Shady tactics by real estate agent? (Scranton, Pottstown: home, buyers, inspection)

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by kwiktsi

You mean it was "better" than this at one point? I can't see how. It is the natives who are pretty damn simple and make you want to bang your head against a wall dealing with them, I don't think they were smarter before the housing boom . I guess it is a matter of to each his own. I prefer to live somewhere where you do more than sit around watching organic matter decay and waiting to get old and die since there is nothing better to do here, others like it. I need activity, hell- even the local bars are dives and not even worth going to in order to drink this place better!

In all seriousness, like I said, some people love it, some hate it. Personally, for myself and my wife, along with several others we have met, it just grates on you and depresses you living here. WE don't know anyone our own ave (late 20's to mid 30's), the ones we have met are pretty much dirtballs, and the rest- honestly, not trying to be cruel, are seriously retarded or something. I have never met so many people who just seem flat out drunk 24-7 when they are stone sober. Seriously- a couple of my neighbors, you'd swear escaped from some government project gone wrong- just honestly slur their speech and spit between their 2 good teeth when they talk kind of messed up. We've also never seen so many RUDE, overweight, sweat pants wearing dirtballs in our lives. Hell, trying to walk across the parking lot at Mr. Z's, people will damn near run down my pregnant wife rather than stop to let her cross- I guess they can't read to know "pedestrians first".

I don't know, maybe we are just a bit more "material" than others in this area, I don't know, but there is nothing here for us and we are honestly feeling more and more unhealthy- both mentally and physically- the longer we are here. We used to be much more active prior to moving here. It is just hard to get motivated when the local "hang outs" are dumps and the only decent ones are at least 40 minutes away (Middletown or Scranton). I joke that from our house to our mailbox (Conashaugh Lakes) is further than almost anywhere we'd ever have to go when we lived in NY, but in all honesty, it is pretty much true.

I'm talking about specifically living in Scranton, or an area close like Clarks Summit. I, too, would go crazy if I lived around somewhere with nothing to do.

I have friends and family all over the area, and that's the main reason I'm coming back to raise my family.

I live in Northern VA now and hate it, so I can sympathize.

[heavyjay]

You guys are something else.

@kwiktsi-- My wife and I are both 51, so we're more prone to like the quiet. We have family nearby. Our daughter and grandkids live in Hemlock Farms and my cousin is in Saw Creek. I have to admit, I'm kinda fat, but I have all my hair (none of it is gray) and teeth, and you wouldn't catch me dead in sweat pants, or shorts for that matter.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by heavyjay

ETA: I also forgot to mention, on the first offer we made, instead of returning my earnest money check, she deposited it, 3 days after the seller entered into a contract with the other buyer. And then had the nerve to ask for my bank statement to prove the funds had been debited from my acct. Are they all this crooked up there?

Don't let people push you around, their poor bookkeeping is not your responsibility. I hope you demanded immediate payment.

[kwiktsi]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Those posts have to be the most pompous arrogant BS I've seen to date. I'll let you in on a little secret, those people hate you more. You've changed their way of life. They used to live in nice peaceful rural communities with no crime, no traffic and all the rest of the crap that goes with urban life.

Go back to where you came from, I'm sure they'll be happy to help you pack.

Umm, sure- we changed their way of life. I don't see any drastic change happening any time soon. Those who want to live in their little wilderness and not care a thing for the rest of the world, still do so just fine. That is if you can call incest, inbreeding and ignorance a way of life. Yes, these people are the extreme- but they sure as hell seem to be out there, especially in the area I live in. You honestly have to meet some of these people I am referring to and you'll know what I mean. You really have to meet our new neighbor- the guy is a belligerent drunk- EVEN WHEN SOBER. He has already asked one neighbor if he had any crack and threatened to shoot another one, and guess what- he is pure "mountain", no city in this guy at all....

We have also met several nice people here as well, though they are all older and "home bodies", we like to get out and do things. Not a lot here for the almost 30 to 30something professional here . I'll admit, we came here to get away from the hustle and bustle, but we just found we are going to go insane living here and need to get out. We need a happy medium, so we are probably going back to Middletown, if not, down south. Hell, if Conashaugh would just pave our friggin road like the realtor and sellers (two people I should not have listened to) said was getting done, it would be much more tolerable. I don't spend good money on my cars for them to get destroyed on a dirt road. That, or if we were in somewhere like Hemlock, Conashaugh seems a bit "dumpy" compared to Hemlock.

Funny you mention traffic- the worst I see is weekenders coming to visit the area, it gets pretty bad then. Other than that, the most common "traffic" I see along 739 is some half wit "local" who can't drive going 30 down 739 and hitting their brakes every time a car passes in the other direction with a line of cars a mile long behind them.


If they hate us for showering, not dressing like dirtballs, having all our teeth, driving nicer cars and my wife not joining the lumberjack butch committee, then fine, let them hate us. "They" are certainly no one I am out to impress.

edit- I wanted to add, most of what I say is obviously tongue in cheek. If you are taking it personally, you are either a) one of the few I described and I'm sorry for you or b) taking it too literally. It is obvious how I feel about the area, but of course it is dramatized all in fun.

[heavyjay]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Don't let people push you around, their poor bookkeeping is not your responsibility. I hope you demanded immediate payment.

The second house we made an offer on was also listed by them, so they applied it to that. I was told yesterday they received the signed contract back from the seller. As soon as I see it for myself, I can schedule an inspection.

[kwiktsi]

Originally Posted by heavyjay

The second house we made an offer on was also listed by them, so they applied it to that. I was told yesterday they received the signed contract back from the seller. As soon as I see it for myself, I can schedule an inspection.

Cool, glad it worked out for you. What community is this one in?

[heavyjay]

Originally Posted by kwiktsi

Cool, glad it worked out for you. What community is this one in?

It's in Pine Ridge, way up near the back.

[returningtonepa???]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

I've only been away 2 years, and I spend at least 3 months out of the year in Scranton.

I know exactly what I'm getting into by moving back, and I couldn't be happier about it.

i guess i was away too long --30+ years----saw a gentler-less angry--more friendly faces before---lots of people i'm meeting here now seem to be gruff,abrupt,rude,not willing to share info(especially office personell--no matter what the business)

[pollyanna1]

What do you think of this one? I put an offer on a house and then accepted their counter offer, which meant changing from option 1 to option 2. Then several inspections came back bad enough that I opted out of the deal under option 2. Now the seller's agent is refusing to return my ernest money, stating the seller's aren't happy I cancelled the deal, but under option 2, I have the right to cancel if the homeowner won't fix things to my specification, and they aren't willing to fix anything. The sellers only had the house off the market for 14 days, and THEY had asked for that time as a contingency of the sale so they could find other housing. Now I'm left either going with a mediator or hiring an attorney to get my ernest money back. Any suggestions on which way to go with this?

[still lookin' for "home"]

Originally Posted by pollyanna1

What do you think of this one? I put an offer on a house and then accepted their counter offer, which meant changing from option 1 to option 2. Then several inspections came back bad enough that I opted out of the deal under option 2. Now the seller's agent is refusing to return my ernest money, stating the seller's aren't happy I cancelled the deal, but under option 2, I have the right to cancel if the homeowner won't fix things to my specification, and they aren't willing to fix anything. The sellers only had the house off the market for 14 days, and THEY had asked for that time as a contingency of the sale so they could find other housing. Now I'm left either going with a mediator or hiring an attorney to get my ernest money back. Any suggestions on which way to go with this?

You may want to first start with the broker as the broker may or may not know what these individual agents are doing. I've seen agents get fired for this stuff and they can loose all of their commission. If that doesn't work, I'd go straigt to the real estate commission board (let the broker know your plans and if they have an attorney involved - let them know that your willing to file an ethics complaint against their attorney, too. I'd also go to BBB, local chamber of commerce, etc. They don't want the negative advertising and I'd be more than willing to start sharing who - individuals and agencies - screwing you. If your facts are correct, they can have serious consequences.

lookin'