I couldn't believe me ears. One of the agents in my office called me to ask for my advice in a situation that in 16 years, I had never encountered. I've sold bank owned properties where I've rousted a sleeping squatter, I've been the go between in divorce sales, and the consoler in estate sales, but I never thought I would have to act as a body guard.
Some time ago, I'll call her Sue, one of my agents helped inherited buyers place a contract on a home. She inherited them from a casualty of the market, another agent who quit. Thinking the other professional had done her job in pre-qualifying the folks, she proceded with locating the home, then called her favorite lender to do the loan. Well, her guy had gotten promoted and was no longer originating loans, so he suggested Sue talk to his replacement. The loan was originated and Sue proceded with normal conversations with the lender verifying that things were on track.
Some time later, about a week before the scheduled closing, Sue checked with the lender only to get no response. She climbed the ladder of responsibility every few days until she reached the boss of the boss who opened the lender's desk to find over 100 files that had been opened, then neglected. Sue got furious then realized she may be able to save this. I put her in touch with my lender who has worked miracles before. He promised to look into it, but they would need an extension.
Sue met with the seller, their broker and the buyer. The seller consented to an extension but then said, " If you don't close on time, "I'll Kill You!" Sue laughed it off until the seller said "I'm serious, you'll be dead". What disturbed me the most was that the other licensee just sat there and did nothing, and said nothing. Sue promptly left and called me. The seller has been reported to the police. What would you have done in her shoes, or in the shoes of the listing broker? What has this market come to that sellers are threatening physical violence over what used to be a simple transaction?
Comments(8)