Realtors run into all kinds of people with all kings of personalities. Sometimes the worst parts of personalities emerge during the process of getting a real estate deal "done". I have written before about some of the crazy stuff that I did over the years trying to get the better part of any deal I was personally involved in. I mention this up front just so that you know that I know I am not without egotistical sin.
I once had on a listing on a perfect Conch Cottage in Old Town Key West. It was the perfect dream cottage for many would-be buyers. A new agent (who I will call "Joe" called me to set up the showing. The sellers were away at their other home up north in America so I could show the listing anytime. I Google searched his name and learned he had a Facebook account. I then Facebook - stalked Joe to find out more about him when I discovered he was a full time bartender at a tourist trap bar on Duval Street. There are about 380 licensed Realtors in Key West many of whom have full time jobs doing something that does not involved selling or managing real estate. Joe was one of those agents. And brand new on top of that.
The appointed time arrived. Joe arrived with his prospects. I put on my smiley face and welcomed the buyers and the agent into my listing. I led them from the front of the house to the rear so they could see the money view first - the pool and gardens. This is what all buyers want. I then explained all the things the owners had done since they bought this home. The buyers paid no attention and started falling in love with the idea of owning this place. Nevertheless, I took them through the rest of the house to point out the renovations that were perfectly executed.
Joe called me the nest day and asked asked if his buyers could come back for a second look in the early afternoon. I agreed and met them at the house an hour or so later. All three arrived with cocktails in hand. That's usually not a good sign. I let them move about the house and stood ready to answer questions. The man was feeling his alcohol and started to tell me how rich he was.
The next day Joe the bartender-Realtor sent me a cash offer. The offer was about ten percent below asking which I felt was way below real consideration. I called Joe to discuss and told him that most house tend to sell between 94 to 96 percent of asking. I didn't know if Joe knew this. He said his guy would go higher and that the buyer expected a counter offer.
I emailed the offer to my sellers and called them at the same time. I remember both my husband and wife sellers were on the phone. He asked questions about price and she asked questions about the buyer and the woman. I told about the man's swagger and self importance. Did I have proof of funds? Was he real? The wife asked how the man treated the woman - were they married? Did he treat her with respect? They agreed to a counter offer and gave buyer a deadline of the following day to accept.
I called Joe and relayed the offered which I followed up by email. I remember waking up the next morning and not feeling good about what was going on. I GOOGLED the buyer's name and address. The name produced a shocking result - an arrest record in northern Florida. Florida arrest records and photos are available at all county seats across the state. So I looked and found out Mr. Blowhard had been arrested and convicted of Battery. There was mugshot which proved it was the right man. And the photo was scary on top of it. I then GOOGLED Mr. Blowhard's street address and found a modest house in a nice neighborhood but certainly not the type of house one would expect the owner to be able to pay about a million bucks in cash for a cottage in Key West.
Not long after I found the arrest record and GOOGLE MAP map info. Almost simultaneously my seller sent me an email with a link to what I had discovered on my own. He quizzed me to ask if I was aware. I called him and said I had discovered the same on my own. Later that day I called Joe the Bartender-Realtor to ask the status of the counter offer. Joe told me that his buyer did not being given a time specific to respond to the counteroffer and decided not to pursue for the time being. I thank Joe but never told him about his customers conviction or unpretentious house up north.
I know a lot of people start conversations with people they meet casually or in business settings by asking 20 questions. I do not like to do that. I try not to do it. I think it is invasive and not professional. Thank God for GOOGLE.
P.S. I sold my listing at full price to a couple from up north, in America. CASH. Old Money. Real Money.
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