Real Estate Articles Keep yourself informed in real estate. Discover what agents don't tell you.
Agent Busted For Insider Trading
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), found that Simon had committed eight breaches of the Estate Agents Act. He was fined and lost his real estate license.
Agent Jailed For Three Years
Mark Paul Hunt is now a prisoner. But it took four years to get him into jail. And almost as long for his victims to get compensation from an indemnity fund which is supposed to compensate the victims of real estate agency trust account fraud.
Kiwi Spruiker Blames Bad Publicity
A New Zealand property spruiker is blaming bad publicity for the plummeting prices of Auckland apartments.
A Melbourne Boom In Covid Gloom
Selling a home in Melbourne now? Don’t despair. There is good news for you. At least one real estate agent is creating a boom in the gloom.
Agents Taught To Chase Death Notices
What sort of real estate agents harass the bereaved relatives of someone who has recently died? The answer is simple. Agents who have completed the Queensland Government’s approved real estate licensing course.
Savagery In New Zealand
The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) – the organisation that protects real estate agents – has launched a savage attack against Australian consumer advocate Neil Jenman.
Three Years Jail For Agent
Anthony Rizk’s career as a real estate agent came to a sad end yesterday when he was sentenced to three years imprisonment.
Tasmanian Agent Guilty
A Tasmanian real estate firm has pleaded guilty in the Hobart Magistrates Court to two charges of making false representations to a buyer.
The (Non)Sense Of Auction Results
Things are getting tough for real estate agents. With prices falling, sales are falling, and this means commissions are falling.
Real Estate Commissions Face Investigation
Real estate commissions are being cited as a major factor in the price of housing.
Beat Real Estate Lies
If Robert had lied about the price of his home, he believes he would have sold it by now. He says the truth cost him a sale
The Coming Real Estate Boom In Victoria
When things are bad, it’s often hard to see good times ahead. If we are also suffering the agony of grief, it is hard to see a rosy future.
The Money In ‘Mystery Shopping’
Sometimes you can feel you are being cheated. But you can’t figure out why or how.
It’s just a feeling. But feelings are powerful, and we should listen to
Lazy Agents Mean Low Prices
Your house is listed and nothing’s happening. You call the agent to get a voice-mail, so you leave a message. Next day the agent tells you, drop your price
Warning as “Rogue Agent” Busted
Unlike so many modern agents, Brent Peters doesn’t look like a “rogue estate agent”. He hasn’t got a slick shifty look to him.
How to handle agents : Part 2
Okay, you’ve contacted a few agents. They are on their way to your place. What are you going to do when they arrive?
How to Handle Agents: Part 1
Last Saturday I spoke with a pig. Rude, mean, inconsiderate, selfish – a horrible man. It’s probably an insult to call him a pig – an insult to pigs I mean.
Buy a Buyer!
Today’s most common real estate scam is the ‘ad scam’. Most agents mislead sellers into believing that sellers “need to pay marketing costs”.
Where Your Ad Money Goes!
On the surface, it all seems fair and reasonable. You need to sell your home. Your agent says you need to advertise so you can attract buyers. It costs money to advertise. As the advertising is all about you and your home, it seems fair that you pay for it.
Protect or rescue
Thomas is a 33-year-old underground miner with four children under six. He lives in a remote town. Two years ago, wanting to secure his family’s future, he contacted a real estate wealth creation company on-line.
Sell first or buy first?
Few things make agents more excited than a “seriously motivated vendor”. In lay terms, that means a homeowner with a powerful reason to sell. There are few more powerful reasons than buying another home before selling your existing home.
Booming lies
The one thing always booming in real estate is the lies the industry tells the public. Aside from the daily false quotes given to sellers and buyers about the prices of properties, the most common lies are the auction clearance rates.
Don’t get “TIED” to a Real Estate Agent
Recently, a home-seller signed-up to sell her home with an agent. What happened next is what happens to thousands of sellers.
‘Auction clearance’ lies
Auction clearance rates are lies. Pumped-up statistics. It doesn’t matter who’s sprouting them, auction clearance rates are deliberately false. They are so far from true as to be laughable.
Do Real Estate Agents Lie?
The old joke: “How do you know when real estate agents are lying? Answer: When their lips are moving.” is not a joke, it’s real.
Home sellers – do not drop your price!
When home sellers get anxious about selling, the first thing they usually do – or, more correctly, the first thing agents suggest they do – is “drop the price”.
Cancel the auction!
It all looks so good in the beginning. The agent loves your home and is confident it can be sold for a huge price. Just like the one up the street where the owners got three hundred thousand dollars above their reserve price.
Sellers lose heavily at weekend auctions
Home sellers lost millions of dollars in last weekend’s auctions. Most never realised it. On the contrary, many sellers thought they got a great result because their homes sold above their lowest price – known as the “reserve”.
25 facts about real estate advertising
If home sellers knew the truth about advertising, if they knew what went on behind-the-scenes, they’d realise they are part of what can best be described as a billion-dollar scam.