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How To Get Your Client Arrested!

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with The PowerHouse Group 0467092

What we experience can often be considered a cruel teacher, but a teacher nonetheless. 

I had a listing that was under contract and and failed to close per the contract as scheduled due to buyer/lender issues.  I knew the buyer agent was out looking for her next victim...I mean client, so this transaction had been placed on the back burner.  Apparently this agent (newbie) believed her obligation ended when the contract was executed and everything else would happen while on autopilot.  It did not.

About a week later than originally scheduled, the buyers (who were local) did finally close their side of the deal but I was not given advance notice.  And there was no reaon for me to attend the buyer side closing as my clients were in other states and had already signed their closing docs via a mail-out. 

At 4:30pm about week later, it finally closed/funded and the buyer agent calls me wanting to know where the keys to the property are so her clients can get inside "their" house.  Yes, she was mad at me from my previous questioning of her involvement in this transaction.  Anyway, I told her the keys were left inside the house with the exception of the one key in the electronic lockbox which she had access to.  Then she says, "My clients need to get inside so YOU need to meet them there and let them in."  I told her that since I wasn't even told the closing would take place this day, and because I had other commitments, she could make the 1.25 hour drive in rush hour traffic to let them in or I would provide them the key early the next morning as I could not drop my other business to take care of hers.  Needless to, things went from bad to worse in our conversation and I eventually ended it without her approval.  She called back several times apparently in an attempt to continue this argument...I declined to answer.      

                                                                                                                       

This is when things went from bad to worse.  She refused to fight rush hour traffic to service HER clients, so she apparently told them to have a locksmith remove the door knob, and put a new lock on.  This is fine, but based on hearsay, she also told them to take my lockbox and place it inside the house.  The next morning I arrived to find my lockbox missing so I contacted the buyer by phone.  He wouldn't talk to me, but his girlfriend did.  She began screaming at me that this was "THEIR" house (she was not even on the contract) and refused to give me my lockbox.  As I had already seen my lockbox sitting inside (I peeked through the back window), I decided to file a theft report with the police department.  I did so immediately and the officer who took my report also tried talking to the buyer, but got his girlfriend instead.  She then started yelling at him.  BIG MISTAKE!  He went back to the house with me, looked inside and saw the lockbox.  He forwarded his report to a veteran Detective, who also called and spoke with the girlfriend. Yep, she started screaming at him and then hung up on him.  EVEN BIGGER MISTAKE.  The Detective called me to see if these folks were just stupid or mentally challenged. 

Well, within a couple of months, a warrant was issued the the buyer was arrested for a Class B theft.  He was not happy.  Perhaps he won't allow his girlfriend to do his talking in the future.  He was taken to the County Jail and booked for theft.  Within a couple of days of that I got a call from my broker at the time who had received a call from the buyer's attorney.  They were threatening to sue, file a complaint with our real estate commission, call the President of the United States...you name it.  I explained the situation and told him this was a police matter and that is who the attorney should contact. 

The end result is that the Buyer spent a night or two in jail and he eventually had to pay me restitution for the lockbox (which was never subsequently found) and how has this arrest permanently on his record.  All because he may have been given bad advice by a new agent.

Comments (107)

Lane Bailey
Century 21 Results Realty - Suwanee, GA
Realtor & Car Guy
I always love when the other person's agent expects ME to do their portion of the job.  Good story. 
Mar 09, 2008 10:02 AM
Jason Bhattacharya
ARDENT PROPERTIES - Chesterfield, VA

In our market -- the seller's agent has the responsibility to take get the keys to the closing agent. 


HOWEVER, common practice is to have the buyers agent get the key out of the lockbox at final walk-through-- and bring it to the closing agent.   That assumes that the buyers agent attends closing.

 -Jason

Mar 09, 2008 11:02 AM
Deb Brooks
Brooks Prime Properties Wichita Falls Texas - Wichita Falls, TX
Amazing Guy! This shouldn't have been on your plate in the first place. It does sound like "miss mad" gave them the advice that "well, there's nothing he can do to get that back...it serves him right." Uh-huh. You are a much more patient guy than I, Guy. You did the right thing. Although I would have ended up confronting miss mad also.. Later in the rain~Deb
Mar 09, 2008 11:20 AM
Matthew Heavener
ERA Heavener Realty Co. - Jacksonville, FL

I am sure the other agent instigated their ire, and now is probably too embarrassed to even make contact.  This is an extreme consequence of blaming things on others unjustly.  I can hear the other agent saying, "Well he really should be doing this, but you will have to use a locksmith.  Maybe you can tell him he can't have his lockbox back until he pays for the locksmith..."  Reminds me of a quote my SGT used to say in the Army, "I'd be doin great if it wasn't for all these well intentioned people!"

Mar 09, 2008 12:16 PM
Christy Powers
Keller Williams Coastal Area Partners - Pooler, GA
Pooler, Savannah Real Estate Agent
what in the would is wrong with them. Why would they keep a lockbox? That's just crazy. If the agent was that furious to involve her clients in this, I think she should have joined him in jail. There lawyer should contact her, if she instigated it.
Mar 09, 2008 01:38 PM
Tom&Amy Garcia
Realty One Group, The Garcia Group - Las Vegas, NV

Wher do we find such people.

 Good Luck next time around.

Tom

Mar 09, 2008 02:24 PM
Lorrie Ann Thomas
Realty ONE Group Edge - Woodstock, GA
Realtor®

whoever posted the below comment should be ashamed

Comment:

I am embarrassed to be call realtor after reading your post.  You both need to have your license suspended this just gives the consumers another reason to think we are a bunch of overpaid goof balls.  Please go back and review your ethics training manual. 

Guy did everything that he could do, it wasn't his fault that it had to go that far. It could have been a lot simpler if they just gave his property back to him. 

Jason Bhattacharya ,  Thank you for making that last comment, you said exactly what I was thinking!

 

 

 

 

 

Mar 09, 2008 02:25 PM
Michael Creel
InActive Agent - Bellevue, WA
They should have thrown the agent in jail too.
Mar 09, 2008 02:37 PM
Kelly Sibilsky
Licensed Through Referral Connection, LTD. - Lake Zurich, IL

Crazy. I can't believe something like this could happen...that it could go that far. What would make anyone believe they could just keep something that was not their property? What would they do with a lockbox anyway? They were just silly to let this escalate into such a big deal when it should have been so easy if only their agent had done her job properly.

Mar 10, 2008 01:24 AM
Jane Wallace
HomeSmart Realty - Denver, CO
CRS | SRES, Denver Real Estate

I hope your not expecting any referrals from the Buyers...

Just a word of mouth to their friends and relatives about their experience with you. You should have taken the high road

Mar 10, 2008 03:30 AM
Mohamed Mekhimar - Accredited Buyers Rep , E-Pro - Richmond Virginia Real Estate
RE/MAX Commonwealth - Richmond, VA
That is an incredible story! Hard to believe it would go that far. I think the buyers agent should have serviced his client,Yikes!
Mar 10, 2008 09:49 AM
Joe Hayden Real Estate Team
RE/MAX Properties East - Louisville, KY
Your Louisville Real Estate Experts!

Is it okay to laugh?  ;)

 

Mar 10, 2008 07:28 PM
Suzanne Cutler
SUCCESS! Real Estate - Braintree, MA
I've been busy so I haven't been reading AR for a while but this one just made me laugh.  Thanks for sharing because I needed a good laugh.
Mar 11, 2008 05:17 PM
Guy E. Gimenez
The PowerHouse Group - Austin, TX
ABR, CRS, GRI - Broker & Investor (512-731-5613)

Joe H.  It is OK to laugh indeed, otherwise we'd have to cry

Suzanne C.  Glad you enjoyed it, but i hope you never have to enjoy a similar incident     

Mar 11, 2008 05:36 PM
Chip Jefferson
Gibbs Realty and Auction Company - Columbia, SC

Buyers Broker should fire her!

Mar 13, 2008 12:35 AM
Maria Couto
RE/MAX Premier - Berkeley Heights, NJ
Realtor with "Results That "MOVE" You'

Wow. I have never heard of such a thing. I think these are miserable people who enjoy bringing misery to others. Wow...

Mar 13, 2008 12:12 PM
Scott Williams
Realty Five of Defiance - Defiance, OH
Defiance, OH
incredible!!!!
Mar 14, 2008 04:00 PM
Jeff Belonger
Social Media - Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc - Cherry Hill, NJ
The FHA Expert - FHA Loans - FHA mortgages - USDA loans - VA Loans

Guy.....  just the person's actions in itself are enough to piss anyone off, especially the police. Are some people that stupid?   This post certainly made me laugh.... 

I didn't read all of the comments, but for those that said, it was only a lock box....  it's still stealing. If I stold the tire off of your car, even if it's $70 just for one... it's still stealing.

In regards to this being a members post...  I don't get it... why not allow everyone to read a post about this.  I truly believe that not to many should be listed as a members post... again, I really think this should be public. Why would you think it should be private?

In any case, thanks for the laugh...

jeff belonger
Mar 15, 2008 11:10 AM
Guy E. Gimenez
The PowerHouse Group - Austin, TX
ABR, CRS, GRI - Broker & Investor (512-731-5613)

I always love the comments about referrals.  To think that some agents will allow someone to steal from them and then expect to get referrals from the thief.  Whew, that's another mind blowing thought process I just can't seem to process.  Glad my kid knows right from wrong and won't let his pursuit of money interfere with morals.

Hmmm....wonder if that's how the higher-ups at Enron began on their justification of certain since they're making money.  

Apr 03, 2008 04:51 PM
Sasha Miletic - Windsor Real Estate
RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. - Windsor, ON

Hi Guy,

Really wonderful story. Active rain is a best place to share.

 

Best -Sash

Jan 06, 2010 02:03 AM