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"It's all his fault!" (or is it?)

I read an article here on AR this morning that was posted yesterday. I have no idea if the article is ficticious or not. It really doesn't matter. The subject is important and similar real stories are happening all around us. The Codgers describe a foreclosure and the clients who lost their house. The story is saddening, but it's the comments that I have to challenge. Well, I don't have to challenge them but I will anyway. My opinion is different from most of those posted in the comments. All I ask is that you take a moment and consider the view I propose...

The finger of blame There is plenty of blame to go around in situations like the one described in this story. Some people want to place all the blame in one place. They want to blame the Realtor or the Loan Officer or the Client. All the blame in one tidy little package. I don't think life works that way. Some of the blame needs to be shared by each of the players in the story.

We are real estate professionals and we must take some responsibility. Our clients come to us with their trust in their hands. That trust is often based on something as thin as the recommendation of a friend. They ask us questions like "What do you think I should do Mark" and "Do you think this is a good idea?" and they make comments like "Well, John said I could trust you, so if you think this is what's best...". They often place what amounts to Blind Trust in our education, our abilities and our ethics. They don't know us from Adam.

The clients in the story have to take the blame for a bad decision. They let their emotions and desires overwhelm their good sense. But do you really think the Loan Officer and the Realtor didn't know that was happening? C'mon folks, it happens in every deal we handle! Of course they were emotional and of course it clouded their judgement. That is the reason they needed to be able to trust the professionals involved! Did anybody stand up and simply say "I don't think this is a good idea for you" ? Why not? Should the clients take the blame for that? Where was the "voice of reason"? Isn't that what we are supposed to be?

The final chapter of a scenario like the one presented is the most telling chapter of all. The clients couldn't handle the payment and started down the path to a foreclosure. Where was the Loan Officer? Where was the Realtor? I have no doubt that a phone call from the Loan Officer to the Lender would have bought some time for the clients. I have no doubt that time is the thing a Realtor needs plenty of to help someone under this kind of pressure, get the property sold. Taking the paycheck without taking some resposibility just doesn't work for me. Call me a rock head. I think it's wrong.

There is plenty of Mortgage Broker bashing and Realtor bashing that goes on on the internet and other medias. You can read plenty of commentarty by Loan Officers and Realtors using that latest fad words like "Transparency". Most of the commentarty attempts to give the impression that this is something new or unique. What is so unique about common decency? And why would anybody use something that should be as natural as breathing, as advertising. I just don't get it.

These situations are rarely ALL anybody's fault. They are the fault of ALL. We should (in my opinion) take our share of the blame.

I don't visit the Codger's Front Porch because I find articles that make me think deep thoughts. I visit their front porch for a cup of coffee and a grin. It's a unique blog on this network and typically light-hearted. You can say anything you want there. This morning I got more than my normal cup of Joe.

Posted by Mark Flanders on 03/14/2007 09:37 AM

Comments (60)

ethics

60 Comments on "It's all his fault!" (or is it?)

MAR

2007

It's human nature to blame shift. Every "blamer" has to remember that BLAME ends with ME.

Chris: LOL Thanks...I forgot that one.

I agree with you Mark about the fact that it isn't anyone's (or any industry's) fault 100%. There's Wall Street giving away cheap money. There is the lender vending the product. There is the person taking advantage of that product. There is the agent who may not fully understand their circumstances and keep pushing them higher and higher.

It's greed on many parts. Scandals are bred from greed! People will be forced to save and forced to pamper their credit scores. People will be FORCED to think about a decision that should be thought about. 100% stated loans made home buying no different than going to Wally World and buying a loaf of bread.

Ok, maybe I am exaggerating a bit, but still, the point...

Renee: I get the point and I agree with it.

The thing I've been thinking about this morning is that if we a real estate professionals want all the bashing to stop, we have to elevate the industry. And we do that one individual at a time. One person at a time needs to be willing to say "I could have helped avoid this".

Mark, That post together with the comments did seem to spread the blame around. Since the blame in the post was put on the agent and the loan officer, the comments balanced that out by pointing out that the buyer was also part of the problem.

I think many times once a pattern of comments are started, more and more like comments are added. The people who disagree then sit on the sidelines because they don't want to go against the flow.

Hi Mark, I too stopped by the Codgers and was quite surprised...pretty serious stuff they were talking about yesterday. I understand that some pretty serious stuff is happening in the mortgage industry, so I'm off to do some much needed research,... hope someone is covering it on Active Rain. I'm sure that by the time this crisis subsides, ther'll be more than enough blame to fuel a trip around the world several times, however, I'm more interested in solutions and lessons learned.

Tim: Good point, I know I've done that myself

Lola: That's a great attitude! No wonder you do so well :)

You bring up some very good points - and we are the professionals in this decision. You are right. There is always blame to be had and we need to all take responsibility.

However there are times that no matter HOW much we educate and ask questions and guide and explain, a consumer is going to do whatever they want. But we MUST make sure that we DO educate and ask questions and guide and explain. That is our duty.

Thank you, Mark, for the post.

Mariana: True enough. That does happen. I've had clients make decisions I felt were poor decisions. But, I told them what I thought.

Mark, like I told the Codgers, my Realtors worried about me when I bought my house. It was at the top of my range and they talked to me about it. I was shopping conservatively and it's been fine, but I appreciated their concern. Now that I'm the agent, I try to show that same care to my clients. In this instance there were some unsavory people involved and some victims. Made me sad to see the depressed Codgers.

Mark: Bueno! Learning from (but not dwelling on) our past mistakes and learning how to overcome will help us out in the future.

Mark, I agree 100%. In December I bought a house back from one of my customers, because they really couldn't afford it and I didn't want them to foreclose. Don't worry I did a "lease to own" for a greater amouunt and will make money on that deal too.

We try like the dickens to stay in touch with our customers, we build for first time buyers, and as far as I know none of our customers has every been foreclosed. That's over 200 homes in 6 years and no foreclosures. Oh, I use the most aggressive mortgage tactics available at any time.

Our passion though is helping our buyer make money when they sell. I need them to stay through the sticker shock, through the media fear, through the ineviatable financial set-backs. Lenders or REALTORs that walk away because the deal is done, are being short-sighted.

Mark I like the very first comment to your post! I have fingers pointed in so many directions that it's getting old. I too feel that each person/part has a certain amount of blame to share in this problem. Education for all of us and then of course passing it onto the consumer is the most important part!

Mark,

You are always an interesting read. Quite often looking for the answer often overlooked. The Codgers story is more than sad and depressing. It takes away one of the stones from the Bedrock of financial institutions. That Stone is one that I have relied on for many years and sadly I can no longer rely on it. Not just because of this one story by for others as well. That Stone? That I could almost always say in confidence that the Lending institutions did not want to create a situation that they would inevitably have to foreclose on someone. If they say you can pay for it you can.

Sara: You met one of the stellar agents, didn't you? And I'll bet you are well on your way to becoming one yourself. People never forget when you take care of them. Even if you tell them things they don't want to hear.

Steve: Good for you! I had no idea you were involved in that type of investing.

Cynthia: :) I like that first one too!

Herb: Thanks for the feedback. I know exactly what you mean. Are regular part of my interview with clients now includes the statement "The lender will probably approve you for more than you are comfortable paying." Then we take a realistic look at a budget and talk about financial comfort levels.

I tell all of my clients to figure out their monthly bills and a payment they would be comfortable with. If you want a FHA loan in my area, you have to take a class, which is sooo valuable to first time home buyers.

Mark.. thanks for pointing out Jay & Carl's post. I missed that one. I actually commented on all 3, the buyer, the loan officer, and the realtor. Renee does make a great point which I forgot to include, Wall Street. But overall, it comes down to the people, us, taking care of the clients. Watching over them, because they come to us for professional advice and such.

This was the first part that I wrote about, as my opening statement in the Codger's post. I'll leave out the break down, which you can go back and read.

" in all honesty, I would need to see the actual loan file. I saw this, even though these are dear friends of yours... and I don't use that phrase that so many lenders do...that buyers are liars.... but I need to see all of the facts. I need to see the credit scores, the actual credit history..... I need to see what they paid in rent previously, what their actual debt to income ratio is.... how much money are they putting down (the LTV)... how much money that they have left over.... and their cash flow after all said and done. What we call, residual income, which is not mandatory on many loans.... but is a sensible factor that should be used in any scenario. Their is a huge reason for this.... because the lender doesn't count utilities, food expense, car insurance, etc etc.... Sure, the VA loans count utilities and such.... But these are most of the factors that should go into any loan, even if not in the guidelines, should be used from the loan officer's perspective. I have had many conversations with clients, when I ask... even though you qualify by standards, but from what I know and see, how do you expect to make this payment. Some get mad at me, some thank me."

This is how I handle my clients when they come to me, I break this all done, so I can question their thoughts, if it seems like a stretch. Thanks for the discussion Mark... some of us do take this seriously and personally. We need to stand up and educate more....

jeff belonger

Dan: I had forgotten all about the FHA classes. They are not required here. When did that change I wonder, and why did it change?

Jeff B: Glad this post brought your attention to the Codgers. Some will get mad, MOST will thank :)

Yes everyone had responsbility to the other but let us face the facts had the Realtor counselled the buyer and had he not been representing him won't he have been violating his realtoionship with the Seller? So in carry out his responsibility to the seller he'd have been performing some sort of disservice to the buyer... Hmm.. sounds a bit like a paradox to me. So assuming the Realtor did the right thing based on his representing the Buyer and the Lender simply put the deal together without streching (unlikely) but let's assume he just did his job. Would he have been at fault for providing the service for which he was hired. I think not... so ultimately, the Buyer bares the weigh of stepping into a pool that was too deep and as a result he drowned. Sort of like the guy who walks into a rip tide area , knowing the full potential and dies... whose at fault? So here we have anotehr example of Darwinism... Yes mother nature is culling the weak from the strong and she works in ecnomics jsut as well.

Great post. I agree that taking responsibility in a transaction that you are party too is key. It all comes down to being informed and staying informed. It is so easy to take a "back seat" in a transaction and pass off responsibility when if you remain an active player from beginning to end things well go a lot smoother and no one will be "blind sided" with unknowns at the 23rd hour.

Have a great day.

Desiree

Mark, you have a great discussion here. I agree with Jeff that all the related industries need to focus on educating the client more. I am realistic and realise that education can fall on a deaf ear, but I think that it is at least a step in the right direction.

I tell clients I'm old school... Back in the day about 28% of your income went for Principle, Interest & Taxes with total debt payments capped in the 33-36% range.. That is still my comfort level but it they want to push the limit it is their decision.

Michael: Interesting line of thought. Thanks for the feedback

Desiree: Thanks for you comments. I appreciate them.

Mark,

Good post! You definitely got me thinking because I see situations like this happen and as a lender it is easy to shift blame. Statements like, "Well, they made the decision not me", do not absolve us as professionals from our responsibility to give sound advice.

I think it boils down to human nature and greed. When people (fueled by greed) want to make fast money, they look for shortcuts. Most loan officers probably never stop to ask themselves a few simple questions...

1. Would I lend them my money?

2. Is this loan going to put them in a better financial situation?

3. Will this client be glad they took this loan in 2 years?

Sometimes we need to forget the DTI, LTV, and FICO... we need focus on the human being.

Mark, it's never a clear cut always anyone's fault. Sometimes, the blame goes to all involved and other times it's strictly one or the other. Recently, I went on a listing appointment where I found that the home purchased by these homeowners was not only not worth what they originally paid for it but they had a negative amortization loan with a high prepayment penalty. So, the homeowner will continue to owe more and more on their loan.

I tired my best to get them to talk to a B of A Lender who has a program just for this situation in order to get out of it but do you think they would take the bait and try to get out of their situation? No, they are just burrying their heads in the sand.

In conclusion, there is an old saying..."you can take a horse to water, but you can't make them drink." Every case is different and the blame doesn't always go to one party or another. Unless you are prevy to all the details and were present from the onset, it is hard to point fingers.

I totally agree. Blame does end with "me" as Chris stated. Accepting responsibility for helping each customer look beyond their short term wants to their long term goals and then working to bring each party to the transaction into alignment with the defined goals is good for everyone. It's a mindset agents and loan officers need to adopt.

Valerie: I guess that's what I was trying to say. As long as I have explained the dangers, I can sleep well with no guilt. Education is crucial.

Dan: I tend to be conservative too. It's not such a bad thing when the subject is debt.

You are such a gentleman Mark and such a well written article. There was a lot of finger pointing in the responses and each party needs to be held responsible for their actions. I think Rick and I focus on the "trust" factor with our customers and that's not built overnight but at the same time there are customers that don't take our advice and end up on the wrong side of the road. Ultimately they will be responsible. Thanks for making me rethink the issue.

Olan: It's easy to slip into 'close the deal at any cost' thinking when you are looking at a thin payday, isn't it?

Gena: You are right, it's never clear cut. I think there just isn't enough of the 'take the horse to the water' going on in my profession. If there was more of it, I think these situations would be fewer.

David: Thanks for the feedback. It's clear we agree. I think you stated it more succinctly than I did!

It is to bad the agent in this situation did not help the clients avoid foreclosure. Short sales are on the rise. agent need to help coach client how important it is to be proactive when facing foreclosure. Being upside down on a house is not a good place for some one who is over streched in a market with falling prices.

Deja: Thanks for joining the discussion. The agent may not have been able to help, nor the Loan Officer. But, I suspect nobody even tried. What happened to service after the sale?

"It is incumbent upon brokers and salespeople to completely detail the terms of these loans both in their advertising and when consulting with consumers and discussing different loan options. That includes an explanation of the rates at which interest can accrue and the effects of deferred interest. Licensees who sell these programs based on their benefits (i.e., low payment options), must also explain the risks involved and help their clients determine if such a program is right for them or not. Payment option, interest only and other such ARM (adjustable-rate) loan products may not be right for everyone, especially first-time buyers and those who are trying to afford a home for which they may not otherwise qualify. An agent or broker representing a buyer should be aware of the type of loan being used to finance the purchase. If the buyer has been offered a payment option ARM or similar loan product, the licensee should confirm that all of the terms and possible effects (both positive and negative) have been explained by the mortgage broker or lender. The terms of these loans are laid out in the adjustable rate note, addendums and disclosures. While it is incumbent on all buyers to read and understand these documents, the details can be daunting. There are many variations of these loans on the market today. It is the fiduciary duty of each licensee to completely explain the terms and discuss the relative merits and risks of these loan products well before the point of signing loan documents."

http://www.dre.cahwnet.gov/pdf_docs/rebSpring07.pdf

p.s. IMHO, you only get to where we are when at every level people (consumers, realtors, mortgage brokers, appraisers, lenders) are irresponsible. The checks and balances in the system are gone. Nobodys hands are clean.

Mikey: EXACTLY!

Let's start with the man in the mirror. "Could I have done anything different to avoid this situation?" It's not just the client's fault, it's not just the Realtor's fault, nor the Loan Officer, etc. BUT it is probably partially each of their faults.

I believe you can't change THE world, but you can change YOUR world.

For realtors and mortgage brokers, knowing what is happening keeps you ahead of curve. You can start working on your clients now, encouraging buyers to save and work on their credit (and learning what can be done to fix credit issues). For the sellers (or people who maybe don't know that they need to be sellers quite yet..) informing them what is happening would be key so they can refi or get ahead by selling before the market feels the full effect of these new changes.

Really well done, Mark, and a terrific round of comments to get us all thinking about our individual responsibilities in our respective professions, and the role we should play with our clients in light of our fiduciary position. We really are consultants charged with providing information, alternatives, and counsel, and armed with that the client can then make a responsible and informed (hopefully) decision.

Jeff

Great Picture... I love it and agree with u

An escrow perspective:

The blame game is only going to increase with the market volatility.

You must have an "enabler" to allow individuals the mere choice of moving forward with a potentially hazardous decision, financial or otherwise. In real estate, the enabler it is money. Easy money with virtually no responsible underwriting guidance will cause hardship for many people.

With 50% of our 2007 YTD purchase closings being financed 100% and in EVERY case the price of the house increased to offset seller paid closing costs, many of these borrowers will find themselves in a bind if the market goes just flat. As the financial markets correct and lending standards move back towards traditional methods (like actually verifying employment, income, submitting 1040's, etc.---- many characterize this as "tightening") many borrowers who purchased in 2005 which were 100% financed (71% of the purchases our office closed in 2005 were 100%) whose ARM's adjust this year may not be able to refinance. In fact, two signings I recently handled the borrowers offered in casual conversation that they would have refinanced earlier but were waiting for their pre-payment penalties to expire. How many borrowers out there are waiting?

Sure, borrowers sign the loan docs and should be held accountable. How many LO's out there think in the back of their mind, "we'll see them again to refinance in a year or so." How many agents out there know that their 100% financed customer is practically crawling out of their skin asking escrow when they can pickup their $500-1,000 earnest money check after closing. Can anyone guess how many earnest money checks our office has deposited that has bounced just over the last two weeks? In my opinion, any bounced EM check is a sign of potential trouble. How many agents will list their prior customer's house they sold to them over the last two or three years after receiving a call that they HAVE TO sell. It is already happening. Is anyone really surprised that the blame game is occurring?

Blame? My wife and I argue about this all the time, but we both come back to: Look at the enabler.

- Tim Kane

Co-owner

Legacy Escrow Service, Inc. (Everett)

Ines: How did you sneak in there? :) Sorry I missed that on the first round. I don't know about the gentleman part but thank you for the compliment.

What I really want to know is, when's the next hijack?! Remember the last one? I think that poor guy never came back! He had a 10 line blog with 60 comments (or something crazy like that).

I think it's time to find some poor, unsuspecting new 'Rainer and introduce them to the network ActiveBabe style! Let me know if the 'RainLadies are up for it.

Mikey: I'll start with me. A solid foundation is built one brick at a time, right?

Jeff: Thank you. I consider that high praise considering who it comes from :)

Anna: Welcome to the discussion and I'm glad you like the pic.

Tim: I don't get to hear the Escrow side of things on this network very often. It's good to have you chiming in. Thanks for the glimpse into your end of a transaction.

Are you kidding me? We're always up for a good hijack! Just name the place and we'll be there! - and we can blame it on you...isn't that great!??!

Mark: This post was very-well written, however, we feel that one little thing needs clarification: in your post you wrote: "I have no idea if the article is ficticious or not." The post was not fictitious. While we can understand where that may have come from in light of our recent & admittedly more common than not posts, we DO sometimes address real issues in the real world. Two posts were written on this topic: "THOUGHTS FROM THE BACK PORCH, Mon. Nov. 27, 2006, Food for Thought (Members Only)" Nov 27, 2006 and "Proposed Predatory Lending Legislation-Saturday Morning Reflections (Members Only)" Jan 20 2007. Both of these were quite serious. Take a look. BTW: Coffee tomorrow is for you, virtually free (and, we'll be back to our usual more light-hearted fare)!

Jay & Med

Mark...

Okay. I have read this post several times just to wrap my head around your point. Now that I have done that I want to share with you what I am thinking. Are you ready? My thinking can be a little strange sometimes. SVW...

Here's what your post brings to mind. It made me think of Adam, Eve and God. When God asked about the apple Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the Serpent and neither of them would take responsibility for their actions. It seems to me that it is just in our nature to point fingers at each other and ignore the needs of others. Humans are so prone to ME...ME and more ME. We are so good at this that even common decency goes unrecognized. Instead of being decent we seek relevant reasons for our indecency. Those reasons are then used to MAKE someone else responsible.

Oh! My! I guess I have a rather strong opinion here. Sorry. I'll go write a post about Adam and Eve :)

TLW...ROAR!

Oh! I just caught the ActiveBabe remark...You name it...We're there :)

Mark, great topic.

I actually missed the original post but I wanted to echo your point that situations are rarely so black and white that any one party is solely responsible.

That's not to say primary responsibility can't be assigned (hey, he hit my car), just that we each need to think carefully about how our actions influence outcomes (well, I did suddenly pull in front of him).

This can be difficult at times, to admit that we ourselves play a role in the misfortune that befalls us.

Cheers, -B

Beautifully written and right on the money. I had two sets of buyers who purchased homes in 2006 and used 100% financing with subprime lenders. In both instances advice from the clients' CPAs was the catalyst for buying up and taking on a huge mortage. One of those parties is experiencing some financial difficulties now, but I can sleep at night because I did my job properly.

nicely said - thanks - where do you all find these great photos?

Jay & Medford: Thanks for the clarification and the links. I wasn't sure. I'll take you up on that cup of virtual java in the morning :)

TLW: I can't imagine you with anything other than a strong opinion! LOL (sometimes they sneak up on a person don't they?)

Bryce: Thanks. This was one of those posts when you just sit down and start writing, next thing you know, someone slaps a star on it and you find out other folks agree with you!

Kelly: As long as we give them the best guidance we can, we have done our jobs as professionals. At least that's the way I think. I might lose a deal once in a while, but my clients no exactly what is going on.

Thesa: Thanks and I purchase them from a stock photo site. It's fairly inexpensive, the selection is huge and I never have to worry about copyright issues. I spend about $50 per month and I think it's well worth it.

That did kind of sneak up on me. LOL. I even read your post twice to see if my thought process would change. Guess not. LOL...

Mark, I commented on the Codgers post early yesterday, came back to AR tonight to find it had snowballed into this. Excellent post. I was surprised to see some of the Codger comments placing the blame squarely on the shoulders of the buyers. Yes, they must have had some idea that they were getting in over their heads but any concerns must have been alleviated by the fact that they got no red lights from the professionals. I've met some wonderful people in this profession. Honest and ethical. But I've also met some sleazebags who don't deserve to be looked upon as professionals. I do not offer opinions to my customers. I have been advised against that time and again. But I offer facts and make sure those facts speak for themselves. Those debt ratios are there for a reason. I think a customer has every right to expect that we will point out pitfalls because we have what they don't: experience.

Oh, and no wonder I never run into you at the Codgers....you're out front when all the fun is taking place on the back porch ;-)

MAR

2007

Mark, Great post, wish I had time to read through all of the comments, but am just too tired. This is a very sad story and one that is becoming all too common. I believe that everybody, including the buyer must shoulder some of the responsibility here.

So far I am not aware of any of my clients getting in that situation. We have had climbing prices and most have equity, so not many in our market have lost their homes here yet, unless they did something really bad or dumb.

Mark, I haven't had time to read all the other comments but let me add my two cents. First, GREAT post. I agree that the blame is definitely not all owned by only one party. There is plenty of blame to go around in these situations. However, it's hard to make a blanket statement that Realtors should take the blame on this. It depends on each situation. In some cases, I know my buyers intimately and I have a good feel for their personal finances and what they can and can't afford. In other cases, I may be working with a client that is very private when it comes to their personal information. Yes, in all cases, it is my job to look out for the client's best interest, but not all clients are forthcoming with their personal information, thus limiting my overall ability to assess what really IS best for them. As I said, it depends on the situation at hand whether I'm able to truly make the best recommendation in regards to what they can and can't afford. In those cases, it is most definitely the client's responsibility to determine what fits their budget.

Mark, after re-reading my response to your post (that's confusing), I realize something I typed may be mis-taken. You didn't make a blanket statement that Realtors should take "all the blame." Rather, I meant, it's hard to blanket that in all transaction, the Realtor should take some blame. Yes, in each and every instance, I'm sure the Realtor has to own some blame but there are times when the client is so private that we truly can't know what they can or cannot comfortably afford. Again, great post!

MAR

2007

Mark,

I have been in these situations many times lately.

First as far as the blame,the client was the buyers agents client, they were referred and the only way the agent could have them as a client was by using the company that the buyers were supposedly already approved by.

The agent lost all control of the deal, after the loan office called to butter me up ,to tell me eveything was fine(That was because I told the buyers agent that this was the 3rd deal and was promised all was well, this particular one made it to the title company and our side completed, but after 2 extensions and 45 days later, numerous calls to the loan officer, we find out he took a leave of absence,passed it to his manager who never returned anyones call, all we had left now was a processor who answered and screened calls, changed lenders on us at the end without telling us, lied that 2 weeks earlier all we were waiting for was a binder for insurance, it just went on and on until they called to tell us the laon did not go through because the program was no longer available,DID NOT GO THROUGH!, that is a bunch of BS, I am sure once the buyer knew the lender changed, they were probably quoted a higher rate and didnt want to make hgher payments, I actually have seen this at closings, as the listing agent, I would be waiting outside while the buyers completed there documents, only to see them yelling at the loan officer at the closing ,what was going on you ask? They changed the rate at the table, so they kind of cornered the buyer either to close or forefit the contract.

I have numerous loan officers call me when we get a buyer on properties we actually owned our selves and my partners refuse to take it out of active on the MLS until they have full commitment and funding, we do let other realtors know we are showing only as back ups, or kick out clauses, but generally give the realtor the choice of showing or not.

Someone has to be blamed, and if the parties that be would just let us know what is going on ,whether it has issues, you do not hide, stall and wait until the 12th hour to tell us the buyer is left out in the street.

I would rather try to help work through these issues, not hide and make false promises they cannot keep, it is a dis-service to the client and makes us all look bad

Now these days I guess I just have to learn to live with it.