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I bought a new car today...

By
Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Fort Lauderdale Beach

Or well, it was a Christmas present from my parents...long story...younger sister is sooo spoiled that this was quite a nice gift, but she got acreage and money to build quite a nice new house...big...let me stop there, lest I get...well you can only imagine...

Anyway...I had to deal with a car salesman...albeit, he's a friend who I met from an acquaitance...he's a car salesman..

He said, "Sign here, sign here, sign here 3 times, sign here 3 more times, sign here, sign here again, and sign here in front of me this is your copy.."

Well, all along the way, he said, "Sign over your power of attorney", I said, "No, are you kidding me?" I said, "I'm not signing anything like that!" "I mean seriously, are you kidding me?"  He's like "Well they'll fill out the rest in the back."  I said, "Nope...I'M IN SALES LIKE YOU ARE, AND I'M NOT SIGNING A BLANK PIECE OF PAPER AND NO ONE IS GOING TO BE MY POA BUT MY DAUGHTER!"  I mean, "Fill out the form or I'm not signing it!

He says, " I know what you mean, but they're not here."  I said, "Find someone who is here or that $43K car is going to remain in your inventory...no one is getting my POA for me to buy a car!"

Shady, shady, shady...even though he is a friend of a friend...

Come on now...we're in sales. We fill out our paperwork correctly when a customer is buying a house...do we ever ask for a POA (power of attorney)...I think not!

What would you do...I didn't sign it...I told him to sign it...my $$$ are solid...it was a cash deal and it was verified...

Please tell me!

http://www.KarenMonsour.com, cell 954-464-4194, www.KarenMonsour.com

UPDATE:  The answer to the "What did you buy questions below:"

As for the car...Well. It took me an hour to calm down my 1998 Toyota Camry XLE and promise that I would keep it as a back up for me to actually decide to buy this new car....

My mother and father spent hours reading every Consumer Reports, car magazine, etc, and since I HATE BUYING CARS (obviously, it's been 10 years!) they suggested one of three...Honda, another Toyota, or a Nissan...as BMW's and Mercedes require upkeep and I went two years one time and didn't change the oil in my car...needless to say, the mechanics said they had to scrape it out of the car...yikes!

So, I bought a new Nissan Maxima 350 SL with all the available bells and whistles...I mean if the tires don't have enough air in them it tells me, I can connect an I-Pod if I had one, I can talk to the car and it talks back...so to speak, If I say Dial Joe...it does. If I say, Map to Joe's, it does...It tells me who is singing on the radio. Pretty much does everything but drive it's self...

The funniest thing to me was that no one at the dealership really knew how to program the car completely and the book of directions is 2 inches thick!  I don't do directions until all else fails...Like father, like daughter... 

The car is fast and fun to drive...great back support and I'm sure my customer's will enjoy riding in it better than my beloved Camry...Guess I'll change the oil on this one! 

Have a great day everyone!

Posted by

Best regards,

Karen Monsour, REALTOR®

Coldwell Banker Fort Lauderdale Beach
4757 N. Ocean Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
954-464-4194 cell
954-969-9974 fax
www.KarenSellsFloridaWaterfront.com
A recent recipient of Realtor.com®'s "Award of Excellence" for online marketing.

Multi-million dollar producer.


Comments (21)

ARDELL DellaLoggia
Better Properties Seattle - Kirkland, WA
You clearly did the right thing.  But what happened!?  What did he do?  That said, years ago I often had POA to sign the HUD 1 for my seller clients.
Jan 23, 2008 03:46 PM
Robert Huntsinger
Empire Realty - Upland, CA
Empire Realty Upland, CA - Full Service at a Discount

If I am correct the POA is for the transfer of the auto and is a limited POA for auto transactions. Sign it.

Take care!

RJH

Jan 23, 2008 03:47 PM
Mary Warren
Las Vegas, NV
Karen - you did the right thing!  I would never sign over a POA to anyone I didn't know REALLY well, even a limited POA.  I DETEST buying a vehicle...it's the same thing everywhere you go....I don't understand how they can get away with treating the public the way they do.
Jan 23, 2008 03:48 PM
Deborah Burns ~ Seattle Real Estate Agent
Realty Executives -BRIO - Seattle, WA
You would have thought that he would have taken the time to explain what it was and why, if it was a normal proceedure.
Jan 23, 2008 03:51 PM
Kimberly Grant
Exit Leon Crawford Realty - Huntsville, AL
Real Estate Agent - Huntsville Alabama

So is there someone else more reliable in the business that you can talk to and find out the purpose of the POA.  Although I wouldnt think that a friend of a friend would try to do anything underhanded...or at least I would hope so.

Jan 23, 2008 03:51 PM
Karen Monsour
Coldwell Banker Fort Lauderdale Beach - Fort Lauderdale, FL
REALTOR, SSRS - Sells FL Waterfront, Short Sale Expert!

Hey, thanks for all your advice...I did sign it...(talked to Dad)...It is a limited POA as all you thought...

Robert and Ted you (MEN!) are right...even though I hate to admit it...LOLOL!!! :-) wink!

Love my new car...it talk's to me...beep's at me if I back up to close...tell's me when I need air in my tires, call's whoever I program it to, maps where ever I want to go...almost drives for me...I mean, "HEY, IT'S A GIRLY CAR WITHOUT A HUSBAND/MAN...if she (directional woman) yell's at me and says, "Make a legal U turn you idiot, I'll return the car...and ask for a gentle MAN!"  LOLOL!

Technology...I mean it was so simple...back in the day..

Geeze, I'm tired and I need a snack, better yet...going to bed.

Thanks for posting!  K

Jan 23, 2008 03:56 PM
Karen Monsour
Coldwell Banker Fort Lauderdale Beach - Fort Lauderdale, FL
REALTOR, SSRS - Sells FL Waterfront, Short Sale Expert!

Kim,

I would never give my POA to anyone but my children...The fact of the matter was...I wouldn't sign it b/c it wasn't filled out...I don't care if they were off after 4 pm or not...I have the car I paid cash for it and they can deal with me in the AM....no one but my children have my POA...if it's a limited one then it should say that...I'm a RE...I read all the "lines".

Thank you for posting.

K

Jan 23, 2008 03:59 PM
ARDELL DellaLoggia
Better Properties Seattle - Kirkland, WA
LOL, I was thinking the same thing when I saw Robert's comment.  We girls don't want to sign away any of our rights :) 
Jan 23, 2008 04:21 PM
Steve Shatsky
Dallas, TX

OK Karen, so now that we are past the POA issue... what kind of new car did you get?  And what color?

Hope you are enjoying it!  :)

Jan 23, 2008 04:41 PM
Jesse Clifton
Jesse Clifton & Associates - Fairbanks, AK
Congratulations on the new car, Karen... new toys are always fun. :)
Jan 23, 2008 07:16 PM
Ted Baker
Carmody and Associates LLC - Winter Haven, FL
MidFloridaMediation.com

by the way, Karen - on most models you can select a male or a female voice for the car to nag at you for directions.  

enjoy 

 

Jan 23, 2008 09:09 PM
Matthew J Blum - (retired from the business)
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Karen, Not sure why they would need that.  The only thing I could think of is so they can handle the title work for your car. However, they should of known that and explained it to you. 
Jan 23, 2008 10:09 PM
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate
What did you buy?
Jan 23, 2008 10:10 PM
Kathy Passarette
Creative Home Expressions - Mount Sinai, NY
L.I. Staging/Decorating
Karen ~ I wouldn't have been comfortable with that either, especially a blank POA.  So, yes, what kind of car?  What color is it? Do you love it? : )
Jan 23, 2008 11:03 PM
Renée Donohue~Home Photography
Savvy Home Pix - Allegan, MI
Western Michigan Real Estate Photographer
I am glad that you clarified.  I was mortified when I read your post!  What kind of car?!?
Jan 23, 2008 11:43 PM
Scott Blanchard
Mortgage Force - Newtown, CT

Karen I would of done the same thing. I went into a bank once to cash acheck a friend gave me for work I had done on her computer. The bank asked me to put my thumb print and index print on check I refused. So they said you can't cash it then. I said the owner of the acct is right here she showed them the license and still No print no cash check. I said what am I a criminal ? So then I smudged print so not a good print on check nope we need a good print. So my friend wrote a check for 15 000 and said I want to close my Acct. they were like um we need some time to do this she said no problem I'll wait and refused to leave tellers station. We walked out about 1 1/2 later, they lost a lot of customers that day, and a few potential customers.

  

Jan 24, 2008 12:47 AM
Karen Monsour
Coldwell Banker Fort Lauderdale Beach - Fort Lauderdale, FL
REALTOR, SSRS - Sells FL Waterfront, Short Sale Expert!

Well girls,

I guess it is easier to have one of our own tell us we forgot to turn right than take orders from a man...LOLOL!!! So I'll keep my directional girlie for now...unless she get's snippy!!! Thanks for posting...

Jan 24, 2008 12:52 AM
Karen Monsour
Coldwell Banker Fort Lauderdale Beach - Fort Lauderdale, FL
REALTOR, SSRS - Sells FL Waterfront, Short Sale Expert!

To all of you who want to know about the car...I am editing my blog, since my response was turning into another blog...the info is above...   :-)

Jan 24, 2008 01:02 AM
Denise Allen
Resh Realty Group - Chesapeake, VA
Realtor@ Chesapeake, Hampton Roads
At our closings here the buyers and sellers typically sign a limited power of attorney for the closing agency.  It allows for missing dates or initials.  It does not allow for the changing of any document.  I have not had anyone not sign them and not sure if the closing would proceed.  The buyer signs several, one for the bank, one for the closing company and one or two others in case there is someone else involved.
Jan 28, 2008 06:58 AM
Karen Monsour
Coldwell Banker Fort Lauderdale Beach - Fort Lauderdale, FL
REALTOR, SSRS - Sells FL Waterfront, Short Sale Expert!

Denise,

Thanks for the information!  Have a great week and good selling to you!

Jan 28, 2008 02:32 PM