ABUSIVE AGENT CHALLENGES JENMAN

Publicly labels Jenman System “the biggest scam in history”.

by Neil Jenman

WARNING. Reading time 15 mins apx

NOTICE: This article is written without the approval of my wife and sons, all of whom urge me to ignore abusive agents. One of my many weaknesses, however, is that I occasionally snap at abusers. Their lies, bullying and hypocrisy irritate me. I grew up with too much abuse – a mean father, sadistic teachers and braggarts and bullies. I’ve never liked abusers – especially the modern kind who hurl abuse on social media. As a child, I stood up to abusers and bullies. I feel the urge to do so now. Today.  With a foul-mouthed agent called TROY HOLMES who owns a real estate agency in the outer Sydney suburb of Campbelltown. I like the people of Sydney’s west; it’s where I had my own real estate office. Campbelltown is a delightful area. However, I do not find anything delightful about the agent, Troy Holmes. Here’s the story.

It was December 2018. Like many Aussies, our family was on holiday. We rented a lovely house for a month. Such sweet memories.

On Christmas Eve, I was walking with my 17-year-old son Alec. Next year, 2019, he was graduating from High School.

I asked him what he wanted to do in life.

He draped his arm over my shoulders, “I want to work with you, Dad.”

Although proud, I asked him why he wanted to work with me – especially as I was no longer training thousands of agents. And my estate agency days ended long before Alec was born. My life now centred on supporting a few loyal Jenman Approved agencies. And Jenman Support – helping sellers (which has always been my favourite role in real estate).

Alec said he trusted me. He had been watching me most of his life. He said, “I have seen what happens to those who follow your advice and I have seen what happens to those who don’t follow your advice. I promise I will always follow your advice.”

He shook my hand.

Fast forward to January 2020, the first year of the pandemic. Alec was in his first weeks working with his dad. We went to Melbourne to meet an agent who agreed to a ‘tell-all’ recorded interview.

This agent held nothing back. He answered every question truthfully. Many of his answers confirmed the dodgy practices common in the industry.

But then things got darker. He volunteered some startling – even frightening – information.

It takes a lot to shock me, but the tricks used by the 50-plus agents in this major Melbourne firm – which focused entirely on auctions – were sickening.

And then I asked about drug usage in the industry.

He said it was “everywhere”.

I asked him to be specific.

He repeated the same word – “everywhere”.

No, no, this could not be right.

I re-phrased the question: “What percentage of the 55 sales agents at NAME WITHELD Agency are regular users of illegal drugs?”

He shrugged, “All of them”.

When pressed, he conceded that, perhaps, there may be one or two who didn’t use drugs. I asked him what the boss (owner) thought of this ubiquitous drug usage in his company.

He smiled and reached for his phone. He played me a video after saying: “This is the boss in the disabled rest room at a restaurant.”

To my horror, I saw vision of a 60-something male snorting a line of coke. Realising he’s being filmed, the man looks up and says something like: “Hey mate, you shouldn’t be filming this.”

I was worried about the effect on my son, Alec. What an introduction to real estate. Surely, he’ll now be revolted and maybe quit the industry.

But no. As shocked as he was, Alec never witnessed such behaviour from his Mum or Dad. He stuck with me, as he promised a year earlier.

ABUSE AND THREATS

One of my heroes is Peter Fox.

Peter was a police detective. In 2012, he became a hero in the Hunter region for supporting victims of abuse in the Church. After he retired in 2019, Peter wrote a book, ‘Walking Towards Thunder’. His opening words were:

“When a person speaks out from within an institution against that institution, they know reprisals are coming. Institutions carry it in their DNA, in-built self-protection, if you like.”

I know exactly what Peter means. Worse, I know how he feels.

Those who watch Australian Story on television may recall my efforts to protect and rescue real estate consumers. A foreigner bashed me in Melbourne in 2007 when I warned about his real estate investment scheme. I spent a few days in hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Another time, when Alec was about 8, we stopped at a restaurant. As I ordered coffee, Alec danced to piped music. Three days later, a video of my dancing boy was emailed to me with a threat: “Keep your mouth shut and take down your website. Your family is not safe.”

For the next few years, my wife and I collected our children each day from the school office instead of the kerbside kiss-n-drop. My wife was terrified. Traumatised would be a better word; but she still supported me in my crusade to protect consumers.

On top of abuse and threats, there were countless lawsuits many frivolous – just designed to cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars in defending ourselves.

One notorious real estate identity, rumoured to be involved with Russian gangsters, hired a private detective. Over several months, my friends, clients and many who knew me, were approached by a P.I. called Wayne. His report was later leaked to me – by a mystery supporter. As deep as they dug, their frustration was obvious. I didn’t do drugs. I didn’t drink. I didn’t cheat neither agents nor consumers. And there was this comment: “There is no evidence he has ever been unfaithful to his wife”.

Well, thank you. Good to know.

In exasperation, they described my personal life as “boring”. Yes, boring.

At one stage, they made a ridiculously obvious attempt to snare me with the honey-trap. When I resisted, they reasoned I was gay.

My wife laughed.

But it’s not funny to live with abuse. It’s not pleasant having your family threatened. It’s costly to employ security – and install fences, auto-gates and bullet-proof shutters on bedroom windows. A journalist I admired – who also investigated the real estate industry – had shots fired into his family home. Bullets missed his wife and children by inches.

Later, I met this brave man. His eyes filled with tears as he described the night of the attack on his family.

Even though I sometimes make light of it, it’s no fun to receive threats, abuse and, of course something that really irritates me – the spreading of false information.

As my [stupidest] critics seem unable to comprehend – why do I criticise the industry from which I earn a living? My income was coming from agents, not consumers.

Yes, but it was consumers to whom I felt – and still feel – the most loyalty. It made me wild to see how agents brazenly scammed sellers – with a whole series of methods such as VPA, auctions, under-quoting, conditioning, to name just a few.

Most agents use some or all of the above-mentioned methods.

TROY HOLMES

Including a foul-mouthed abusive agent called Troy Holmes.

Troy who?

Yes, that was my response until yesterday.

Here’s what happened: My son, Alec (now almost 23 and in his fifth year with Jenman Support) placed an ad on Facebook outlining our support services.

The first comment was from a home seller: “I sold my home with an agent who supports the Jenman philosophy. Very happy. Read your book too.” Thank you.

The next comment was from a real estate agent Troy Holmes.

He wrote: “Ahhh the Jenman System, the biggest scam in history.” A slew of dodgy agents – most looked like crims – liked Troy’s words.

I posted a reply…

“Says the scammer agent who knows nothing about Jenman and even less about real estate.”

Before posting my reply, I did some research on Troy Holmes. He supports such dodgy methods as public auctions and VPA. He also makes nauseating boasts about himself including erroneous claims such as that he always gets the best price possible.

No, he won’t and no, he doesn’t.

Despite his chest-thumping, Troy Holmes knows little – if anything – about negotiation. I doubt he has ever read a credible book on how to negotiate. I am certain he has no idea of the ’42 Rules of Modern Real Estate Negotiation’ popular with sellers who support Jenman’s philosophy.

Troy Holmes claims to “lead the field in passion and performance”.

Performance?

His office is spectacularly low performing. A close look at Troy’s personal sales results reveal that he sells less than two properties per month. Really? Why so small? There were 179 sales in Campbelltown alone last year. Why did 156 (87%) of home sellers reject an agent who claims to “lead the field in performance”.

Troy’s chutzpah increases with his next abuse.

Troy Holmes: “I’ve forgotten more about real estate that (sic) you’ve ever known. How many homes did you actually transact?”

Well, if Troy Holmes had worked in my office, he’d have been fired for poor performance.

As for his listings (homes for sale), Troy Holmes currently has the tiny total of just nine properties for sale. “Lead the field”? Hardly. Troy, it seems your mouth speaks more than your results. Although, in fairness to Troy, most agents over-estimate their sales prowess.

At Jenman Real Estate, we always had at least 125 exclusive listings.

Troy continued with repulsive abuse. He used the religion angle to smear me.

Troy Holmes: “but (sic) happy to give credit where credit is due, you took the fear that Religion promotes and applied it to real estate and made a [FOUL WORD DELETED] cash. But it was all a scam and still is.”

You know, Troy Holmes, my children may see your cowardly foul-mouthed abuse.

By now I’d had enough. I replied.

Neil Jenman: “Okay loud- and foul-mouthed bullying abuser with your hateful comments, I’ll challenge you to a wager that the results in my real estate office dwarfed the puny results you make today.”

I then laid out my terms:

“A $100,000 wager to be paid to the charity of the winner’s choice. That usually shuts up you pathetic keyboard cowards. You started this fight, let’s see if you’re prepared to try and finish it. Run rabbit run.”

Sure enough. Troy Holmes ran from the challenge – like a rabbit.

But, like all people who don’t do what they say they’ll do, Troy Holmes changed his challenge. Let’s forget comparing sales results.

He now wants a debate.

Troy Holmes: “You want a real bet? You and me, live on National TV debating the merits of your ‘system (sic). That’s a bet I know you won’t take …. If going down the macho toxic masculinity alpha male route is more your thing.”

While I’m not sure what his final words of abuse mean, I replied.

Neil Jenman: “Challenge accepted. I’ll start the publicity. Not today because I see you’re closed. Enjoy your sleep-in. I’ll release details asap.”

I couldn’t help this comment:

“Just do me one favour: don’t shave off that beard. It makes you look so honest.”

THE NEXT STEP

I’m betting Troy will run faster from his second challenge than he ran from his first challenge.

I hope not.

I would love to debate the merits of the Jenman System – especially with an agent who has almost certainly never read any of my books.

Perhaps he’s never read one of the hundreds of articles I’ve written.

And worst of all (for Troy Holmes), I am certain he has never studied my three-day sales course nor the 5-day management course; that’s the one where, in one of Troy’s rare moments of correctness, he claims that I made [FOUL WORD DELETED] cash.

Yes, at $10,000 a ticket, with hundreds of managers attending every year, my seminars were lucrative. But here’s something: All attendees were offered a money-back guarantee. At the end of the course, if it was not better than they expected, they could have an immediate refund.

From the approximate 2,700 real estate managers who attended my course – simply called ‘The Jenman System’ – none claimed a refund. Ever.

Think about that, Troy Holmes.

MISTAKES IN BUSINESS.

NEIL JENMAN’S WORST HIRING MISTAKE.

We all make mistakes in life. Like so many agents who abuse us, Troy Holmes has made the mistake of escalating his abuse and challenging me (twice). He wimped out on his first challenge. I’m betting he’ll do the same with his second challenge.

Yes, I do make mistakes. Big ones too.

Recently I made a big hiring mistake. A few weeks after hiring a man (for our farm) – at a high salary – he injured himself while pig hunting. His injury was serious. He was unable to work properly for three months. He had a wife and four small children.

According to the law he was entitled to 10 days sick pay.

So, what was my mistake?

Against the advice of many people, my kind wife persuaded me to pay full wages for the entire 90 days. That was 80 days more than the legal law required us to pay.

But here’s something that Troy Holmes may not know about what he calls “the merits” of the Jenman System. In business – and in life – there are two laws. First, the legal law. Second, the moral law. We were following the moral law. Unfortunately, the worker didn’t feel the same.

The man and his family were grateful. Several times – during the 90 days the husband was being paid to not work – he told us, “We’ll make it up to you, Reiden and Neil. We will never forget what you’ve done for us.”

Almost two years passed. I am sure they did not forget. But they never paid us back. Not one day. Not one dollar.

Those extra 80 days represented $34,520.54. Our mistake.

And yes, it hurt us. Both financially and emotionally.

Indeed, it was one of the worst hiring mistakes of our life.

TROY HOLMES’ WORST HIRING MISTAKE

Troy Holmes also claims to have made a “worst ever hiring mistake”. Indeed, his mistake made the news.

Troy hired a 22-year-old girl, ostensibly as his “assistant”.

This young lady was then tasked to deliver leaflets to letterboxes. She was also directed to walk the streets alone and knock on doors to search for sellers. Some assistant.

Now, to be sure, the Macarthur region – in which the suburb of Campbelltown is located – is a delightful area with many good people.

And some bad ones.

It is one of the highest crime areas in Sydney.

So, did Troy Holmes accompany this young lady as she traipsed from door-to-door? That’s what’s required under the Jenman Codes [the system Troy Holmes describes as “the biggest scam in history”].

Let’s be clear. Troy Holmes is not the only agent who asks staff to knock on doors.

But a young lady on her own? In a high crime area?

As well as the risk, it must have been terrifying.

I don’t know if this is correct or not (so I will withdraw it if it’s incorrect) but I am certain that Troy is not a follow-me leader – especially when it comes to a task that can terrify anyone – like knocking on doors.

Under the Jenman System, leaders of real estate agencies must lead the way when it comes to door-to-door prospecting.

But this young lady – the one hired by Troy Holmes as an assistant went knocking on doors (hopefully not in the heat of the Western Sydney summers).

Something went wrong.

According to Troy Holmes, she would “disappear for a few hours at a time”. Note to Troy: That’s what happens when you send staff to search for new listings – they go for long periods.

But one day, as the story goes (according to Troy Holmes) this lady was 15 minutes late for a staff meeting. Troy called her. She had fallen over while doorknocking. She said her heart stopped.

But Troy thought she was pretending.

And no, just as Troy Holmes has not studied a Jenman manual, I doubt he has studied a medical manual. Despite his diagnosis of an alleged cardiac condition, he is not Dr Troy Holmes.

So, what did a man of Troy’s sterling character do next? Send her home to rest? Call an ambulance? Okay, maybe drive her to a medical centre.

No, not chivalrous Troy Holmes. He said he “offered her medical assistance”. Maybe he really is a doctor? Okay, what about a paramedic?

Next Troy did what a man of his character does. He fired the lady.

In Troy’s words: “That was the end of that employee’s tenure at my business.”

When the story broke and he faced criticism, did Troy apologise? No way. Why would he? He hadn’t done anything wrong, surely? No, Troy Holmes went to the place he prefers – social media. He uploaded a 2.5-minute video of himself criticising his now former employee, the young lady.

Yes, Troy, we all make mistakes.

Financially the mistake my wife and I made with our employee cost us less than your mistake.

But then, as you have shouted on social media, Jenman is a scammer. And you’re the better man who wants to debate me on the “merits” of Jenman compared with the merits of you (and thousands of agents like you).

Yes, we all make mistakes. Okay, maybe not as big as the one Troy Holmes has just made. You see Troy, maybe you haven’t grasped something with your decision to call me a scammer – from behind your keyboard.

I am not a distressed and inexperienced 22-year-old girl. I am not your employee.

I stand up for people you hurt – and that includes me and my family. Especially my loyal son Alec, who, while more circumspect than his father, is someone I love deeply. I don’t want anyone to refer to his father as having designed “the biggest scam in history”.

And, of course, I am tired of Alec and his colleagues at Jenman Support – all of whom love their job and often work their hearts out around the clock – having to think that the real estate consumers they love to protect will see your abusive and false posts. Maybe they’ll believe you like so many other lies you and so many dodgy agents tell them.

But don’t worry, I have no plans to take legal action against you. The law moves too slowly and costs too much.

No, I’d rather do it your way, Troy Holmes. Fight it out in public.

And let the public decide.

I’m waiting for you, Troy Holmes.

Or will it be Bunny Holmes – again?

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DEBATE CONDITIONS.

Troy Holmes acts as if he has studied the Jenman System. Why else would be call it “the biggest scam in history”?

For many years I have challenged high-profile industry figures to debate me. None have accepted my challenge. So, given that no major players will debate me, I will accept the challenge from this minnow, Troy Holmes.

Troy would obviously be familiar with the fair conditions that have long been publicised regarding my desire to debate an industry heavyweight. I published those conditions in my book, ’88 Reasons Why You Must Never Sell Your Home at Auction’.

Those conditions will apply to a lightweight like Troy Holmes (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

Here they are now – reprinted in full. And yes, I am willing to widen the debate from being specifically focused on auctions to what Troy Holmes wants to do – compare the merits of the Jenman method with the merits of the method used by Troy Holmes.

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A message to agents (from the book ’88 Reasons’)

THE GREAT DEBATE CHALLENGE

Instead of abuse, put forth one of your own to debate me civilly and courteously.

I will debate any high-profile figure – ideally, a chief auctioneer of a major franchise group. Or any chest-thumper to whom the media give time to spruik the so-called merits of auctions.

The title of the debate will be:

“IS PUBLIC AUCTION THE BEST WAY TO SELL A HOME?”

The debate will be judged by homeowners with no link to agents.

The debate will be held in a meeting hall with at least 500 homeowners in attendance. Plus, live streamed on-line.

The costs of promoting and staging the debate will be paid in advance by both debaters. But the loser of the debate will pay all costs, thus reimbursing 50% of the costs to the winner.

The loser of the debate will donate $100,000 [ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS] to a charity of the winner’s choice.

The loser of the debate will provide a link to the debate on the home page of their website so that consumers can view the debate.

Any takers?

Please email neil@jenman.com.au.

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A FINAL MESSAGE TO HOMEOWNERS AND HOME BUYERS

In appreciation for the time it has taken you to read this article, please accept a complimentary copy of my book on the 88 Reasons you should never auction a home. Just click here.

If you already have that book, I will offer you a copy of what many people describe as their “favourite Jenman book”. It’s called ‘Success Takes Character’. And, although it’s not focused on real estate, it does illicit some excellent comments. Please click here.

If you already own both books, well, I am proud of your support. It’s still a few weeks away but my new book will be published soon. It’s called HOW TO CONTROL REAL ESTATE AGENTS. And I will be pleased to send you a copy once it’s published. Please click here.

IMPORTANT: This offer is for consumers only. Not agents. Which means that Troy Holmes will have to do what he’s surely never done. Buy a copy. It’s only $14.95. I’m sure a successful agent like Troy can afford fifteen bucks (plus $5 for postage).