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Lead sites are such a scam. Post your stories please. Agents need to know.

By Christina Strommen Stevens

Real Estate Agent with Southwest Realty Advisors LLC 0515710

October 10, 2010 05:55 AM

Recently I made a really dumb decision. I was trying to prove to a fellow member of the real estate world that lead sites do little or nothing in my opinion, for any business. My husband has well over 10 year of RE experience and started one of the first RE websites in his area. Well he OF COURSE has used all the tricks of the trade and warned me a long to time ago. I get about 5 calls a week, often from the same parties asking if I would LOVE QUALIFIED leads. Use the money for SEO. My first page Google site lets me qualify my own leads. LEAD SITES DO NOT WORK. Experience speaks for itself. Trying to help someone learn from this really became more then just what I hoped would save this party time and money.

To make a long story short in my sad tale I was trying to prove I was right and this real estate investor was wrong so he would not waste any money. I signed up for a site that CLEARLY STATED 15 day trial (I planned to cancel in about 5 days after proving I did not get any leads). The site is called www.wehavehomeleads.com. I received an email saying I would be charged in 15 days if I did not cancel which seemed very fair. I also watched a video warning me to cancel before 15 days. The email I received even stated that I would not be charged until the 15 days, of course SINCE AFTER ALL THIS WAS A FREE TRIAL. Needless to say I was charged instantly the day my 15 day trial started.

I cannot cancel. I have tried all morning and I hope that my stupidity, while knowing better as a seasoned agent can help those of you who think these over priced services can do as much as keep their word. Yes, I am sure some decent sites exist but be warned. Earn leads the right way by being a smart way. It is just to easy to pay for something that does not exist. If you are a good agent leads will come. If someone wants to list their home they will contact you for an interview or information.

In regards to this site I have had to contact my bank. The site most likely will not help in anyway after reading reviews and I will cancel my card. I made a mistake just to try and help another party so I hope me admitting my stupidity will help anyone considering this.

Simply work hard as an agent and the leads will come.

I would love to hear any opinions and hopefully hear that some sites are not practicing such horrid morals, in my opinion. Hopefully they will contact me and apologize. We will see. If they do the post will reflect that but until now my bank is my advocate and I am left feeling stupid all because I was trying to prove a point. Point proved. Hope my point that should have been left as my opinion helps others.

This site also targets the real estate, non-agent investor. Very humbling to feel stupid when trying to help others but sometimes it is better to just AGREE TO DISAGREE.

Have a blessed day.

Christina

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Margaret Goss

@Properties - Winnetka, IL

Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate

I get so many of these calls that I am often tempted not to answer my phone! However, every now and then it's a real LEAD. I think they prey on newer agents that don't know any better - when I started in 1998 I started up with Home Gain (I think it's now Market Leader) and had lots of leads. But not one ever panned out.

Oct 10, 2010 06:03 AM

Cindy Westfall

Premiere Property Group,LLC Portland Metro & Suburbs Oregon - Tualatin, OR

ABR,GRI Your Tualatin & Portland Metro Real Estate

Hi Christina, I teamed up with a Mortgage Broker in my first year of business for one of these lead sites. Since it was very expensive, She would get the leads then divvy them up between me and a few other agents who split the cost each month. What I found was that yes..there are some leads but most of these folks who signed up did NOT realize that this information went to Realtors and Mortgage brokers who paid for these leads. I followed up on all leads given, but nothing ever came of them. I stopped when I recieved a call from a father who told me that I was sending mailers to his 16 year old daughter. He was in sales and new the expense. I did tell him that his I got all the info because she signed up on this certain site. These lead venues are expensive! You are much better working the old fashion way to get business.

Oct 10, 2010 06:06 AM

Dawn & Charlie Tetro

PalmerHouse Properties & Associates - Johns Creek, GA

Real Service Real Results

I get calls almost every week from companies trying to sell me leads. I tried HouseValues and I did get maybe three viable leads in 2005. I am so sorry for your experience! I cannot believe they will not even allow you to cancel! That is a first for me! Best of luck!

Oct 10, 2010 06:07 AM

Pat Champion

John Roberts Realty - Eustis, FL

Call the "CHAMPION" for all your real estate needs

I have had a lot of phone calls for the same thing, but I have never fallen prey and hope I don't it is hard they make it sound so convincing. I haven't heard of anyone who has had success with leads this way.

Oct 10, 2010 06:08 AM

Sandy Vale

Punta Gorda, FL

I have been close to scammed myself. I signed up for a lead service as well, www.realestateclientreferrals.com they guaranteed me closings and that I would continue receiving leads until I closed on one of the leads. Oh I got leads alright, they were your typical wanting to by 500k property for 50k, could not qualify to buy a hamburger etc. Then when the leads expired they stalled for over a year with excuses. I got lucky, keep every email I sent and received from them and had documented my telephone contact attempts to them. I finally wrote a long detailed well documented letter to my credit card and I did get my money back. I GOT LUCKY, and felt so stupid. Buyer beware.

Oct 10, 2010 06:11 AM

Christina Strommen Stevens

Southwest Realty Advisors LLC - Galveston, TX

Galveston Texas Realtor, Vacation home expert

If you have a well ranked site they will harass you. I also don't answer if I know its the same number and some of the young reps are so rude when you try to say "no thanks" in a decent way.

Note to self. Never try to prove a point by signing up for something you know is a bad situation. Let them learn on their own.

Thank you all for your opinions. Nice to see your smiling faces this Sunday morning.

I will say I have a few great mortgage guys/ gals and I give them business and when they have a qualified party in my community with no agent they call me. Works well and all we do is know that we are all hard workers so we make great teams.

Oct 10, 2010 06:13 AM

Christina Strommen Stevens

Southwest Realty Advisors LLC - Galveston, TX

Galveston Texas Realtor, Vacation home expert

Sandy love the hamburger comment lol. Imagine how dumb I feel to have done this knowing better. My better half is less then pleased, lol.

Oct 10, 2010 06:16 AM

Bryan Robertson

Los Altos, CA

I tried a lead site when I first started out and found that they too wouldn't cancel after being asked. They're all scams as far as I'm concerned and should be banned.

Oct 10, 2010 06:24 AM

Christina Strommen Stevens

Southwest Realty Advisors LLC - Galveston, TX

Galveston Texas Realtor, Vacation home expert

Bryan you should post the site if you remember, and for that matter if they are even in business so young agents don't make the same mistake. I always had my husband to explain why so I was lucky. Here I try to teach another and bam, my bank will have to teach them but I did warn them in an email that they are advertising listings in AZ and I will turn them into the state board. We have to be proactive as agents in order to help our fellow agent period.

I agree. They should be made to, at the very least carry a license in the state they operate out of if they are truley stating where their operations are taking place. Its a scary world.

Oct 10, 2010 06:28 AM

Allan Sanchez

Roseville CA & Rocklin CA Short Sale Agent - Roseville, CA

Rocklin & Roseville, Short Sale Agent

If it's too good to be true, it is! The best way to get leads is to work your tale off!

Allan

Oct 10, 2010 06:40 AM

Gary Pike

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers - Powder Springs, GA

Never tried these sites or allowed a phone conversation from one of them to go beyond their identifying what they are selling. One of the first things I was told was to not waste time with these folks. You might want to contact your states Attorney General about this so they are aware.

Oct 10, 2010 06:47 AM

John Pusa

Glendale, CA

Christina - I tried several lead generation sites, easy to sign up but very difficult to cancel the subscriptions. Thanks for sharing a very good blog and making us aware of it.

Oct 10, 2010 07:31 AM

Christina Strommen Stevens

Southwest Realty Advisors LLC - Galveston, TX

Galveston Texas Realtor, Vacation home expert

Gary- I will and also the AZ real estate board. I have them logged in my phone and they harass me far to much.

Allan- the exact point I was trying to prove.

John- Thankfully I never tried one due to my husbands adivce and was only doing this to prove a point. Next time I will just laugh when I get in the conversation,

I have a great bank and will the email to prove it I want even have to wait for a credit more the 10 minutes worth of phone time but they will not live this mistake down b/c as Gary pointed out I will make sure all the proper channels are involved.

Oct 10, 2010 07:55 AM

Christina Strommen Stevens

Southwest Realty Advisors LLC - Galveston, TX

Galveston Texas Realtor, Vacation home expert

Update- I heard from my friends at this lead company today that called me unprofessional after letting them know the charge was on my account and the cancel feature could not be used on their site. They also blamed this on my bank, hence a response about a disclaimer that stated was on their site. When they check a card banks could impose the charge if they like so this is my fault somehow for not thinking the most honest bank in the world would do such a thing. My bank just let me sign up for a book membership with Amazon for my husband and not even 1 dollar was charged for this free trial to see if they would like to earn me as a customer, which they have. I have a wonderful local bank and they are beyond kind in this economy after being affected by Hurricane Ike, none the less.

In my opinion the acted very unprofessionally, and again blaming everything on me of course. Instead of just simply canceling the account I was made to feel like I am the one at fault. They say it is canceled but I will have to change my card and block any potential charges to be safe in my opinion. I will be printing off the emails and sending them to the proper entities in AZ. They had a chance to act in a professional manner and seemed confused why a person would be upset by a $197 charge for a free trial? My bank surley must not be representing the black and white charge correctly???? They will of course credit me instantly and look at the emails blaming them with the sincerity that keeps them being in my highest regard to this day. I recommend Frost bank to anyone in the Texas regions they serve.

Oct 11, 2010 09:51 AM