Real Estate Retardation?

[Crazy Dazz]

I've been trying to figure it out, do Real Estate Agencies only hire people who are Mentally Challenged?
Or do they just teach gross stupidity and dishonesty as part of the course?

Or, is the drug epidemic worse than I thought, and the majority of the buying public are gullible gormless stoners?

How many people here have bought a house, without inspecting it at least once?

Maybe I am just more abnormal than I thought, but when I get tricked into inspecting a house by blatant lying, not only am I disappointed in the house, but I am somewhat disinclined to buy it, and in fact more than a little angry.

It's not just the ordinary deception and dishonesty, eg describing a shoebox as a "huge family home", a 3x2.5 as a "Kingsize Bedroom," or referring to a 6ft walkway as a "Family Room." Those are bad enough.

But more and more I am encountering outright blatant lies.
House is listed as 5 bedrooms, but only has 4. Agent points to a corner near the Kitchen and says "it has a study nook".
House is listed as 3 bathrooms, but clearly only has 2. Agent's excuse "the toilet is separate."
Or this one, listing specifically states that the house has an inground pool. Where is it? "Well it has room for a pool."
Worst was the 5 bedroom house, that only had 3, but old mate had enclosed his patio (with plywood) and the agent claimed that could be divided into 2 more bedrooms.

So yeah, maybe I'm abnormal, but it makes no sense to me. If you only want 4 bedrooms, you're not going to care whether the ad says 4 or 5. It's only going to matter to somebody that actually wants 5. So I have to ask, has anybody, in the history of the universe, ever said "oh its ok that you lied to me, that's fine really, my son doesn't mind sleeping in the kitchen"?

And whilst I'm on the subject, why is it that people imagine that they can improve the value of a property, by grabbing a half-priced mis-tint from Bunnings, and slopping it around like a blind man on crack, apparently using their ****-hairs as a brush.

[Syndrome]

No education required to work in Real Estate.

[MITCHAY]

They all distort the facts and often waste both parties time a lot of the time in the process. A lot of the places I inspected were no where near as they were presented in the ads.

In fact I was surprised I had no fight in the place I actually bought, it was like the stars aligned or something.

All it needed was a lick of paint, new carpets and new curtains and it was a new place. About ~$18k and I have easily got that back now if I sold. Easy renos for the bathrooms and kitchens further down the line. Compared to others which were full on renos for way more money.

Why wouldn't they when the market is such anyone will pay half a million for a ****hole in this country?

[Rallye Sport]

I invoice people like this for my time if its wasted. Estate agents, doctors and the like. Address it to the manager of the organization and explain why your charging.
I've never seen a cent but it does highlight incompetence in financial terms. Unfortunately thats all they seem to understand.

[.:4:.]

It's all due to commission. So it's a sales pitch. If they sell it they make the money. To put it simply, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig.

[roKWiz]

Charming cottage, Centrally located in a caring friendly neighbourhood and a stones throw away from all the facilities of modern life. Glimpses of the river with riparian delights. You'll be delighted with the minimal maintenance required to own your own bit of paradise.....bah bah bah

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

No education required to work in Real Estate.

You must also hold a recognised qualification to work in the industry which will give you the knowledge required to carry out the functions of a Real Estate Agent.

Education requirements for Real Estate Agents differ across each state, with the Certificate of Registration course and the Agent’s Representative Program applicable across most of Australia.

[creative]

all I will say is dont tar all agents with the same brush. Unfortunately most of what you say is indeed true which over shadows the genuine agents out there.



Yes I work in realestate....

[danzvtil]

Mate, they’re busy selling the sizzle, not the sausage, that’s what they do.
An agent does however have to have truth in advertising, I’d complain to the REI in your state, their license can be taken away.

[Godzilla73]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

But more and more I am encountering outright blatant lies.

Gotta keep up with those exorbitant lease payments on the base model Beemer they drive to keep up appearances... along with the $99 Suits and car air freshner cologne...

In all seriousness, the only one making money is the owner of the franchise. Bloke at work his son does it and he just sits there cold calling people, if the sun is shining they have to go door knocking... He's been doing it 2 years and had 2 listings, both family friends.

[mick taylor]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

image

Charming cottage, Centrally located in a caring friendly neighbourhood and a stones throw away from all the facilities of modern life. Glimpses of the river with riparian delights. You'll be delighted with the minimal maintenance required to own your own bit of paradise.....bah bah bah

Castle !

[five 7]

Haha plus ones they show you are always 100k over what you said your willing to spend...and no nieghbours isn't five house's grouped around end of shared driveway, when shopping for lifestyle blocks..

[Junkyard-Dog]

I found the same thing recently when looking for a house to rent with my gf.

Lots of places looked great on the internet but when we got there for the inspection, it turned out the real estate agents were just really good at trick photos. One place was described as being a large family home but it was a unit with shared walls on both sides... yeah, no thanks.

I can't see the point in this dishonesty, we walked out of all the poorly advertised places immediately and chose to rent the one that was as described.

I wonder how many people actually fall for these tricks.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Junkyard-Dog

I can't see the point in this dishonesty, we walked out of all the poorly advertised places immediately and chose to rent the one that was as described.

I wonder how many people actually fall for these tricks.

That's it exactly.
I imagine there are a few sales to overseas investors, but most people will come and inspect, and realise they have been lied to.
For me, I tend to get really browned off, but maybe others are more accepting?

There's nothing worse than rushing out to inspect something, believing you've finally found "The One" and at a reasonable price, only to discover I've been duped.

The other really, REALLY annoying trend here in Perth, is refusing to disclose an asking price.
We don't have the auction culture of some places, it just doesn't work here. (I was at an auction on Saturday, and I was the only person to even register to bid.)So houses generally sell by negotiated O&A.

But recently agents have taking to putting stupid things like "Buyer Enquiry Range" or just "all offers presented." Then they still do everything possible to avoid actually disclosing an asking price.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by Godzilla73

Gotta keep up with those exorbitant lease payments on the base model Beemer they drive to keep up appearances... along with the $99 Suits and car air freshner cologne...
.

Lol not wrong.
When I listed my house for sale every agent working for that agency turned up at once to view the house so they could recommend it to any clients who may be interested.
I have never seen so many base model near new Lexus's in one location.


"List it as 6 Car spaces. 2 in the garage and 4 in the driveway"

[Tonz]

Are not car salesmen (damn sorry) poeple in the same class,,,,,,,,,,,?

[jaikai]

Old mate bought the place nextdoor without personal inspction due to work relocation.
Was amazed at how quickly a power pole was erected on the nature strip next to the driveway and a power station (Loy Yang) was built to ruin the "panoramic views"...

[asagaai]

Here is one.

Old man in a house sitting on a front porch, house elevated on a peninsula with lake Views both sides, rear actually backs onto lake, but a 50 metre odd cliff separates back edge of property to lake below. Only 8 houses on the peninsula having this double barrelled view either side and although peninsula hidden and unknown- news of the gem peninsula getting out to agents. Mostly old people from 1955-65 living in those houses, aside from 3 that have been knocked down and rebuilt into new double storey mansions.

A 40 plus attractive blonde agent drives by, befriends old male and has cups of tea over a number of weeks, and gives him a valuation of $830,000. Old man says what a lovely lady she is, to his daughter.

He passes about 2 months later.

Family bereaving and female agent contacts daughter, and says do not worry- I will arrange sale of house so you do not have to worry- I will take all that stress off you. Agent keeps contacting daughter.

Daughter at this time has very "conservative" registered valuations for stamp duty- comes in at 1,100,000 but other market agents say market is 1,300,000 but who knows going to market.

Blonde agent keeps contacting daughter and finally comes out and says she will buy house and therefore take stress off family- unaware that daughter has had registered valuations and other market valuations done.

Hmm- either a totally clueless agent or a very cluey one ….

[five 7]

Haha steady on, 1955-65 old people, you just wrecked my day....

[asagaai]

Originally Posted by five 7

Haha steady on, 1955-65 old people, you just wrecked my day....

Meant houses built in 1955 to 1965... residents who are original are now in 80 to 90 years range

[mr smith]

Land rats..we have bought and sold about 8 houses. Half with an agent involved and the other half without..life would be better without them. The transactions with them not involved went smooth, cannot say the same of the others. It is one industry I am happy to see go down with the housing market.

[Crazy Dazz]

Or the latest one.
We have been looking at a property based on the agent's statement that she would happily take an offer of $X and the buyer would consider it. This because I TOLD her what our budget was. So now we have inspected the property twice, contacted the council and resolved multiple queries, even consulted a herpetologist. Now ready to submit offer, and she insists it must be at least $X + $100k because the seller won't look at anything less.
So she has just wasted her time and mine.

[creative]

Sometimes it isnt the agent that wants more money.

Vendors are just as bad and often over value their own property due to their emotional attachment and perception. Unfortunately it makes the agent look like the one wasting time when in fact its the vendor.

Happens in rentals as well, especially when we are seeing a 10 - 15% reduction in rental prices in some areas around here.

[Crazy Dazz]

Yep, another classic. Inspected a property that was a complete dump, major issues including a pool that has collapsed and popped out.
Again, its the "present all offers, vendor will meet the market BS"
So we make an opening offer, reasonable consider the major work that needs to be done. Vendor comes back with a counter-offer so delusional you'd have to actually suspect drug-use or mental illness. And claims there's nothing wrong with the pool.
Now they have taken it off the market, to do some maintenance. Like, no ****, that never occurred to you before?
So tired of wasting my time with these idiots.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Yep, another classic. Inspected a property that was a complete dump, major issues including a pool that has collapsed and popped out.
Again, its the "present all offers, vendor will meet the market BS"
So we make an opening offer, reasonable consider the major work that needs to be done. Vendor comes back with a counter-offer so delusional you'd have to actually suspect drug-use or mental illness. And claims there's nothing wrong with the pool.
Now they have taken it off the market, to do some maintenance. Like, no ****, that never occurred to you before?
So tired of wasting my time with these idiots.

I've seen several houses in my suburb removed from the market this year.

[Express]

It's those distorted fish eye style of photos the real estate agents love to use that lie.

Or the ones that make the rooms look twice the size with no blemishes to the building.

I've rarely seen a house where the website photos give any indication to the true condition of the building and I could say the same about a lot of car ads as well.

I go to an inspection expecting to see a lot of work required that doesn't show up in photos and it's a pleasure when you walk into a house that is in good nick.



.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Express

It's those distorted fish eye style of photos the real estate agents love to use that lie.

Or the ones that make the rooms look twice the size with no blemishes to the building.

I've rarely seen a house where the website photos give any indication to the true condition of the building and I could say the same about a lot of car ads as well.

I go to an inspection expecting to see a lot of work required that doesn't show up in photos and it's a pleasure when you walk into a house that is in good nick.

How's this for a complete lack of morals and ethics.
Agent has been advertising a bank repo, with typical photos showing only the good bits, completely missing the bits where the roof has collapsed and the water damage has not only destroyed the interior but left it covered in toxic mould.
Naturally no interest at the advertised price. (Because its a repo, the property is being sold "as is" so no rectification clause.)
Just found out they sold it, sight unseen, to somebody living in a country town who couldn't come to Perth to inspect.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

How's this for a complete lack of morals and ethics.
Agent has been advertising a bank repo, with typical photos showing only the good bits, completely missing the bits where the roof has collapsed and the water damage has not only destroyed the interior but left it covered in toxic mould.
Naturally no interest at the advertised price. (Because its a repo, the property is being sold "as is" so no rectification clause.)
Just found out they sold it, sight unseen, to somebody living in a country town who couldn't come to Perth to inspect.

Caveat emptor

[Express]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

How's this for a complete lack of morals and ethics.
Agent has been advertising a bank repo, with typical photos showing only the good bits, completely missing the bits where the roof has collapsed and the water damage has not only destroyed the interior but left it covered in toxic mould.
Naturally no interest at the advertised price. (Because its a repo, the property is being sold "as is" so no rectification clause.)
Just found out they sold it, sight unseen, to somebody living in a country town who couldn't come to Perth to inspect.

You could say that person was just plain and simply stupid.

All it takes is an email to the Agent asking if there is any damage not shown in the photographs that could impact on the sale and the answer in writing would give some form of protection.

You can always ask for further photographic evidence if the answer is yes there is damage not shown to help you determine if the sale is worth going ahead with.


Anyway I've never purchased a property I haven't had an independent building and pest inspection carried out even if everything looks hunky dory and I'm paying cash.



.

[.:4:.]

When i inspected my house i noticed, and this was in the photos, a big carpet mat on the back deck. The agent was trying hard to stop me looking under it. There was a bit of wood rot on the boards. My later building inspection flagged that but it wasnt enough to not buy the house. Being a sparky by trade i could tell the place had been renovated in the early 2000s so in 2012 things were a little dated but in reasonable shape. And all but the front and back light switches had been moved from the architraves to the walls etc. So all the good outweighed the bad. My opinions of the real estate agent werent positive by his efforts not to look under a rug thats outside though. Got 30k off the asking price too, but that was convenient timing.