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Freakonomics review #2

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Right About Real Estate

 I just found this paragraph really funny and I had to share it with you... I hope none of you do this...

" Consider this true story, related by John Donohue, a law professor who in 2001 was teaching at Stanford University: "I was just about to buy a house on the Stanford campus," he recalls, " and the seller's agent kept telling me what a good deal I was getting because the market was about to zoom. As soon as I signed the purchase contract, he asked me if I would need an agent to sell my previous Stanford house. I told him that I would porbably try to sell without an agent, and he replied ' John, that might work under normal conditions, but with the market tanking now, you really need the help of a broker.'" Within five minutes, a zooming market had tanked"...

Please don't do this... be honest with your clients. They can see right through you! 

Excerpt from Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

 

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Home Design
Alpharetta, GA
Home Design and Real Estate
What a LOSER!!!  That is crazy!  It amazes me how dishonest people can be.
Nov 29, 2006 08:25 AM
Chris Griffith
Downing-Frye Realty, Bonita Springs, FL - Bonita Springs, FL
Bonita Springs Listing Specialist - Agent
Just remember, when you loose a customer because you were honest and thought they needed to know (the truth about something) they end up with THAT clown.  There's one in every crowd.
Nov 29, 2006 08:34 AM
Jason Sardi
Auto & Home & Life Insurance throughout North Carolina - Charlotte, NC
Your Agent for Life
Great book and great example of what not to do in any profession, especially this one.  If you can't be honest with people dealing with individual's biggest asset, maybe it is time to join a profession better suited to deceit.
Nov 29, 2006 08:41 AM
Kristal Kraft
Novella Real Estate - Denver, CO
Selling Metro Denver Real Estate - 303-589-2022

People who can successfully argue both sides of an issue are .... lawyers.  :)

kk

Nov 29, 2006 09:15 AM
Susan Milner
Florida Future Realty, Inc. - Cape Coral, FL
Cape Coral Real Estate Broker, FloridaFutureAgents
Oh geeze.....I've heard of agents who told people last year "you can't lose" on this deal just not speak with those same clients (who now want/need to sell) this year since the change in the market. I guess they made enough money in '05 to totally ignore past clients....very sad.
Nov 29, 2006 10:29 AM
Brian Brady
Matthews Capital Markets - Tampa, FL
858-699-4590

Freakonomics is a great read.  The Freakonomics blog is fantastic.  They open up the Realtor issue a lot but I never see anyone besides me defending the profession!

Head on over to the Freakonomics blog folks and stand up for your profession.  There are some VERY smart people commenting there. 

Nov 29, 2006 02:35 PM
Robert D. Ashby
Cruise Planners of South Florida - Plantation, FL
Providing Personalized Travel

I was trying to come up with a similar transaction in mortgage speak, but my brain just crashed and will need to be rebooted.

All I got so far was the...

"I can get you a 1% rate with no money down and the "rate" is fixed for one year"

 

Nov 29, 2006 02:48 PM