MSNBC's Donny Deutsch Backstabs Broker: Ordered to Pay $1.2 M

Alex: Wow! CNBC should have second thoughts about the integrity and continued employment of Donny Deutsch. I am so glad the Court sided with the agency on this one.

Wowsers! I guess you gotta be careful who you trust!

Alex, well now that's a great way of describing the guy.  Let's just hope the agent he screwed has a written agreement of some sort!  Still, not nice, Donny!

I took a listing agent to arbitration at the Board when she claimed at settlement that I was not the procuring cause.  The buyer got very chummy with the listing agent while the house was being built, and was willing to go along with the agent's ruse.  

My assistant and I walked in to the hearing with a long, thick, detailed time line of phone calls and emails from Top Producer in hand.  The listing agent had a 4th generation of a portion of the contract, and a copy of a cell phone bill.

When the members of the Board asked about events, I was able to go to our records and say, "Well according to our records, we received an email from the listing agent on (date) saying, ......."   "According to our records, we sent a letter to the buyer on (date) saying, ........."   "According to our records, my assistant called the buyer, and the conversation went as follows:.........."

All the listing agent could do was say, "Well I think I called...."  I recall sending an email...."  "I don't recall getting that letter...."  "I don't recall that meeting."

We agents were excused from the room.  We were called back less than 5 minutes later.  The Board ordered the listing broker to pay the coop commission to us IMMEDIATELY.

What's the lesson?  He/She with the most documentation wins.