When I first started with Coldwell Banker, it was reinforced many times to me that I should always ask a new contact if he/she is working with an agent before I start showing homes, creating a listing contract, etc. Taking someone's client, even if the other agent doesn't have a written buyer's contract or listing contract, is considered to be "poaching."
And then I had a call from a realtor friend in Los Angeles this afternoon. She had been working with a prospective buyer for over a year, showing him homes, but he had not yet made an offer (he has very specific requirements, which is why it was taking so long to find just the right thing). Then over the weekend, he found out about a home that is available near when a friend lives, and made a lowball offer on it through an agent in the listing agent's office. My friend found out about it when she called to tell him about the very same house, that she had also just toured. She's angry and hurt, and I would be, too.
Even if she did not have a contract with him to serve as his buyer's agent, isn't this unethical? I doubt that there is anything legal she can do at this point, but isn't the other agent in the wrong for not ascertaining that he was working with an agent already? And of course IMO he should have known better after taking a year of my friend's time. Thoughts?
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