REA's that lie...

Has anyone else encountered this? We have been going to open houses since February and on three different occasions we've caught the REA's lying to us.

This past weekend we asked the lady how long the house had been on the market, she told us it was just listed the last week. I told her that was a lie, I had seen the house for sale for months.

A few months back I asked an agent about the in ground pool the house used to have. She says it didn't have one, so I told her that I saw a picture of it on google. Then she starts saying, oh yeah, the pool collapsed so they filled it in. It makes me sick.

When we find a house we like, do we even have to have a REA represent us? Is it necessary?

Re: REA's that lie...

No, you don't have to have a REA represent you. You cna deal directly with the listing agent on the house when you enter an offer on the house.

This is what we did cause we ran into similiar problems with our old REA and then we dealt directly with the listing agent and had much better luck!

Also, kepe in mind, you can contact the town assessor's office to get any info on a house you're interested in. DH and I did that.

Re: REA's that lie...

Even if your dealing with the listing agent it is dealing with a REA. I am sorry that you have found agents that have lied to you. It is totally unprofessional and unethical. I have found listings with inaccurate and misleading information. Best of luck to you in your home search and I hope you find an agent that you feel comfortable working with.

Re: REA's that lie...

I'm in the sales industry and I hate salespersons! REA drove me nuts. Nothing is worse than being guided around a house like a 2 year old. I respect the REA that just let you look at the house without them (ie coming in each room with you).

Oh, my favorite question from going to open houses that I wanted to strangle agents for was "are you preapproved, do you have a company yet, here's this guys card". Ok, its an open house, I signed my name on your sheet, leave me alone now!!

Message edited 5/4/2007 11:52:07 AM.

Re: REA's that lie...

We also dumped our REA. We didn't like her style. For example, went to go look at houses and 2 of them had no clue that we were coming. Also, it was in an area that we didn't know and she made us drive her around. Plus, she had no clue about the houses.

I too found it annoying that they lie but they think its the way to spook you into buying.

We worked without an REA and it worked great. We went to open houses and when we finally found one that we liked we called a REA that we met at an open house. She was great to deal with and very realistic. SHe was the only one I didn't find overpowing and annoying.

Re: REA's that lie...

We actually backed out of a deal because of a REA lying to us.

Def get rid of them.

Re: REA's that lie...

You have to remember that the REA are regular people too.. I dont' know about the being listed last week thing when it was listed for months, but if the house had an inground pool you saw on Google Earth that was there years ago, they may not even have told their listing agent about it.

Not all REA lie - most are really nice, honest people - don't get disheartened. The only way you can totally avoid dealing with one is if you buy a FSBO.
We dealt with someone great, but then I got my RE license and was able to represent myself... so I'd have to say that REA was wonderful to work with

Re: REA's that lie...

---

Posted by kerrycec03

I'm in the sales industry and I hate salespersons! REA drove me nuts. Nothing is worse than being guided around a house like a 2 year old. I respect the REA that just let you look at the house without them (ie coming in each room with you).

QUOTE]

Some homeowners ask that the REA walk you through the home because they have valuables and personal belongings and don't know who is walking in and out of their home.

I personally only do that if a homeowner requests it, I like people to get a feel for the home on their own - and talk about their likes/dislikes without me present.

And not to start controversy here - but not all REA lie. Yes, some do. But isn't that true for almost every profession there is out there? If you find the right one you will know and you will trust them. I'm sorry that you (OP) had a bad experience and that they were shady!

Message edited 5/4/2007 12:08:52 PM.

Re: REA's that lie...

---

Posted by cpanyc

This past weekend we asked the lady how long the house had been on the market, she told us it was just listed the last week. I told her that was a lie, I had seen the house for sale for months.

---

Re: REA's that lie...

I'm not saying that they all lie and I don't want to offend anyone who is a REA. I am just saying the ones we have met at the open houses we have been too, a number of them have been dishonest. We haven't found one that we would want to work with so I didn't know if it was necessary to have our own.

It is such a grueling process and a huge commitment (time and $$) that it just makes me ill to be lied to.
It would be great to find someone we would like to work with.

Re: REA's that lie...

---

Posted by SweetTooth

You have to remember that the REA are regular people too.. I dont' know about the being listed last week thing when it was listed for months, but if the house had an inground pool you saw on Google Earth that was there years ago, they may not even have told their listing agent about it.

Not all REA lie - most are really nice, honest people - don't get disheartened. The only way you can totally avoid dealing with one is if you buy a FSBO.
We dealt with someone great, but then I got my RE license and was able to represent myself... so I'd have to say that REA was wonderful to work with

---

Re: REA's that lie...

PS. I sent you FM.

Re: REA's that lie...

I'm always going to look at potential investment properties & I go with any REA that will call me back from the listing office. I can't believe how many of them just don't know jack. Some of them are excellent & knowledgable but others are a JOKE!
My neighborhood(which is where I often look) has a few very specific, important, unique features that REAs should be well versed about, but 99% of the time they are not.

Anyway, my point is, its probably not even intentional lying, it could be incompetence!

Re: REA's that lie...

i dont think one ever lied to me, but i've DEFINATELY dealt with my fair share of pushy, annoying REAs. I ended up buying my house thru an agent who had enough tact to leave me and DH to wander around without her.

Re: REA's that lie...

Don't get me started. I had a terrible experience with an agent and her lies. We lost a house because of it. We have found another house since with another agent but we keep her a distance.

Like my DH says, "you (the realtor) can't sell me a house, the house sells itself".

They point out the wierdest stuff and act like you don't know anything.

We own a house and buying our second...I hate that.

Good for you. You can't trust anyone. Doing your research is the most important thing.

Re: REA's that lie...

I've caught almost every REA I've dealt with in a lie.

Re: REA's that lie...

On the co-op we're buying:

-- "You can rent a parking spot at the building across the street. Our contact can help you get a spot." vs. "Well, we couldn't find anything out. You'll have to try to meet with the super at the building across the street and see if maybe there's anything available and if you would be able to rent a spot there at all since you won't live in that building."

-- "There's no waiting list for a storage unit." vs. our board interview where we learned about the lengthy, years-long list

-- "It's a new listing" vs. the board minutes and internet listings that showed the unit listed one year earlier by the same sellers

-- "The gym is $100/year" vs. our board interview in which we learned it's $22/month



When we sell this unit, we will absolutely not use the agent that showed it to us.

Re: REA's that lie...

The listing agent lied to us and we caught her in a few during our inspection. I asked specific questions as to the age of the boiler (she said 18 years old), the roof (15 years old), the electric (100amps) and some other small items. We bid on our house based on these answers. When we were done with the inspection and she asked us if we were still going forward of course my husband hadn't realized that we were lied to so I said we have to talk about it and we will get back to her. It turned out the boiler was ORIGINAL (56 years old), the roof over 25 years old and would need to be repaired soon, and the electric was 60 amps and was running 2 air conditioners and an inground swimming pool in teh summer--don't know how. We ended up making the sellers lower the price or we weren't going forward. I don't know why they lie especially prior to an inspection when they know that you will catch them in it. Oh well

Re: REA's that lie...

---

Posted by csorisi

The listing agent lied to us and we caught her in a few during our inspection. I asked specific questions as to the age of the boiler (she said 18 years old), the roof (15 years old), the electric (100amps) and some other small items. We bid on our house based on these answers. When we were done with the inspection and she asked us if we were still going forward of course my husband hadn't realized that we were lied to so I said we have to talk about it and we will get back to her. It turned out the boiler was ORIGINAL (56 years old), the roof over 25 years old and would need to be repaired soon, and the electric was 60 amps and was running 2 air conditioners and an inground swimming pool in teh summer--don't know how. We ended up making the sellers lower the price or we weren't going forward. I don't know why they lie especially prior to an inspection when they know that you will catch them in it. Oh well

---

Re: REA's that lie...

---

Posted by Diana1215

---

Posted by csorisi

The listing agent lied to us and we caught her in a few during our inspection. I asked specific questions as to the age of the boiler (she said 18 years old), the roof (15 years old), the electric (100amps) and some other small items. We bid on our house based on these answers. When we were done with the inspection and she asked us if we were still going forward of course my husband hadn't realized that we were lied to so I said we have to talk about it and we will get back to her. It turned out the boiler was ORIGINAL (56 years old), the roof over 25 years old and would need to be repaired soon, and the electric was 60 amps and was running 2 air conditioners and an inground swimming pool in teh summer--don't know how. We ended up making the sellers lower the price or we weren't going forward. I don't know why they lie especially prior to an inspection when they know that you will catch them in it. Oh well

---

This could really be the information that the sellers gave the REA though.

---

Re: REA's that lie...

---

Posted by alnem

---

Posted by Diana1215

---

Posted by csorisi

The listing agent lied to us and we caught her in a few during our inspection. I asked specific questions as to the age of the boiler (she said 18 years old), the roof (15 years old), the electric (100amps) and some other small items. We bid on our house based on these answers. When we were done with the inspection and she asked us if we were still going forward of course my husband hadn't realized that we were lied to so I said we have to talk about it and we will get back to her. It turned out the boiler was ORIGINAL (56 years old), the roof over 25 years old and would need to be repaired soon, and the electric was 60 amps and was running 2 air conditioners and an inground swimming pool in teh summer--don't know how. We ended up making the sellers lower the price or we weren't going forward. I don't know why they lie especially prior to an inspection when they know that you will catch them in it. Oh well

---

This could really be the information that the sellers gave the REA though.

---

yea, thats what i was gonna say. i dont think a competent realtor would make up those #'s especially cause all realtors know that home inspections are going to reveal everything.

---

Re: REA's that lie...

---

Posted by ckone

---

Posted by alnem

---

Posted by Diana1215

---

Posted by csorisi

The listing agent lied to us and we caught her in a few during our inspection. I asked specific questions as to the age of the boiler (she said 18 years old), the roof (15 years old), the electric (100amps) and some other small items. We bid on our house based on these answers. When we were done with the inspection and she asked us if we were still going forward of course my husband hadn't realized that we were lied to so I said we have to talk about it and we will get back to her. It turned out the boiler was ORIGINAL (56 years old), the roof over 25 years old and would need to be repaired soon, and the electric was 60 amps and was running 2 air conditioners and an inground swimming pool in teh summer--don't know how. We ended up making the sellers lower the price or we weren't going forward. I don't know why they lie especially prior to an inspection when they know that you will catch them in it. Oh well

---

This could really be the information that the sellers gave the REA though.

---

yea, thats what i was gonna say. i dont think a competent realtor would make up those #'s especially cause all realtors know that home inspections are going to reveal everything.

---

So the other agent lied. Point being, REA lie - sometimes.

---

Re: REA's that lie...

just goes to show you how DESPERATE they are! it's a buyers market now - they rode the coattails of the boom long enough.

Re: REA's that lie...

Yeah, the agent who showed us the house we bought told us the owners had purchased another house in the same town. At the time, we had a deal pending on our co-op, and thought we would need to move by a certain date.

Anyway, we found out shortly after she said this that they hadn't bought anything yet--they hadn't even really looked seriously at that point! It all worked out, because our deal fell through and it was good that we didn't have to buy the house immediately. If all had worked out though, we may have had some trouble.

Re: REA's that lie...

---

Posted by Diana1215

---

Posted by ckone

---

Posted by alnem

---

Posted by Diana1215

---

Posted by csorisi

The listing agent lied to us and we caught her in a few during our inspection. I asked specific questions as to the age of the boiler (she said 18 years old), the roof (15 years old), the electric (100amps) and some other small items. We bid on our house based on these answers. When we were done with the inspection and she asked us if we were still going forward of course my husband hadn't realized that we were lied to so I said we have to talk about it and we will get back to her. It turned out the boiler was ORIGINAL (56 years old), the roof over 25 years old and would need to be repaired soon, and the electric was 60 amps and was running 2 air conditioners and an inground swimming pool in teh summer--don't know how. We ended up making the sellers lower the price or we weren't going forward. I don't know why they lie especially prior to an inspection when they know that you will catch them in it. Oh well

---

This could really be the information that the sellers gave the REA though.

---

yea, thats what i was gonna say. i dont think a competent realtor would make up those #'s especially cause all realtors know that home inspections are going to reveal everything.

---

So the other agent lied. Point being, REA lie - sometimes.

---

What I'm saying is that maybe the information was given to her by the sellers.

Yes, I'm sure REA lie sometimes, as do doctors, and lawyers, vets, auto body people, car salesman, people in catering business - you name it - people lie. I just don't think you can categorize it as all REA's Lying. People lie - and just because you are of a certain profession does not make you an automatic liar.

---