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You Could Make a Reality Show from Some Real Estate Transactions

Actually a reality show may not be the best choice maybe, something like a Jerry Springer Show^TM would be a better fit for a few.

JERRY - JERRY - JERRY - JERRY - JERRY - JERRY - JERRY - JERRY - JERRY - JERRY - JERRY - JERRY

Let me make a list of a few experiences I have had that could stir a few ideas for a show:

A sale of over a $900,000 home being threatened by an argument over two $50 potted plants.
I received final loan approval in the morning to have the buyer want to cancel that afternoon because they claim they could not get their loan.
A seller who switched out an old refrigerator for an even older one the day before closing.
A home that was listed as needed minor repairs. The roof was sagging so bad, I was afraid to enter.
A new high end home with dog poop all over the porch in front of the door the day of showing.
A simple sale of a condo, a less than stable real estate agent and over well 400 pages of e-mails and numerous phone calls and faxes.
A GFE from a funding bank showing a 4.25% ARM on a full pre-approval with docs. All loan deadlines blown and the final loan approval with a 10.5% ARM with a pre-payment penalty.
Real estate agents offering to give a better deal on their listing if the buyer dumps their agent and goes with a dual agency with them.
Developer agents who try to talk you out of the developers units because they have other listings of their own in the development.
After submitting an offer on a property the seller pulled out all of the fixtures and appliances and thought no one would notice.
An agent selling a small studio calling it a 1-bedroom. Many strange stories tied to that one. An entire episode by itself.
The escrow officer who got mad at a seller and held up his money for a few days to get even.
The agent (a principal broker) who would not return phone calls, e-mails or faxes, yet expected the other side to finish the sale without needed documents and access to the property.
The agent who will not shop property, but want to earn the commission for representing the buyer.
The agent without a car.
The loan officer who never heard of FHA or VA

I better stop here; this list was bringing back too many bad memories. Those of us who do this professionally deal with a lot of interesting folks (the nicest way I could put that) almost daily.

Our clients depend on us to protect their rights against folks like some of these on the list. In the end the most challenging of my transactions are many times the most rewarding for me. I know those are the ones that our clients need us the most.

Posted by Randy L. Prothero - Hawaii REALTOR® on 06/05/2008 11:29 AM

Comments (73)

real estate agents, real estate buyers, real estate ethics, real estate sellers

Originally posted at: Hawaii Randy's Real Estate Opinions: You Could Make a Reality Show from Some Real Estate Transactions

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73 Comments on You Could Make a Reality Show from Some Real Estate Transactions

JUN

2008

All that stuff happens there???? Wow, you have your hands full!

Randy, have you been looking over my shoulder. I had a buyer break into the home he was buying and then couldn't get a loan.

You are right...it would make a good TV show!

Ernie & Barb - I hear just as many stories from the mainland. That is why it is important for clients to get a good agent.

William - I could write a book. Unfortunately the library would not believe some of the stories, so it would wind up in the fiction section. LOL

Randy, I thought all this was just on the financing side. It actually makes me feel much better that you, on the front end experience the same unbelievable "characters". I always felt it was much like a soap opera. "As the Mortgage Turns - The Dumb and the Hopeless - so are the Days of their Lies". Let me know when your book is out.

Randy,

Please. Write the book!

I'm buying it, and I want to see the movie!

Well I am waiting for the TV show. Or the book. There are certainly lots of "you won't believe this one" stories. And I imagine no matter how long you are in the biz there will always be something else that one can add to the list.

Jeff

Randy - the only one that surprised me was 'agent without a car'. From Pennsylvania, maybe?

That was funny....the agent without a car....lol! Hey...maybe the rail system will work out for that agent and clients lol!

Melissa - Soap operas may be a good fit for many of these. Great point!

Mike - There was a movie that had one of the better titles: Dumb and Dumber.

Jeff - I have learned to never say I have seen it all. Everyday a new one comes up.

Randy, can I use you as an agent reference for someone who has "seen it all?" Amazing stories.

Randy I have had a few, but I will just mention a couple:

- A Closing at 9:00 AM and the Buyer showed up drunk.

- A Seller of a Condo who decided that she really liked her outlet and switch plates and removed them the day of the closing, and did not even replace them with something else so the mybe the Buyer would not notice it.

What are some of these people thinking??????????

Unbelievable! I was laughing from the very first item on the list, and had tears in my eyes by the time I got to the end. The truth is, I'm sure there are enough other examples to title your book, "The Never Ending Story".

Hi Randy, Aloha -- time to reconnect for a moment and say - YES, A REALITY TV SHOW THAT WOULD BE TOO REAL FOR PEOPLE TO STOMACH. That's about how it is at times in the market -- mainland or the islands.

Randy... just when I thought I have heard them all, I hear more. Just got off the phone with a potenial client in Florida, 3 hours later, talking about a loan officer from Wells and how he has cost them money and ruined their lives... watch for it on CH 3 tonight... well, MY AR blog... lol Thanks for the list.

So, a reality TV show based on all of this would be fun to produce... and then at the end, say, this is actually reality. Not the fake reality shows that you see on TV>

jeff belonger

JUN

2008

The agent without a car.

Hi Randy,

What a funny list! I have a friend who says he WILL create a real estate reality show, to expose situations like this, AFTER he retires. It should be a smash hit! He called me a few months ago to inform me he had to fire two agents in one day. The lady he fired had no car and was using the bus to meet clients. The man he fired was homeless. The guy was entering expensive homes every afternoon with his girlfriend, staying through the night, and leaving the next morning. My friend learned about this behavior through a report he received on electronic lock box activity. Some of his other stories were even more amazing.

I can't wait for Part II of your list. :)

Randy. This is so true, funny and sad but true.

We often discover these matters at the pre-settlement walk through. I've had.

DR chandelier missing. Good grief, she left a hole in the ceiling and claimed there was never a chandelier there. I collected $1,500 for my buyer.

Self cleaning oven range replaced, under agreement, with a new oven range that wasn't self cleaining. We collected $750 for a new oven range, self cleaning, for that one.

25 year old Blue Spruce missing from front yard. Replace with a 5 year old Blue Spruce and $1000.

Folks can't get by with this nonsense. Why do they even try?

I could write a long 3 part movie about my experiences and add a few more sequels too.

Isn't it amazing what people will fight over? I would like to write a book one day about my experiences.

Randy - Somebody is missing the boat in NOT coming out with a Reality-Type Series on this profession. Sure, it would be funny at times and sad at others ... it may also educate some people along the way. Plus, I'm sure the ratings would be through the proverbial roof. I'm still howling at the sale of a high-end, high-priced property being threatened because of a squabble over house plants.

There are a few reality real estate shows out there, but I think yours would be more interesting!

Christina Asad Edwards, REALTOR
2006 & 2007 Sales Masters Top Agent
Christina.AsadEdwards@RealLiving.com
www.teamedwards.info
mobile or text 937-205-4741 office 937-573-0082 fax 937-433-3561
Real Living Realty - #1 in OHIO!
Realty, Mortgage, Title, Relocation

Hey my friend, we could all write books about these ordeals. I guess it is what keeps you and I in business and you and I both know that the 80/20 rule has been history for years and the real ratio is closer to 90/10!

I guess you could make it a show but it would have to be one of those Believe it or not shows!

I had one where the sellers ended up screaming at the selling agent when she stopped by, all over a $100 porch swing.

And one where all the docs b4 hand showed a 30 yr fixed, but the note at the closing table was a 2 year ARM.....

Who was it that had the story involving the crazy sellers who tp'd the place, string cheesed it, put rocks in the plumbing, etc?

Randy, I understand and have my own experience with agent without a car. My favorite from my library is where and agent has a for sale sign with a telephone number that is disconnected.

Gary W. - I have a couple of transactions right now that may add to the list.

George S. - For a couple of bucks she could have bought new ones.

Michael M. - As long as we are in this business it will be never ending.

great list. I am sure we could all add to it. I really hope that this market lets the true professionals rise to the top

Terry R. - It is unfortunate, but with so many people in our business we will meet all types.

Jeff B. - You mean we would be real and show what really happens. We could also include the true costs of buying, selling and holding. The flipping shows might get upset.

Not Licensed Yet - I know of a few agent stories similar to what you mentioned.

Randy, great list(in a bad way), It is unfortunate that people like these come along.

Randy, there is so many situations that would make a comedy or a tragedy. The writers would never run out of scripts. Funny thing is they also probably wouldn't believe them either.

Lenn H. - That sure doesn't say much about their character does it?

Neal - You could probably do a sequel every year or two as long as you stay in the business.

John W. - I may not write a book, but I will write many chapters here on Active Rain.

Jason - It was pretty bad. I had to get real firm to get everyone back to reality. I kept asking if the plants were worth over $900,000. I also asked the seller, how much was their next months mortgage payment? They finally got a reality check and we closed.

Christina - The current shows leave out the colorful stuff we deal with on a regular basis.

George T. - I believe the real ratio is closer to 95/5.

Gary W. - If you are not in the business; you probably would not believe it.

Sheree - That is crazy. That is a great way to blow a sale or get sued.

Frank - I just had one of those. LOL

I won't mention names but one of my good friends had her name misspelled on her signs for the last 4 years or so and never noticed it. Neither did any of us.

Team Carroll - My business is growing, I hope that puts me in the true professional category.

Tony & Darcy - In a previous line of work we called folks like that job security.

Missy - In our business there would never be a shortage of material.

Intersting post. I agree with you on making a realty show. Some of these situations are funny but also frustrating at times. I have seen few of those myself in my market (Naperville Real Estate) as well. Good luck to you!

Great post! It just goes to show that other people are insane :)

That's quite a list----I sure hope all of those never happen to me. Always wonder why sellers think they can take stuff out of the home without the buyers getting ticked off.

Hi Randy,
Funny, if you are not the agent involved. I think anyone that has been in the business for any length of time has seen some bizarre things happen but your list might be one of the best!

One of my classics was the guy buyer (not my client) who told us that he was getting a divorce so he wouldn't have to buy the house - he paid about $5,000 to walk away, repaying repairs, losing earnest money, paying for termite system...wow!

I asked their attorney if they were REALLY getting a divorce, and he said..."That's what they tell me."

Too funny!

I had a closing delayed after docs had been drawn for a purchase because the borrower's "spiritual advisor" told him that closing on the scheduled date was bad luck. Mysteriously, my spiritual advisor told me that I needed to raise the rate on the loan by .25% and earn some additional premium because the lower rate and YSP was a bad number too! (PITA Fee)

Great list! An agent with no car?!? Crazy! I once almost lost a $7.1 million sale over deer feeders on a luxury ranch.

All of the above on that small island. Jerry would love to hear from you. You would make his day.

Real estate certainly let's us experience many different slices of life. Actually that's what makes this such an interesting career choice. Your list made me smile. It's good to know we are not alone!

Randy, this is almost too true! I had a Realtor friend that had a bad experience himself. He was showing some buyers a house and they were all standing at the front door after ringing the bell...

The gentleman opened the door and immediately proceeded to VOMIT all over my Realtor friends shoes...

Yuk...

Reality.

Later in the rain~Deb

Randy - My name was misspelled on my own website for the first 6 months it was up. Not once. At least 16 times on different pages. I called my webmaster and threatened to fire her/sue her/cut her out of my will. (My webmaster is my daughter) :)

I was LOL!!! so true!

Jerry...it's a new scene every day it seems like, isn't it? You have to laugh at some of this stuff in retrospect... or throttle the other agent... whatever works. :)

You've led an interesting career. Sorta like my own. The experiences would make a good show.

Come on who would really believe some of the stuff that goes on behind the scenes of a transaction.

Joe - I have a couple of escrows right now that could be added chapters to a book.

Kevin - There are some.

Diane - Some do it maliciously and others seem to need a clue.

Cynthia - It is by no means a complete list. I just looked down at one of my files for a home in escrow. So far 315 e-mail messages and climbing.

Dawn - That is a bit extreme.

Russ - That is too funny.

Hi Randy!

I would like to add the following:

- the agent that checks her email only if you call her to tell her that you sent her an email;

- the lender whose mailbox is full and eventually the phone is disconnected.

and yes, these are part of the same transaction and the lender and the agent are good friends;-)))

HA!!! I love it.

I have often thought that "Real Estate Nightmares" would make a hilarious reality show. Only thing is we would have a big fight with HGTV...

Ahhhh the Agent Developer.... I feel ya on that one....we have a couple of those here....while showing homes to potential buyers they love to point out the fact that "I could build you this house for less..." Gotta love it when the sellers leave tape recorders in their homes for feedback and hear THAT instead...Drama!

Oh well, you haven't seen anything. I used to do divorce mediation and some of the things were unbelievable -- foreget the kids -- who has custody of the dogs - visitng rights etc -- who makes the medical decisions -- and oh yes, the plants - how will they be divided????? incredible.

That's quite a list Randy. It is amazing how differently people can treat a transaction or run a business.

Randy,

That's what keeps the business exciting because no 2 deals are ever alike so it gets your blood pumpin!! I loved the horror story on a realor from LA's blog with the seller who came back & egged & toilet papered the house after closing and put cheese in the heating vents!!! Talk about a seller from the gates of Hell!! Here's the blog link- http://activerain.com/blogsview/530783/Real-Estate-HORROR -it's a great laugh!!

Always keep your sense of humor and you will survive any of these crazy situations!

JUN

2008

Randy.....if we had one of those shows I think it might get pretty bad......who is going to pull one agent off the other when they start pointing fingers at each other :) :) Yes, I think all of us have our share of "oh my" transactions.....

This sounds like the ingredients for another contest..Yikes ! We had one this week...not as good as some of yours...how about the loan processor who can't understand why we don't want to close at a competitor's office...after all they have a fax, printer, copier....DUH.....

Jason K. - Ouch that is a big one.

Robert B. - He seems to have no shortage of nuts.

Norma - All of us who do this full time, will have a long list.

Deb - If it were Hawaii the agent would have probably already removed his shoes. Yuk!

Virginia - Your own daughter? I hope it was a typo. LOL

Iryna - :)

Jesse - At the time these are happening, I am definitely not laughing. When you look back at some of these, how could you not laugh?

Barbara - I am sure most of those reading this are thinking of some of the ones they have had.

Russ R. - That is why the book would probably wind up on the fiction self.

Mihaela - They must have moved to Maui. I got them last year. LOL

Emily L. - We could actually go back and re-tape some of their episodes and add in the missing stuff.

Katie S. - I visited a home that had web cameras everywhere. You never know who is watching or listening.

Joan - I have a saying, there is nowhere in the rule book that says they have to be reasonable.

Wayne - I am amazed by some of the agents who have been in business a long time. You have to wonder how they actually get transactions closed. I have dealt a few agents, where I asked the famous question. "The buyers and the sellers are both motivated. The only thing holding this up is you. You need to decide if you will get out of the way and let this home get sold."

Anonymous - That is the kind of seller that deserves to be made an example of. There is a good chance that they were either mentally unstable or their agent kept feeding fuel to a tough situation. We can not always cool things down, but in most cases a good agent can make a big difference on how everyone walks away from the closing.

Kathy M. - We can have a bell ring for the rounds. LOL

Sally & David - I had one with the lender, escrow and buyer's agent all in one office? (a company with over 300 agents) I went to the escrow signing in their escrow office to see my client's information on a board for all of their real estate agents to see.

Rand - "Great" list....What a small smattering compared to what all of us as a collective cold come up with......crazy, isn't it?

I like the potted plants one. Classic. A lot of these would make great Seinfeld-esque episodes. Arguing over nothing, etc.

Thanks for confirming Im not the only agent experiencing this.

I just got a 30 minute lecture from another Realtor because his client cant afford my listing. My response is why show him a Rolls Royce when all he could afford was a used Kia? Market value is somehow all my fault anyways.