Now I normally wouldn't title my blog posts with something so salacious, and I'd like to start off by saying that 90% of our customers are real estate agents and 100% of our customers are upstanding professionals who would never engage in the behavior I am about to tell you about, but as we all know - there are a lot of turkeys out there. So here's how it started. A family member of mine is selling their home. I recommended a customer in that town that I knew would be perfect to sell the house. We had a meeting, it went well, but my family member who we'll call Jane wanted a "second opinion". I knew at the end of the day that Jane would use my recommendation but also knew that she had to feel good about her decision and stood by while she called in the agent that sold her the house origionally for the "second opinion". Imgaine my surprise when I got a call from Jane after the second agent left to tell me that the agent came in, said he'd sell the house for a percentage point less than my recommendation and in his presentation that included PAGES of information about where he advertises, my magazine, Distinctive Homes of New England, was one of the sources!!! This guy doesn't advertise with me and never has. I asked Jane what she said to him. She said, "This is interesting, my family member owns Distinctive Homes Magazine and she never mentioned that you advertised with her." To which the real estate agent replied, "Oh, we'll have to give her some more business." MORE BUSINESS? If it wasn't bad enough that this guy is out there getting listings by lying about where he advertises them, he perpetuated the lie by indicating that he was going to give me more business. Am I the only one that knows that 10 times 0 is still 0??? What I now had to explain to Jane - and all of you sellers LISTEN UP - is that this unsavory agent cannot possibly sell the house for a percentage point less than going rate AND advertise it all over the place. It doesn't work that way. You're paying to have your home marketed when you hire a real estate agent. BEWARE of people who tell you that they'll sell the house for less than going rate and advertise it - because they are not advertising it. As we just learned. It also made me think - Sellers - Are you seeing the ads with your home in it???? How many people listed with him because they thought they were getting this great advertising package? Ask your agents to see the ads with your home in it!!! I also wondered how many other agents out there are doing this? I really hope it's not many. Needless to say, this guy will be getting a call from me and is going to be put on notice. I also will make sure his sellers see the magazine from now on. If you're thinking of buying or selling - CALL ME. I'm not an agent, but know enough agents to know which ones to use - and now - which ones to stay away from! Here's to truth in advertising - for all of us!