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I don't want to give more detail as it can make it more identifiable. Basically, it's about key info that could render house useless for me.
I'm not born in the US and just trying to understand the business communication etiquette here. To respond with something polite and generic or not respond at all.
I'm wary of the property in part because of how emotional the agent was and the subject of honesty/dishonesty constantly being brought up, I never dealt with that before but yes I know that the area is very insular, newcomers are rare, crime is high (drugs) and have a feeling that the intensity of agent's response might have to do with me being an outsider or even being a minority. Which makes me wonder what kind of community is that and how they might treat me down the road. So yes, I became nervous about the area, especially since I'm a woman living alone, don't know a soul there, etc. I moved to unfamiliar rural area once before (though less remote and much less insular) but had a good agent (dual agent too) who was very welcoming and nice to me, helped me some after purchase too and I felt welcomed, now I think he's the one who defined that.
If you're not native to the US then you may not be saying things as polite or generic as you think. Small towns are just that. Small towns. Many are not open to newcomers. That is just part of small town life. You either learn to live with it or don't.
Why don't you hire an agent? Then they'll deal with your questions and contact other agents leaving you out of it.
Sounds like dealing with a listing agents directly/dual agency is a very bad idea.
Pretty much, yeah, it's a "very bad idea.
I f you're really still interested in the property, get your own agent. Let him/her talk to the listing agent. There's no reason for you to have any contact or discussion with the listing agent (and it probably would have been better if you never had.)
I had contacted a listing agent about buying his listing. I don't have a buyer's agent, that is a very remote rural area I'm not familiar with, with few agents, long driving distances, etc. I had someone from his office show me the house, and I liked it. The guy who showed me the house told me to continue working with the listing agent.
I texted that listing agent that I'm interested and want to talk on the phone about some questions. Soon I noticed, however, that something online wasn't matching the info he gave me. I asked him if there's a reason for it, may be there was address discrepancy (common in that area, many places have 2 addresses) - he said there can't/shouldn't be any discrepancy, didn't give any explanation of it but basically was saying I should trust what he says. - I only mentioned what I was seeing online and said I was going to call that company, when they open after the weekend, to find out why the info is different online.
I was very polite all the time. In response I got very rude angry message, suddenly accusing me of calling him a liar and dishonest, basically, etc, etc - which I never did or implied. Errors and discrepancies are common things. I actually been already in that kind of situation, twice, where I made a very long drive to see a house based on similar info given by realtor, only to later find out it was not true. I responded that he shouldn't accuse me of such things, pretty serious stuff, and shouldn't put words in my mouth, also I mentioned that I don't want to be treated like a 2nd class person (I'm a minority for that insular rural community).
Eventually he texted me back with sort of an apology, basically, with very long emotional message.
I'm nervous about this house, the area itself now too (reputation for one of the most insular in the country) and that agent now. I don't think I'd be welcomed there.
Sounds like dealing with a listing agents directly/dual agency is a very bad idea.
I can't imagine buyer's agent going off on me like that, I dealt with a few buyers agents in my life.
What's the good/proper way to respond? Not respond at all or say something polite, like it was a misunderstanding?
As someone else asked, "Do you still want the property?"
If "yes," you respond very calmly, rationally, and do not refer to the snark at all. Maybe something like, "That is a nice property. What are the next steps?"
And, if it smells bad, but you still want it, don't hesitate to get legal representation for contract, etc.
If "no," you don't need to engage at all. If he contacts you, you say, "Thanks. I am now considering other opportunities."
Unfortunately, sometimes emotions get into the mix, and you might have to swallow yours to meet your goals.
Too often, winning a battle means losing the war, i.e., not meeting your goals.
I don't want to give more detail as it can make it more identifiable. Basically, it's about key info that could render house useless for me.
I'm not born in the US and just trying to understand the business communication etiquette here. To respond with something polite and generic or not respond at all.
I'm wary of the property in part because of how emotional the agent was and the subject of honesty/dishonesty constantly being brought up, I never dealt with that before but yes I know that the area is very insular, newcomers are rare, crime is high (drugs) and have a feeling that the intensity of agent's response might have to do with me being an outsider or even being a minority. Which makes me wonder what kind of community is that and how they might treat me down the road. So yes, I became nervous about the area, especially since I'm a woman living alone, don't know a soul there, etc. I moved to unfamiliar rural area once before (though less remote and much less insular) but had a good agent (dual agent too) who was very welcoming and nice to me, helped me some after purchase too and I felt welcomed, now I think he's the one who defined that.
Regardless of how welcoming and friendly an agent is, the community is where you will be living.
I have no idea if this emotional real estate agent is indicative of the community as a whole, but given the current national divisiveness, I would be leery of moving to a rural community with a lot of drug crime .
I just had my own similar experience. Basically whoever listed what I was interested in, didn't put accurate details. The zoning was wrong, the address was wrong (undeveloped land, but still), and the realtor, 2 of them lied about it being under contract when I pointed out the errors.
Unfortunately I just get wiser and wiser. This isn't an industry you can expect direct answers and honesty.
I recommend don't feel too affected by it. This is a free country and someone can live where they please. Just make sure you get exactly what you want.
Both buyer and seller have to agree to dual agency. Simply tell agent that you don't feel comfortable not having your own agent and tell them you withdraw any permission for dual agency/intermediary (if you signed a form accepting it) and get a different agent from another company
I'm the OP.
Let's just say I found out about such level of shady there...worse than I could even imagine.
Textbook stuff for some "Crooked Realtor" movie.
Those shady, lying crooks....so glad I didn't end up dealing with that place, I can only imagine what's it's like to resell there and depend on few rare agents that are available in the whole area. What I described in the OP were just starting warning flags.
(that area is what they film "Wrong Turn" movies about, and it's close to that in real life).
Good riddance!
And yes, dual agency is very bad - I think it might be ok within the same brokerage in rural remote area - but one agent being dual agent is bad, one should never do it.
If the same broker gets the cut from both sides - you sign dual agency relationship in this case even if there're 2 agents - they might just play nice to each other, at least, considering they're in the same boat and not try to screw the buyer too badly. And if the buyer's agent is out of their brokerage they might never return a call, even, in those kinds of places. Ethnics, professionalism - not the things ever heard of.
I had contacted a listing agent about buying his listing. I don't have a buyer's agent, that is a very remote rural area I'm not familiar with, with few agents, long driving distances, etc. I had someone from his office show me the house, and I liked it. The guy who showed me the house told me to continue working with the listing agent.
I texted that listing agent that I'm interested and want to talk on the phone about some questions. Soon I noticed, however, that something online wasn't matching the info he gave me. I asked him if there's a reason for it, may be there was address discrepancy (common in that area, many places have 2 addresses) - he said there can't/shouldn't be any discrepancy, didn't give any explanation of it but basically was saying I should trust what he says. - I only mentioned what I was seeing online and said I was going to call that company, when they open after the weekend, to find out why the info is different online.
I was very polite all the time. In response I got very rude angry message, suddenly accusing me of calling him a liar and dishonest, basically, etc, etc - which I never did or implied. Errors and discrepancies are common things. I actually been already in that kind of situation, twice, where I made a very long drive to see a house based on similar info given by realtor, only to later find out it was not true. I responded that he shouldn't accuse me of such things, pretty serious stuff, and shouldn't put words in my mouth, also I mentioned that I don't want to be treated like a 2nd class person (I'm a minority for that insular rural community).
Eventually he texted me back with sort of an apology, basically, with very long emotional message.
I'm nervous about this house, the area itself now too (reputation for one of the most insular in the country) and that agent now. I don't think I'd be welcomed there.
Sounds like dealing with a listing agents directly/dual agency is a very bad idea.
I can't imagine buyer's agent going off on me like that, I dealt with a few buyers agents in my life.
What's the good/proper way to respond? Not respond at all or say something polite, like it was a misunderstanding?
Get your own Buyer’s agent to work for you ( you are not saving yourself any money by not having one, and often it pays to pay your own agent)
Please, don’t get all sensitive - everyone may have a bad day or a stretch of days!
If you like the house and the area - don’t worry about being a minority, it is not you - it is the rural type of living - no one new is welcome there sometimes.
You are not marrying them, and hopefully not dependent on acquiring new friends there.
Being observant of their lifestyle and traditions, kind and respectful should be enough for you to fit in.
Not sure if you realize it, but you are not yet there and already showing your prejudice by calling the people there “insular” and “the most insular” in the country.
In this case: it is not them- it is you are the problem.
No one is out to get you.
Get your own Buyer’s agent to work for you ( you are not saving yourself any money by not having one, and often it pays to pay your own agent)
Please, don’t get all sensitive - everyone may have a bad day or a stretch of days!
If you like the house and the area - don’t worry about being a minority, it is not you - it is the rural type of living - no one new is welcome there sometimes.
You are not marrying them, and hopefully not dependent on acquiring new friends there.
Being observant of their lifestyle and traditions, kind and respectful should be enough for you to fit in.
Not sure if you realize it, but you are not yet there and already showing your prejudice by calling the people there “insular” and “the most insular” in the country.
In this case: it is not them- it is you are the problem.
No one is out to get you.
Are you that realtor or just one of the bitter sore locals upset about outsiders moving in and displacing your druggie kids?
Sounds like it.
Your license won't be renewed I can assure you, working on it now.
Nope, it's YOU, bigots who are the problem.
There're some anti-discrimination laws in this country that ya won't be able to violate and I'll make it my life mission now. Will teach a good lesson.
There're also some ethnics standards for realtors in this country, which you haven't heard of, clearly, will be taught a lesson on those too.
Should read my response and conclusion to the saga right above your post...
And don't lecture me on "rural type of living", I've lived in more rural areas than you've ever been to. No, luckily by far not all of them are full of bigots like you. Insularity and bigotry is not the rural way everywhere.
To summarize, again: when these red flags are seen one should run, not walk.
No buyers agents, no further dealing with such property and its listing agent, or even the area, as there're only few agents there and they likely all know each other and birds of feather, area infamous for its corruption.
No dealings with corrupt snake nest
Let them get their own birds of feather move in, and setup more drug labs, their overdose rates tripled since 2020 so did corruption, bigotry and realtor unprofessionalism, seems like. Good riddance!
Last edited by castlelake; 02-24-2022 at 06:00 AM..
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