Another bad apple Realtor

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Yesterday, I was trying to do my inspection. My buyer client was running late, his Realtor already left within a hour and a half after she arrived. As soon as the buyer's Realtor left the seller's Realtor hunted me down and asked how long it was going to take. I told him at least a hour. He did not appear happy about my answer.
About 45 minutes later I started to print out the report, he again wanted to know how long it was going to take. I informed him the buyer just called and said he would be right over. He did not appear to be happy again about my answer.
The buyer arrives and I started to tell him what problems I found with the property while standing in the garage. I told him I would walk him through the house and show him these items. The seller Realtor must of been listening on the other side of the door because just than he flings open the door and says that it was unethical for me to show the buyer anything. That his Realtor needed to be there. That taking a 21/2 hours to preform the inspection was uncalled for.
The buyer's eyes got big and said I am paying this inspector to do his job and however long it takes it takes. I can have my Realtor over here and he reaches in his pocket for his phone. The seller Realtor than said I will take you through the house myself. The buyer says not without my inspector. The seller Realtor says okay but I get a copy of the report.
The seller Realtor then tried to kiss our butts after that. It did not work. And I informed my client that I can not stop him from giving a copy of the report to the seller Realtor, but I highly advise that your Realtor see the report first. The Realtor representing the seller has no right to see the report until you ask for a defect to be corrected. The buyer thought that was a good idea.
Since the seller pissed off the buyer, the buyer stretched my 21/2 hour inspection out to four hours. When I first talked to him on the phone, he stated that his Realtor referred his wife to her inspector. He said this was his fifth house he has bought and most of the time he has gotten shafted by a Realtor and it was not going to happen again.
You got love a client that has learned from his past experiences.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

I do not think some Realtors understand what ethics is. When the buyer Realtor showed up she said to me, why haven't you done any inspections for me? I know you have inspected some of my listings before. I told her I do not go around to any real estate offices. Most of my business is by word of mouth. She then said "Ya, every Realtor has their own inspector that works for them". I told her I do not really work for Realtors. She quickly started a conversation with the buyer.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

While doing the inspection I listened to the seller brag about how he was once a Realtor and was just in it for the money. He was talking about how he cared less about the client's needs and just wanted to make the sell. He told several stories about him and other Realtors screwing customers over. I was so shocked I almost burnt a pan lid up that was in the oven. I was not shocked about the stories because some of the stories I had already heard though the grapevine, but how forth right he was with the information.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Back to the first post. I know first hand that the seller Realtor had an encounter with another Realtor, who I know is very honest and is an advocate for the local Rape and Abuse Crisis Center. My Realtor friend got a call by the head of the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center last Spring stating she had a single mother client that is involved in a real estate mess and they needed her help.
This single mother looked at a house that was listed by this seller Realtor that later I found out his broker owned. The Realtor told her that the seller was willing to finance the property but she need $4,000 down. The single mother wanted a house so bad she signed the contract and the next day showed up with the money. The Realtor acted shocked that this single mother came up with the money so fast and, asked her how? The single mother bragged that she had around $9,000 (I can not remember the exact amount) in the bank of back disability pay for her son. The Realtor told her than that the seller wanted, just so happen, the exact amount she had in the bank for her disable son. She wanted a house so bad that she went to the bank and pulled out all the money. She had her hand extended out to give all of her money to the Realtor, then she pulled her hand away and ran out of the office and drove down to the Crisis Center to get advice.
This is when my Realtor friend stepped in. She called up this crooked Realtor and told him the single mother was not going to buy the house. He said she has to because she signed a contract and I will make sure she gets sued if she doesn't. My friend the Realtor responded, if you do not release her from the contact I will file a complaint with the Real Estate Commission. The crooked Realtor then said, that it was just a misunderstanding and she would get released from the contract.
It is sad but true.

[Dominic J. Maricic]

It's really sad that people can't just be straightforward and honest. Good for you for sticking to your guns, I'm sure the client will be happy to recommend you to a friends.

[asargisian]

way to go james..

[James H. Bushart]

Hopefully, you will be prepared to name names this year, when the opportunity avails itself to make our case.

[John McKenna]

James...

Money does strange things to people. Keep up the good work.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Originally Posted by jbushart

Hopefully, you will be prepared to name names this year, when the opportunity avails itself to make our case.

I will testify but I do not want to name names. I hope at least it does not come to that.

[dharris]

Originally Posted by jbraun

I will testify but I do not want to name names. I hope at least it does not come to that.

Did you ever find out where the unidentified ASHI inspector dashed off to in your licensing story.??

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Believe it not he is still around. A lot of inspectors know him especially in Missouri. He is a great guy just he caught in a web in ASHI. It was told out of confidence. I will not jeopardize anybody's career who is trying to help us fight against the money hungry MAR and ASHI leaders.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by jbraun

Believe it not he is still around. A lot of inspectors know him especially in Missouri. He is a great guy just he caught in a web in ASHI. It was told out of confidence. I will not jeopardize anybody's career who is trying to help us fight against the money hungry MAR and ASHI leaders.

You might want to start protecting this information by putting dharris on "ignore" as the majority of us do.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Sorry, I will not play with the stray cat anymore. Forgot about the ignore list.