truth.
That’s just how I feel…
Can
you imagine your doctor sugar-coating
your diagnosis?
“…You
kinda have cancer.”
Well,
what the hell does that mean? Kinda?
Do I or don’t I? Do I need chemo or
not? Am I going live or die? Through
years of social research—informal research, I admit—I’ve discovered that most
people would rather know the truth, no matter how bad, oppose to some sugarcoated
“half-truth” that sounds better.
Like an alcoholic, until we can get clear
about the problem, obstacles, etc, you really can’t implement an effective
plan. And half-truths just leave too
many unanswered questions; creates confusion; and above all else, wreaks havoc
on communication—none of which are good, especially in this market, if you
desire a successful home sale, whereby profits are maximized (not inflated) and
time on market is minimized.
In
speaking with many agents about this idea of “Buying the Listing”—why it happens – many have mentioned “…If I don’t tell them what they want to
hear; if I disagree on what they think
their home is worth, I will lose the listing!” Said differently, I can’t
afford to lose the business I need,
I’m desperate – so I lie.
Maybe it’s just me or how I was raised… but
I’ve always felt, if I lose business for being
too honest, well… that’s something I
can live with. At least I know, that clients failure (your failure), will not
be the result of me misleading them. The opposite is not true. So, should you
decide you might want to do business with me, I must warn you, and please be
prepared: “...Good news, bad news, here
is the diagnosis, here are your options – what would you like to do?” is
how I operate. Nothing bur the blunt truth…
This how all agents should operate!
I can’t speak for
you – and I don’t like being the bearer of bad news any more than the next – but I recognize, like that of a surgeon,
delivering tough news is sometimes my job; it’s what I’m being paid for. Full
disclosure. Objective advice. Our clients seem to really appreciate this honest
and blunt approach. You ought to demand this of your agent too, and by knowing
many will try to mislead you by “Buying
the listing”—this is just one more thing to add to the list—to protect
yourself from.
So where do you go from here?
PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM THIS SHORT-LIST OF MENTIONED
“THREATS” – IS REQUIRED.BUT JUST AS DANGEROUS,
IN THIS ECONOMY –
IS THE ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACH.
This real estate market is a far cry from the real estate market we all
knew in ‘boom’ times. The traditional random method of working with a real
estate agent, where every “round” client gets stuffed into a “square” hole—is
history. Success in this market, due to changes in banking rules. Difficulty of
getting buyers financed. Need for creative financing. Dealing with simultaneous
closing and contingency clauses. The rise in short sales and foreclosures;
guidelines; regulations; special government programs, etc. Requires a great
deal more sophistication. Any agent who just shows homes or just lists homes
for sale, part-time or as a hobby, who does not take the time to help you
create a plan BEFORE agreeing to accept you as their client… to
determine if they can help you, and the best way to do so, written and detailed
– trust me:
– is NOT DOING YOU ANY FAVORS!
Imagine the following. You go to your doctor with a stomach ache. The nurse
takes you to a room and talks to you about your symptoms. The nurse leaves, and
returns a short time later with a prescription for a drug signed by the doctor.
You are amazed by two things: 1.) the doctor prescribed the medication without
ever performing a diagnosis, and 2.) the doctor prescribed the same medicine
for your wife’s sunburn last week. How could totally unrelated health problems
have the same cure?
Imagine
your surprise when you find out that your nephew went to this same doctor for
asthma, and received the same medicine. If you didn’t know better, you might think
that this doctor was benefiting somehow from “pushing” this prescription. Could
you ever contemplate a doctor doing this? If they did, they would be kicked out
of the profession so fast their head would spin.
Many
real estate agents do this on a daily basis. Treating you, your home sale or
purchase, your unique situation, expectations and needs exactly the same as
everyone else’s – dispensing one generic cure after another.
Diagnosis should come first, prescription second.
If this all makes sense to you, and you are curious about our approach to
achieve what our clients refer to as “…Amazing
results” – I invite you to request a Free, Complimentary DIAGNOSTIC SESSION
(a $179.00 value) to determine your best option(s) to move forward in your next
real estate transaction – you’ll also be provided an overview about everything
we do for our members – as clients and friends of our program.
There is
no catch. No hassles. Absolutely no sales pitches.
Not ever!
Either way, I
wish you continued success with all that life has to offer. I hope, if nothing
else, I’ve given you a good, sound idea of what you need to BEWARE OF in this “behind-closed-doors”
world of real estate… a true insider’s look at how agents “play” the game... to
ensure a safe
and worry-free, frustration-free, stress-free, and victim and horror story-free
transaction in your next venture into real estate.
-- END --
Thanks for Reading,
may you next home sale experience be better,
- Zachary Betts
