What would you guys do? Back in August, a realtor showed me a property that we made an offer on right away. We faxed in our offer and the office manager refused to put in the offer without being able to speak to our mortgage broker first. When he asked for permission, we said “no, that’s not your place”. We had submitted the preapproval and wondered why he was giving us a hard time. Finally, when we wouldn’t grant him permission he rudely told us that we couldn’t use his realtors any more.
We shot an email off to the owner of the realty company to notify her of our concern and tell her that we intend to file a complaint with the state. We received no reply from her and filed the complaint. This was in August.
The New York State investigator has now gotten around to my complaint and they’re in big trouble, so the realtor is blowing up my phone and email begging me to drop the complaint because they’ll be slapped with all kinds of fines up to $1000. We’re not unreasonable people, but we tried to warn them and got no response.
We’re not dropping the complaint just because they want us to. But what bargaining chip could we use (if any) to settle this with them? Any suggestions??
MsBodley
There are a lot of Realtors around…maybe they should have domne their job…
They’re sweating it because they know they were wrong and have no defense.
Is the “office manager” a licensed Realtor?
I might consider dropping the complaint if I was furnished with a copy of the written reprimand given to the “office manager” and a written apology to me.
I think that the key here is not to permanently burn any bridges especially if you are in a small community. The word gets around. I would be firm but reasonable.
Keith
Keith, thanks so much for your response. We are definitely reasonable people and this is not a small town, we’re in New York and there is an abundance of realtors. But your advice is well taken.
I feel bad for the realtor because she didn’t really do anything wrong. But it turns out that she will be fined because she can’t produce the NYS document that says she works for the seller. Now she is trying to get me to meet her somewhere to sign one!
Your idea of a written apology is a good one. I would have settled for that long ago, but when they ignored my email, I filed the complaint. The realty owner has yet to even acknowledge my complaint to date, even though the state is all over them like a cheap suit!
Can I throw another spin on it? Sometimes, the seller puts these demands for ‘added protection’ on the agent because they have run into financing problems in the past. It can be devastating to a seller to have a deal go sour and have to start over again.
If the agent was acting on her own to protect the seller, that’s not so bright but still not utterly unreasonable.
I am in Connecticut. I was requested by a seller’s agent to furnish proof of funds on a cash deal. They wanted recent bank statements. Ha, what a joke. Do you believe that?
At first I was offended but then I got a lady at my bank to write a letter of my long term history with the bank and that satisfied the seller.
So can I make the assumption that you have never been the seller in a deal that bombed out due to financing?
In any event, since you’re asking what would you guys do?
I would drop the complaint and focus on my next deal. I urge you to do the same.
JeffInCT
Actually, this was not a deal that fell through. We were perfectly capable of closing on the house, but this office manager boob started making decisions for the seller and never even conveyed our offer. We had our preapproval letter, make 6 figures and have credit of 720. So there was no reason to doubt that we could close. He just wanted to give us a hard time and actually, he overstepped his bounds by thinking and acting for the seller.
You say drop the complaint and move on? We’ve most definitely moved on to other properties, but I’ll consider it. The deadline for them to produce the NYS disclosure documents that they never gave me is tomorrow. That’s a tough one.
Any other comments out there??
MsBodley,
I highly doubt they will let you drop the complaint at all even if you wanted to it is out of your hands tell them you might drop the harassment case if they quit calling… Here is the thing if someone before you had the same problem and they told you about it you would not have done business with them. That is the crazy part if you tell someone how great something is they will tell everyone… If you tell them about a bad experience then everyone will tell everyone! Call the State and tell them they are asking you to sign the agreement and back date it for this and see what happens. Honestly if you feel sorry for the lady involved write a letter but I would never sign a thing.
You’re right on many points. Believe it or not, the State has given me the ability to drop the complaint. The realtor was burning up my emails, home and cell phones asking me to sign that form, but has since ceased.
I guess this issue seems insignificant to most, but I appreciate all who have responded.
Here’s a great theory I live by
DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF… AND IT IS ALL SMALL STUFF!
So true, so true. Thanks again.