Home : Blogs : Tammy Lankford- lake sinclair : All about Lake Sinclair... go to Lane Realty

Oh be careful little mouth what you say.... because my ears can hear!

I had a phone call yesterday asking me to recommend a home stager. I was about to go to my handy dandy little file box of numbers, but the caller kept talking and I withdrew my hand from my box of numbers and listened.

It seems this caller was making an attempt to "deceive" an appraiser. They are in the "process" of a refinance deal and are telling the bank this is their primary residence. I suspect it is not.

My reasons are quite valid for my suspicions.
1. I previously had this home listed

2. I had done an interior CMA since my listing.

3. The owners do not work locally

4. The house has no furniture

5. The house has no refrigerator

6. The house has no running water.

7. The house has no heat or air.

8. I deemed it "uninhabitable" when I saw the "house"

I viewed this property as a "tear-down" not a "fixer" when I listed it a few years ago and the owner told me nothing has been done. When I had this property listed I had it entered into the MLS as a "Lake LOT". The value is only in the actual waterfront property.

Now I don't think he should have trouble getting a mortgage as a second home, but I will not be a part of sending him someone to furnish his home to make it appear as though someone lives there so he can get a better rate and say he lives there. I hate that I'm not going to be sending business to my friend in the area who stages homes, but I also called her to let her know his name and that if by chance he did get her number, she might not want this job.

I will not every knowingly put my license in jeopardy for any reason.

When first we practice to deceive...

So if you are not being honest... please don't call me for help. I'm happy to help so long as I don't have to forget my moral compass.

706-485-9668

(Click on Lane Realty Logo for web site)

Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

Broker License # 169695 Lane Realty License # H-11420

Call me today for all your Lake Sinclair real estate needs.

We always have water at lake sinclair Lake Sinclair stays full even during droughts. Click to read why and how.

Search for homes on Lake Sinclair now

For readers who are not members of ActiveRain feel free to also add your comments or you can click on the EMAIL me link to the right of this blog and email me. Thanks for reading.

Posted by Tammy Lankford- lake sinclair on 11/04/2009 02:26 PM

Comments (151)

Mortgage Fraud in the Mortgage / Finance Channel

mortgage fraud

Originally posted at: Lake Sinclair Blog: Oh be careful little mouth what you say.... because my ears can hear!

Post is included in group: Blogs Happen...
Post is included in group: Club Chaos
Post is included in group: "Whacked"!!!
Post is included in group: Running a Brokerage
Post is included in group: Addicted to Active Rain

151 Comments on Oh be careful little mouth what you say.... because my ears can hear!

NOV

Tammy - good for you! I am constantly amazed at the depths people will stoop to just to save a buck. What's the penalty for mortgage fraud these days?

HA! Forget losing your license. If the FBI catches this person, he could easily implicate you in mortgage fraud, a criminal act.

Good for you.

Hey Tammy, good for you. People just don't care if they are breaking the law or who they drag into it with them.

And a well deserved star, way to go!

Tammy - Good for you! Why can't people just tell the truth? It always comes out in the end.

Tammy....3 square meals, a gym, a law library and a huge workout yard !!!! this could be a place called "home"....

Tammy Good for you....some people are just ....well never mind they are you know what I would say.....good job listening before acting....peace zane

Tammy ~ your great listening skills and intuition certainly helped you with this situation. Well, it also helped that you were already aware of the type of property the called was talking about. Good for you to stay out of this mess.

Tammy, that's right, there is nothing worth to take on something you know deep down is not the truth. Thanks.

Good for you Tammy. I have met several of these types and want nothing to do with them.

I wouldn't help them either. I don't feel like hammering out new license plates for .22 cents an hour.

Good for you Tammy! Congratulations on the feature too!

Somehow I just know that "what goes around will come around" for this guy. Good thing you knew what was going on so you didn't get caught in his web.

Awesome for you Tammy! Go kick butt! :)

Good for you! A quick tax search will show the bank it is not their primary residence and of course a DMV check serves the same purpose. It was good you listened before offering up a number.

Susan- Jail last time I checked and I don't want to go.

Lenn- you know I get CD's from the the GREC occassionally and mostly they are junk... like "this is how to handle earnest money", (hello I know that), or "be safe when showing property" (I have a shiny 44 for that), but when I got the one on mortgage fraud I made all my agents watch it. I knew people who went to jail in Georgia a few years ago over this crap. My husband works for a state prison and I'm SURE I do not want to be an inmate.

Andrea- thanks and they really don't care do they?

Linda- I remember when I was about 3 and I told my dad a lie about where I got the "thing" I was playing with (as it turned out I had stolen it from my grandparents house)... I got spanked with a belt all the way to and from their house, returned it, appologized and couldn't sit down for a few days. Since then (and I was about 4) if I can't tell the truth I don't say nutin'.

Barbara- not in Georgia- no gym, only two meals on the weekends, no a/c in some prisons, and well... no thanks.

Zane- I can only imagine what you would have said. LOL

Terrie- It was kind of a lesson to not act too quickly in responding. I'm so glad I was out of the room and on a cordless and it took me a minute to get to my box so he could keep talking.

Rita- Certainly not worth it to me. I like freedom.

Emily- I don't understand the mentality of people who work so hard to cheat the system.

Rob- I don't think they do that here in GA anymore either. But they do shine shoes and they have to do that for FREE

Marian- I hope he doesn't call someone I know and get them involved.

Jackie- Thanks and I wasn't about to go there.

To echo all other comments-- Good for you! It pays to have good listening skills. I am sure your stager friend appreciated the warning also.

Good listening.

Today the state of Florida annouced 110 Arrests, 440Mil in Property siezures for Mortgage Fraud. Personally I hope they all go to jail for an extended stay, Particulary MB's and Realtors who stoop to that level.

Jean

Good for you, Tammy. I would hate to be a party to deception, too. And, by passing along the information to your Stager friend, you have done all you can. It is up to them if they want to take the business or not. But, you have done everything as ethically and above board as you could.

Tammy...I have never been asked to bring a stager in to this type of thing, but I have been asked of ways to make the deal better than it was agreed to be. Your request is working hard to deceive and defraud.

What a great story. Yes, your reasons are VERY valid. When I read them, I said "OH SNAP!" Oh, what a tangled web . . . as that saying goes. I'm glad you stopped mid-step!

Tammy - BRAVO! I too get some bizarre calls occasionally from people who want to try and scam some poor dpa agency/organization. SERIOUSLY???

Can you imagine the kind of sleaze ball that would actually try and scam an agency/organization whose sole purpose is to help low income people buy a house?

A home stager could provide a written staging plan for fee. There is no fraud in providing staging services any more than hiring a construction worker. Of course, the first recommendation may be just that, get a construction crew to start fixing!

Tammy

YAAAAAAYYYYY!!! I love it and I am appaulled at anyone who wants to cheat and put others in the middle of it. Don't they even have a clue? Well - I guess I really know the answer. They don't. Go Girl!

Oh you are right we have to be so in touch with what is really being said most times...

Kudos for not willing to be part of the deception. I aplaud your integrity and thank you for the story. It is a great reminder that we realtors need to constantly behave in a professional way, if we want the public to hold us in high esteem. Wouldn't be good for the profession to have the newsmedia tell that one of us was helping in mortgage fraud!

I agree with you 100% Tammy. I wish there were many agents like this and the REal Estate Industry will shine

Maya Garg,Broker, Royal Lepage Kingsbury,Mississauga.Ontario www.gtawesthomes.com

Good job. It is unreal how low some people will stoop to get what they think they deserve. The power of listening is a skill, you have it, good catch!

Good for you. There are way to many agents in our current markets who are taking shortcuts. At some point this market will turn and those who played fast and loose may find themselves without a real estate license.

Just out of curiosity, what did you tell the caller?

Tammy, good for you. We need more people like you working in Real Estate.

P.S.

Q: What is the longest distance in the world?

A: The distance between a person's own mouth, and their own ears.

Seems like you've got no problem with this at all!! #21 does not have a license to lose. The home was vacant, inhabitable, unoccupied, out-of-town sellers . . . and this was NOT a home sale, but a refinance. BIG difference. Since when do you "stage" a home for a REFI! See how easy the Q&A can be applied?

Good for you - dishonesty is sure to be found out eventually.

Yeah, you could've opened up a real can of worms here.

Way to go! It's funny how the public thinks we will go along with their little schemes. Considering their poor opinion of us, I guess it shouldn't surprise me. Kudos to you for proving to him that we actually are a notch above.

OMG...good thing you had the inside info!!!

some people....it was the right thing to do once you were told the whole story....but had this person kept her mouth shut you would have been happy to help her

Tammy, You are one sharp cookie. Good thing you knew so much about the past history.

Tammy,
Amazing what you hear when you keep quiet and listen, isn't it?

Hi Tammy~ Good for you! Honesty is the only way to go. No way I am helping someone lie or con anyone. Life is just too short for any of that! Honesty is the only way to go.

Tammy - Congratulations on your feature! Good for you - great listening skills!

Tammy - It's amazing what people ask us to do and the scary thing is he/she probably didn't see anything wrong with it. Good for you!

Truly amazing!

Stupidity comes in all shapes and sizes.

That's a deal to run from not just walk.

Tammy...

I have had a few calls over the years from "numbers jugglers" trying to pull money out of properties. You're right not to participate. Congrats on the feature.

You would think that with all of the people going to jail over the last few years for MORTGAGE FRAUD people would be more aware of what constitutes MORTGAGE FRAUD.

1) LYING ON YOUR LOAN APPLICATION

2) LYING ABOUT INCOME

3) FALSIFYING DOCUMENTATION

4) LYING ABOUT OCCUPANCY

5) LYING, LYING AND MORE LYING!

You pretty much have nailed it on the head.

Comment # 28... Brian wanted to know my reponse.

You can't get a primary residence loan for a home you do not occupy. Caller said "well I used to spend the night there sometimes" I need this rate, the appraiser said "the home has to look like someone lives there" *mind you I don't know who the appraiser is or if he/she actually said this.

I replied at this point that I could not be a party to something that sounded like mortgage fraud to me and I simply had no advise for him except to come clean with his lender that he does not actually live at this property. Of course I do know that from looking at the records later that he also claimed homestead exemption for the past few years at this property as well.

He then told me to call him if I found a buyer for his property. And asked if I knew where he could get a used refrigerator.

I then addressed him by name and said I don't think you understand me, the appraiser was just doing his job and I'm not about to help you "remedy" this to trick the appraiser.

Then he said "fine" and hung up on me.

Very soothing backround images on your Blog. Makes you want to linger!

Allison- maybe/maybe not. His full time residence is a rental and he's also be frauding the county and the state claiming homestead on this property.

Diane- I hope anyone wouldn't want the job if he's honest. And I know he wants it "on the cheap", he doesn't want to buy furniture. He just wanted to "rent" it for the appraisal.

Jean- I was a single mom for many years and practicing real estate by the rules has always been important to me for so many reasons. First- doing the right thing... followed closely by setting the example for my daughter, keeping my license, staying out of jail. I have no problem joining you that people who set out to commit mortgage fraud be punished to the extent of the law.

Heather- I have to wonder who else he will call?

Steve- Not the first time I've turned down a request to defraud, but first time of this nature. And my answer has always been no.

Carla- You know had he stopped with can you recommend a stager I might just have suggested a friend of mine. And I feel some guilt about that. I find myself thinking that next time when it's a legitimate request of a recommendation that I might start to interrogate the caller like they are a suspect.

Donne- Just makes me really ticked off.

Beverly- I really don't know how to respond to you. He told me he is wanting to get his home staged so it will appear to look lived in to make the appraiser believe it in fact is his residence and you think it would be okay for anyone to actually take this job??? Are you kidding?

There are so many people trying to scam the mortgage companies still. People haven't learned their lesson.

Diana- yup, definitely leave me out of it.

Janet- I really was amazed that he talked me right out of helping him.

Monique- I hate when that happens, but then I suppose bad people are in all walks of life.

Maya- I truly believe most agents have wonderful integrity. Just always a bad apple in the bunch can have the whole lot of us clumped in with a negative opinion.

Corinna- you know I teach 4 and 5 year olds Sunday school and I'm always telling them you have two ears and one mouth for a reason... listen twice as much as you talk. I guess I'm glad that I practice what I "preach" teach.

Cindy- I would hope any agent would have not participated in this scam.

Donna and Larry- I think the majority of agents are good. Maybe not as knowledgeable about what fraud is, but still good people who would not knowingly participate in wrong doing.

Carla- #21 confused me a bit too. And staging for refi- nope you certainly don't see stagers using that get jobs.

Bob and Carolin- You know, even if he never got caught up with, I need to be able to sleep when I put my head on the pillow every night.

Kyle- your comment made me laugh... it wasn't worms, it was snakes in their head. LOL

Lina- Gosh, now I feel really bad. That creeper did really think I'd be help him didn't he... he must think less of me than I do him.

Lisa- He told me enough that even if I'd never seen the property I wouldn't have helped him.

Dana- that's true, I've often thought it was only of TV that people spontaneously confessed, I must be wrong.

Hi Tammy, Congratulations on the feature - but more importantly congratulations on not losing your moral compass! It seems a lot of people never had one. Good to stay away from people like this.

Barb- it certainly didn't hurt that I knew the property, but he really did himself in with no help from me.

Cynthia- absolutely.

Vickie- It really is the only way.

Sharon- thanks and thanks.

Michelle- I really got the feeling they knew exactly what they were up to, the more the talked the deeper it got.

Linda- I was quite blown away with this request.

Mark- It sure does.

Richard- why do think we're going to help them. And thank you.

Stephanie- He must not have gotten the memo

Cheryl- Yes, my tranquil lake makes my job of selling property on Lake Sinclair much easier. It's really beautiful. And I just love your pups.

Russ- I think some people have to learn for themselves and can't learn from others going to jail.

Mary- One day... I'll tell the story of my first experience with this guy. I actually once listed and sold a piece of property for him. Of course when I listed it... I didn't know him.

I would have done the same thing. I have lost business because I failed to be a party to deeds that would be unfair to others. But I felt that I did the right thing.

Barbara- If I loose business because I'm not a criminal, that's fine by me. I figure good and bad deeds come back home to roost.

good for you! it is always something...no need for us to be incloved in such actions! Sometimes it is fun to say no! Thanks

Hi Tammy -- Kudos to you, and I'm 100% with you. Nothing, absolutely nothing is worth it if it is just plain wrong.

Ha ! Nicely done Columbo ! Sneaky buggers trying to pull a fast one !

Well caught !

Tammy - ZAP ! Good for you ! Keeping our collective businesss in check is our job. The idea this person had for you was to join a prison profession. Thanks for your ethics.

I think you did the right thing. You should be proud of the fact that you did not stoop to the level of the owner.

Tammy, good for you and a very interesting story.

Strange he would call you and not think you would think something was up.

Tammy - You go girl! This is one I'd never heard of - When you think you've heard it all.... LOL

Great post, Congrats!

Debi

Debra- And I have to admit, he was too good to pass up as blogging material too.

Chris- Completely how I felt.

Sheldon- actually he wasn't even smart enough to be sneaky. If he'd called and said... Tammy I'm finally gonna move in my lake house and I really need a designer/stager to give me a hand... well we all know what I would have done then.

Claude- Zap makes me think of that bug killer my dad used to have outside to electricute insects and this guy did "bug" me.

Sybil- too old for stooping, if I got down there I'm not sure if I could get back up. LOL All kidding aside, I just couldn't ever go there.

Missy- Not sure that he really thought the call through at all. Surely he didn't think it was okay to lie to the bank??

Debi- Isn't that the truth, and Thanks.

I wouldn't want to be part of that, either. I want to see my kids grow up in person, not on a monthly visit to prison...

Listening -- so important. Good for you for catching that!

Lane- that so makes me giggle. My daughter used to freak her friends out when she talked about what day my husband "got out of prison" or "has to go back to prison" because he is a correctional officer with the state DOC. And no, would not have wanted to subject my kids to being strip searched so they could visit me on weekends and holidays.

Lottie- A little listening and a little integrity can go a long way. Thanks.

NOV

We meet all kinds in this business. You have to know where your standards are and maintian them. It always is best in the long run. Thanks for the reminder to check one's standards and to remember that one integrity is most important in the short and long run. I'm sure you have something better coming your way.

Good decision. And good job calling the stager. At least she knows you were thinking of her.

Wow, we have to be ever so vigilant or we will end up on the street. It is crazy how many scams are going around right now, be careful out there.

I'm sure that stager friend of yours appreciated your taking the time to warn her about this "staging" job .... good for you!!

Tammy. Great that you stuck to your guns on this one. Some folks are really sneaky. I'm sure they will find someone to do what they want...

Helping you live your American dream...

Amazing story, Tammy. My motto is always tell the truth, that way you don't have to remember much (courtesy of Mark Twain - paraphrased, of course)!

Tammy:

It is good that you recognized this for what it was - an attempt at fraud. Washing your hands of it was the best thing to do.

Tammy, So true, it just is not worth it. I walked away from a deal last year because it felt so dirty and fradulent. and the agent asked why I said no, Because I didnt want to go to jail and it was a fradulent transaction, THATS WHY!!!

As far as a second home goes, the rates are pretty much the same, and furnished or not it isnt going to change the value if it is a tear down!

Good for you! Wonder if he realizes that mortgage fraud is a crime?

Hi, Tammy:
Lots of positive comments here.

I received one of these calls last December. The guy wanted me to [and I am not making this up] Stage the house for a few hours while the appraiser did his visit. My 'moral compass' could not get a bearing on him, so I merely insisted that he pay me and my movers hourly. He told me it was out of his budget, so I did not have to make any judgment on it.

One thing we all need to remember: our instincts are a product of thousands of years of development. If some thing does not feel right, it probably isn't!

Thanks for sharing!
The Stage Coach Austin Home Stager

amen...don't sink my ship or have your 911 become mine

Purely thinking of only them and you must see the forest in this business not just a tree

Kudos to you Tammy for:

Listening before talking/doing
Knowing when to say no
Taking a stand
(and most important) To going public with your story

Part of the reason we are in this "mess" is because as a society, we have lost our moral compass. In general people are afraid to take a stand for what is right or speak up about it. We've all become so politically corrrect, we are afraid to speak our minds. So, thank you Tammy, for standing up and sharing your story with us!

"The only way to avoid criticism is to say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." - Elbert Hubbard

Tammy...You are a professional Realtor in every way. Thanks for taking a stand when something like this happens.

Jerry Gray CRB,CRS,GRI / Prudential Carolinas Realty / Winston Salem,NC

Good for you!

Tammy, good for you! I suspect what would have happened is they were perhaps taking cash out. They would have inflated the price, perhaps walked, and then there is another house on the market, making your job that much tougher, as it would now become a low comp.

We as Realtors, and licensees, need to stop this nonsense.

good for you! I'm also opposed to helping those who I KNOW are up to know good...even if I suspect it, it's just not worth my time! It's people like this who are taking advantage of our bad situation. To me, it's no different than looters during a riot!

It's amazing what desperate people will do these days. As real estate professionals, we always need to apply a bit of skepticism when we get these types of calls from out in left field.

Why are there people who lie so readily? Good for you for recognizing the scheme these people were trying to pull -- Good job with those listening skills! Thanks for bringing this story to the Active Rain community.

I would stay far away from that one too. Mortgage fraud is nothing to be cavalier about and that is what that would essentially be.

Frank- more about checking someone else's motives than a reminder about standards. I find that folks who have standards don't need reminding.

Robert- I wouldn't have considered doing less. She's worked with a few of my sellers and lots of my buyers and I thought a "warning" was in order.

James- was certainly a new one on me.

Maureen- "staging", "scamming" interchangible here.

Michael- sneaky, creepy. that covers it.

Peggy- so true and the truth usually makes the best stories too.

Claudette- my radar went off when he started talking

Robert- I have the feeling it was more the appraiser telling the bank... this is a lot, not a home. Which changes the whole ball game.

Tim- well he certainly knows now.

Michael F- think they are related??

Laura- I'm not going down for someone else

Denese- It was a decision I pondered, I decided this post should be public for a couple of reasons. 1. Mortgage fraud did cause part of the breakdown of the entire economy and people might not even think of "a little white lie" as mortgage fraud. 2. He just might read my post and know I was offended by his actions... afterall he did tell me he found his lender on the Internet.

Jerry- without taking the right path, what kind of parent/broker/human would I be? It wasn't a decision, it's just me.

Scott- very interesting photo I'm wonderting where that building is and Thanks.

Good for you. But also the person who called you would probably want to be cheap on the fee and try to pay the home stager $10 for his or her troubles when the value of a good high quality home stager is at least $500, if not more. I would do the same as you, call everyone I know and tell him to "avoid that customer like the plague." Cheapskates and and liars and cheaters do not belong in our society.

A real eye-opener. Thanks for sharing this situation.

Tammy ~ Good for you! And I love the phrase, "moral compass." You must always listen to that little inner voice...it really does save you from a lot of problems...

Way to go! I'm glad that you were able to listen and realized that this is not someone that you want to associate with.

Well done Tammy, you have represented the real estate community very well!

Good job!! I always tell my 6 year old son this: even if you tell a lie and never get caught, YOU know the truth and God knows the truth. ALWAYS do the right thing no matter what anyone else is doing.

It's nice to see that people really do live by that - I respect you and applaud you.

Tammy,

Good for you but I missed the part on what you actually said to him.

Good Job, Tammy

You can never go wrong doing the right thing.

Thank you, Tammy, for being a participate with those of us that respect our professions in real estate. We ARE all on the same team. It's a team that has been a little battered and beaten up over the last couple years; primarily due to the fraudulent acts of those "professionals" that worked without ethics or scruples. Any degree of participation in a knowingly fraudulent act is really unacceptable, isn't it? As we've experienced in the very recent past; it hurts everyone. Even if you're not a fan of the Big Banks (or some of the other lenders out there); every time a fraudulent loan is made; the consequences are ultimately felt by everyone.

Tammy, it is amazing the lengths that some people will go to just to refinanace a home.

Tammy, your instincts and prior knowledge of the home sans occupants enabled you to make an informed decision. Way to go! You took a stand, protected your integrity and your license.

Gary- Could be, he didn't go into that type of detail,

Paula- yup, about the same thing.

Martin- I agree, we always need to be on our toes

Tammy

Good for you. You're obviously a card carrying member of People with Integrity.

The person on the other end of the phone just assumes that everyone is "out to get one over on the man" or "game the system". They are wrong, people of integrity still exist, and our group is larger than most people think. We just don't wind up in the news when we do the things that come naturally to us.

I love to give out referrals, but would never put a friend or business acquaintence in an akward situation of playing part and parcel to a fraud. A home stager might never even realize that a fraud was being committed in this situation had the owner contacted them directly and just asked for them to do the job.

Nice to know there are lots of us agents out there who are not ethically bankrupt. I know that most of us have run into those people who have tried to pull some shinanigan but we can't get pulled in. I like the comment by #97, "You never go wrong doing the right thing."

Good for you! I am so tired of unethical buyers, sellers. real estate agents, appraisers, lenders....just everybody who is unethical really!

Mortgage Fraud to the highest Power. You are a Wise Woman for covering your own Name. I worry about the unsuspecting person who might refer them to someone and the collateral damage it can cause. We worked very hard to get our Licenses and Bending or Breaking the rules are Never an Option. I Liked This post.

You did the only thing you could do. We need to pay attention to these things.

Marisa- I have no idea, but I certainly felt this should be shared in case you ever get a call like this.

Vanessa- smelled like mortgage fraud to me.

Randy- There's lots of people in our society that shouldn't be, but not enough room in our jails for them.

Gayle- Happy to share, wouldn't want this to fly with anyone if I could prevent it.

Lori- You can thank my parents for that phrase- heard it all my life.

Darrell- Nope, won't be doing business with the guy ever again.

Peter- how very kind of you to say. Feel it's always best to do the right thing.

#94- Thank you. And I'm sure down the road you will be very proud of your son as it sounds like you are teaching him well. My parents used to tell me... A lie by ommission is still a lie.

Brenda- see comment # 45, it's my reply

John- thanks

Deena- I agree and can hear myself saying that phrase to my kids now. Thanks.

Leissa- It's as much about respecting myself as a person as respecting my profession, but you are so right when one agent violates the law we all get tarnished by the act.

Danny- or try to.

Roseann- it's important to listen to your little voice

Good move on your part. Thank goodness you stopped and really listened to what he was saying. And good for you giving the stager a heads up.

Wow! It never ceases to amaze me the lengths some people will go to when trying to deceive people.

And they think Realtors (R) are lowlifes! You are a credit to our profession.

Boulder City Steve

Always take the high road - it will get you in the least trouble in the end!

Wonderful post. so glad to see others are not willing to give up their morals. You have made all of us look better! Contgrats to you. Raylene

Michael- Integrity certainly is always part of my business plan.

Nancy- I like that term "ethically bankrupt", might have to use that one too.

Damon- me too, don't like crooks.

Mike- no, it's never acceptable behavior, glad you liked it.

Jirius- My thoughts too

Marian- Felt it was the least I should do for her and I'm glad I listened.

Stephanie- I was a bit floored myself

Steve- He might think I'm a low life for NOT helping him

Jody- that's my plan

Raylene- thanks. I always try to use good judgement

Way to go! So many people try to avoid doing the right thing; it's nice to hear a story about someone doing the right thing without question.

Good for you! You are right in that once you are tempted to get off the moral path, it will only get easier to do it again and again. People don't seem to care that they are putting you in danger of losing your license and your income when they ask you to be part of the fraud!

Great Job! We need more honest people that follow their intuition and not the money trail.

oh wow, sounds like they need tobe looking to get some changes done so that they can sell the house. Great job of checking it out

That's one of the many things I love about you. You have strong solid ethics and you won't sell out for a buck. You also won't put your friends or associates in a bad place. Kudos to you Tammy, you rock!

Way to go, Tammy!

I am so appalled at what this guy is trying to do.............. if he gets caught, there will be Hades to pay......

I have heard and seen what people will do to get one over on others...and it sickens me....

I hope he does not get away with it...and that he does what is right..no matter how painful it may be..

Karen- I really feel most agents would react the same way. But as stated before, you hear on the 6 o'clock news about one rouge realtor going to jail and we all get lumped in.

Susan- Makes me really thankful for my parents

Robert- Ill gotten gains are some I'd rather not have.

Sandy- It's a beautiful lake lot, the house, in my opinion, just needs a bob cat to knock it down.

Sue- Thanks... I'll have to tell my kids I rock and watch them giggle.

Ryan- thanks.

Alex- yes, it's a shame he didn't share who his lender is with me so I could report him.

Congratulations! Isn't it sad when we get all excited because we hear about someone being HONEST!? There is so much fraud and "strategic" garbage in our market it makes me sick. I have turned down business point blank (short sales, etc) because I didn't want to be a part of their scheme du jour.

Tammy, good catch with this one. He sounds like a party to steer clear of!

Your sharp as a tack, hate to say it but I am not sure I would have caught on right a way. I probably would have helped him out, not realizing my license was in jeorpady. Stories like this, where I learn something new everyday from AR!

AR needs like a little, "learned something new icon" that we can click, kind of like stumbleUpon, and the more you get, the more I will want to read those stories! Lets face it, I could read all day on AR!

Hey Tammy, good for you! You used your two ears wisely!

Wow -- am amazed that - first, they didn't think about being over heard! second, that they would talk openly anyway! and third, that they don't think they'll get caught -- and have to go to jail or be fined! Am NOT amazed that you didn't particpate! Great job, and congrats on the feature.

Good deal Tammy - just walk away. It never seems to amaze me to what lengths people will go to to cheat the system.

Good for you, I don't like unethical sellers or buyers. It will come back around to haunt him in the end. You, however, can sleep restfully at night that you did the right thing. Way to go!

Tammy - Good for you! There is nothing worse than having a real estate professional painting lipstick on a pig and calling it pretty;-)

Oh my gosh that generated a lot of comments! I'm so proud of you - the ethical high moral ground - kudos! And congrats on the Feature!

Way to go Tammy. You have a sensitive radar/ bulls**t system. I like that.

Preach it sister. Our integrity is priceless. The fact that you sniffed it out make you an awesome agent.

NOV

Renee- it is like if they can drag someone else into it, "they" no longer are doing anything wrong because "they" are getting someone else to do their dirty work. BTW- cute puppy, I love your new photo.

Samantha- agreed.

Keith- been in this business for 18 years now and I've learned more in this part year since I discovered AR than those previous 17 years combined.

Al and Peggy- Thanks, I try to do that.

Alex- He certainly didn't seem the least bit concerned to be "spilling".

Dan- Amazing isn't it. Too bad he doesn't put that energy he puts into scheming to good use.

Wendy- And trust me when I tell you, I want a clean conscience when I go to sleep.

Myrl- No two ways around it, wrong is wrong and it ain't pretty, lipstick or not.

Liz- thanks and thanks and I sure you would have done the same thing.

Wayne- my daughter has always said the same thing.

Mike- thanks. I have worked very hard to keep my company's reputation as one of honesty and integrity, it's very important to me.

Great job Tammy. Getting one commission is not worth your licence.

You definitely did your stager friend a favor, as well! Though I have not been approached to do anything like this, I have read a post or two on AR about this kind of unscrupulous seller and an unskilled ear, or naive stager may not have "heard" what you heard...

Tammy,

Good for you, girl! It takes more than one for fraud to occur, and the chain is evident once people start looking at who "touched" the file. I wouldn't expect any less from you; today, you're my FAVORITE blogger!

Mike in Tucson

Mark- what commission? did you read the post or just get 25 points for a comment?

Cheryl- because we (I assume most of us because I sure feel this way) don't expect people to be doing something bad/crooked it can be easy to miss. I always trust people until they give me a reason not to do so, this person just did.

Oh Mike- your favorite? Really? How cool. I've got to go back and check and see if there are more 1980 photos at your post. That was fun.

Good for you for sticking to your principles. And double kudos for warning your stager friend to steer clear also. In this business reputation and networking are everything and this could have seriously damaged both your reputation and your friends ship with the stager.

Holy cow Tammy, just when you think you've heard it all... you really haven't!

Ann- You are so right about reputations and actions for that matter being so important in this business.

Cynthia- you know, that was my original title, but had that "oh be careful little ears what you hear" song running through my head and decided to change it from "Just when you think you've heard it all... the phone rings"

It sure pays to pay attention! Nice job listening...now you can sit back and watch to see what happens. Should be interesting.

Monica- since I don't know who the lender is or who the appraiser is I don't think I'll be getting any insight into what takes place, until or unless I read about him in the paper.

NOV

Way to go!! It is so uplifting to know that there are so many honest and fair dealing agents out there. Your post just brightened my day immeasureably. Thank you!! The nicest thing about telling the truth is - You Don't Have to Remember What You Said.

Sharon- I do think the vast majority of agents and brokers are truthful and honest without a doubt. It's just when the public hears about "that one" who got arrested we all become villians in their minds and our profession has a lot of bad attitudes to overcome... one at a time.

Good call with this issue. It is not right and no sense getting yourself in the middle of it.

Gene- I certainly wasn't going there after I knew what he was trying to pull off. I just hope he doesn't go through with it and tells the truth. The interest difference isn't that much and is certainly better than jail time.

NOV

Tammy, everything happens for a reason. Thank goodness he was still talking so you can hear, and you had the phone in ear shot. If all agents had a moral compass it would clean up a lot of mess. Way to go!

Tammy, Good for you. There is nothing that is worth losing your integrity. It's amazing how there are people don't care about others and would tangle them in their messy web.

Bev and Bob- you know those cordless phones at my office where you can walk to get a file or a number and continue to chat with the client was one of my best investments ever.

Rita- you are so right about people not caring who they tangle up with their lies and deceit.

NOV

"Now I don't think he should have trouble getting a mortgage as a second home, but I will not be a part of sending him someone to furnish his home to make it appear as though someone lives there so he can get a better rate and say he lives there."

Huh??? What Total BS!

Staging is cosmetic! Should not affect the value of a house!

# 151- you of course at entitled to your opinion. This post wasn't about any "cosmetic" issue- It was about an owner telling a bank he lived in a home that he in fact does not live in, that, is mortgage fraud. I can't be part of mortgage fraud. It goes against what I believe in and could put my entire livelihood and freedom in jeopardy.

Leave a response…

Name:

Email:
(optional)

Comment:

What does the graphic say?