Here's an article debating the value of working with professionals when big money is involved: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic....

Quote:

In a time of plunging land values and municipal-budget woes, Gilbert last year overpaid by millions of dollars for future parkland, local real-estate experts say.

The town's purchase "made no sense whatsoever to anybody, anywhere that was in tune with valuations," said Stacy Brimhall, owner of Langley Properties in Gilbert, who has been buying and selling land in the southeast Valley for years


former Town Manager George Pettit called the price "fair."

News of the transaction raised eyebrows among local landholders and real-estate professionals.

Gilbert officials, however, settled on a negotiated price of $299,508 per acre.
In the months after Gilbert's deal with Zinke, a 318-acre parcel near Higley and Queen Creek roads sold for about $35,000 an acre, and a 549-acre parcel near Val Vista Drive and Riggs Road went for about $40,000 an acre,

Ellsworth-Bolen has spent more than 50 years in the real-estate business and has negotiated land deals that helped lure employers like Motorola and Intel and established most of Chandler's early planned communities.

If the town had secured the same price for the Zinke properties, it could have saved about $9 million.

Quote:

Over the years I have worked with almost every government and conservancy buyout program in the country. Mostly land swap deals between Vegas and Tahoe.

The fraud and waste is unbelievable. I would rather work with timeshare developers, at least the are upfront about their business. The green arrogant government leaches would make the pentagon look efficient and honest.

Has nothing to do with professionals. Governments exist to overspend. Realtors are still used car salesmen.

Why trust when you just need to verify. Anyone that does not verify facts is just being lazy.

Verify my ass. If they decide they want it the price doesn't matter.

Trusting a realtor is like trusting a car sales manager. Don't do it. Fact check.

Never trust ANY salesman. Check every fact and if you discover less-than-truthful activity, RUN, don't walk.

They're not all scumbags, but it's your money, not theirs.

Thread title wrote..

Should you trust your Realtor?

Of course not.

If you do, you are an idiot.

Half, arent you running this into the ground? If you are that embarrassed about your profession just move back to the land of fruits and nuts and become a surfer.

It is important to differentiate between a buyer's broker (who you engage to represent your interests) and a seller's broker (who is representing the seller's interests).

Assuming folks follow the rules :)

I guess I should clarify, there are some used car salesmen on TF, so I apologize for comparing them to Realtors

I trust my janitor a lot more than my Realtor.

Mr Bill

Bwahahahahah

Gee whiz, sorry y'all. Notice the dummy in the article who wasted 9mil still insists "We got a great deal!" - that's what all amateurs say after they buy or sell fsbo - every time. No one ever admits a bad deal unless a Realtor made them do it.

Seriously though, I'v been letting you know that professional Realtors dislike amateur re genius' just as much as you dislike pros. The difference is, pros know what they are talking about and you don't.

There is usually another side to every story, and if you never hear or consider the pro's point of view, what's the point of many on TF preaching to the choir? And frankly, it's good for me to internalize the disgust many of you feel about pros, because it makes me rededicate myself to doing the job correctly, and honestly, it's not an easy job thing to do.

For you amateurs, here's the job: Client has a house they don't want. My job is to turn that house into, say, $1,000,000 cash on their kitchen table - you ever do that? You ever get someone 1mil, cash? It's a little more complex than you give us pro's credit for.

We all are entitled to our opinion - I love real estate, always have.It's a great, complex, rewarding career where ethics and integrity produce success. I know we have our bad apples, but not nearly as many as most here seem to think.

I'll be happy to debate anyone, anytime on the facts and evidence, but it serves no purpose to debate opinions or "feelings" - it's just pointless arguing.

Peace to all -

Thanks Half...I needed that.

HB- 1st off, when you say "Realtor" are you including real estate brokers that aren't members of NAR? I truly detest the term "Realtor", and I hate it when all brokers are included in that term.

Second, you aren't going to win on this discussion because nobody should trust a broker or "Realtor" at face value, and should always verify their ethics, ability, and information- especially when it comes to legal or tax matters which both agents and "Realtors" are not qualified to give.

Personally, I rarely (if ever) run into issues of trust. I find the salient issues, point them out, send them to higher professionals who generally validate what I've said. Of course, always including credible back up support for my opinion helps. Trust is earned, and when you are dead-on-balls accurate (as verified by higher sources), trust follows. I'm a lousy salesperson and I will admit outright. I'm loathe to close anything without given buyers/borrowers time to digest what I've told them.

I know exactly what it takes to convert an idea to a cash wire, and it is by no means an easy job. When a client has a competent agent and they have done their due diligence to ensure the person is competent and knowledgeable, they should pay attention and at least confirm the advice.

As far as comparing qualified professional agents to car salesmen, that is offensive at best. I'd be more than happy to prove my expertise and knowledge against a car salesman any time.

DTM, NAR is a shill, paid lobbying group, that exists solely to extort as much money from the government trough as possible. They are disgusting.

If nobody trusts a Realtor (or Broker, whatever), no sales will get done. If you can't trust your Realtor, you really should get a different Realtor.

"Trust but verify" is a nice phrase, but doesn't mean squat. How do you "verify" if your dentist or attorney or surgeon is competent? You can't, because you don't know even what to verify.

DTM said:

Quote:

trust follows

Amen. Amen. Amen. Trust must be earned. Once earned, it's the highest reward and most valued and precious gift you can ever receive. I have no words to describe the incredible sense of satisfaction, obligation, and privilege I feel, when a client trusts me.

You want to know why RE is the best career on earth? It gives you the opportunity to EARN the trust of your clients, for millions of dollars - no commission check can duplicate the rush you feel when the clients says "I don't need to read that, just show me where to sign". Of course, you summarize what they are signing and what is going to ensue, but you know, in your heart, that this person is trusting you to do right by them and their family.

Jesus Christ.....

Halfbrite wrote..

If nobody trusts a Realtor (or Broker, whatever), no sales will get done. If you can't trust your Realtor, you really should get a different Realtor

And IMO, anybody who trusts any commissioned sales person is a ****ing idiot.

a ****ing idiot wrote..

"I don't need to read that, just show me where to sign"

Is a sheep being led to the shearing.

ETA To be clear - instead of "a ****ing idiot wrote" I wish to reflect the person making the statement that is in quotes - but the software automatically adds "wrote"

Quote:

You want to know why RE is the best career on earth? It gives you the opportunity to EARN the trust of your clients, for millions of dollars - no commission check can duplicate the rush you feel when the clients says "I don't need to read that, just show me where to sign". Of course, you summarize what they are signing and what is going to ensue, but you know, in your heart, that this person is trusting you to do right by them and their family.

And that is a perfect example of how a conman works and why so many people distrust realtors. Sure, there are good ones out there. There are also good ones out there that can't resist the chance to make that big commission when the opportunity presents itself.

My uncle is a realtor, btw, and is one of the good ones. I don't know much about his business dealings and don't care to - but I know he cost another family member his entire life savings because he trusted him to do the right thing. I don't believe he did it on purpose, I really don't, but he made a very bad decision and it ruined several people.

halfbrite

Would you please just let this drop? you're not going to make much change here in TF of our opinions on "realtors".

It's beginning to be embarrassing for you.

Do yourself a favor, and us also - just let it alone.

Please?

Swing, the people you are calling names (****ing idiots), are my past clients.

Some were multi millionaires, others certified genius' with multiple patents hanging on their walls to prove it, many were leaders and executives of major corporations with tens of thousands of employees.

This caliber of person usually does not have the time, or desire, to read and attempt to interpret 20 pages of contractural details in an unfamiliar industry, nor would they ever presume to know real estate better than the person they hired.

These are smart, confident people, and they are in charge - always. You work for them - period. If you weren't the right Professional Realtor for the job, they would not have hired you. Their due diligence is done before they hire you, and they don't micromanage after they've hired you. They don't hire you to write a contract or tell them "gee, this house is nice" - they hire you because they feel you will best professionally represent them and negotiate on their behalf.

It has been my privilege to have earned the trust of so many incredible, accomplished, people.

A conversation with a professional Real Estate Broker may not fit your paridigm, but it is what it is.

And please, stop calling people names - it isn't helpful to a rational conversation.

Asi said:

Quote:

uncle is a realtor, btw, and is one of the good ones.... he cost another family member his entire life savings

Now that's an oxymoron!

Half: Yes, it is. That was the point. :)

Even the good ones can screw up (and I do believe that was a screwup because it cost him a lot of money too.) If he was one of the true con men - he would have made money off it, not lost.

BTW, it was a hurricane that hit NC (hugo?) that ****ed it up, so it wasn't any big mistake on his part, just mother nature getting revenge. I personally think it was a bad decision to invest in what they did where they did, but that's just my opinion - one I held PRIOR to the destruction, but I was too young for my opinion to matter to them.... They "knew" what they were doing.

Asi: Realtors are the proximate cause of, and are directly responsible for, any acts of God that cause anyone to lose money! (just kidding!) But why didn't your uncle tell them to buy replacement value flood insurance?? (just kidding!)

**** does happen.