W
whatevergirl
Guest
I will try to make this story as quick as possible…but the gist is, that we have decided not to buy a home this year, rent elsewhere (the owner of the home we’re renting is going to foreclose on his home) for about two years, and save for a large downpayment. Maybe purchase next year, we’ll see…but for those of you who know the story, we relocated last year to FL, and wanted to rent first to get a sense of the community, etc…
Ok…so, here is my problem. We toured a home last Monday night (dh and I) and liked it. Called the realtor whose name is listed on the website. He says…‘great, please go to our website, and send in your info soon–DON’T WAIT.’ Exact words. (this is through email) Ok, so, last Tuesday, I send the info in…with $70 application fees. ($35 for each app) Ok, so Tuesday afternoon comes and goes–no word. I get a call Wed morning, stating that I needed to send another application (I included my and my sh’s info on the same app) for my husband. I immediately do that, (through fax again) within an hour. I hear nothing all day Wednesday. I call at the end of the day, and the admin says…‘the leasing agent who handles that is out all day, and she’ll get to it tomorrow.’ (meaning Thursday) This person is NOT the agent listed on the property. Ok, so Thursday, comes and goes…around 4:30pm, I finally call, and get the woman who was out on Wed. She says…‘your app looks good, I sent the info over and the owner should be getting back to me in the morning.’ Ok, so Friday morning comes and goes. (can you believe this?
) I heard nothing back. I call AGAIN.
I get transferred to the LISTING agent, not the woman I talked to on Thursday. I get his voicemail, and have never ever been able to speak with him live–but have left three voicemails throughout this ordeal, last week…NO REPLIES.
Ok…so, I get an email back from the listing agent, saying…the owner went with another applicant–but that I AM APPROVED WITH THEM. Uh, I am not looking for a realtor, I was only interested in THAT HOUSE listed by them. They didn’t have much in the specific area I’m looking in.
I talked with a real estate attorney, who is a friend of a coworker’s here, and he said that it seems shifty. That people were shifting me around the office…no one would return my calls…that I had to keep calling to get answers…all points to that perhaps they take applications and fees, all to just get someone in their database, but that they already had someone which is why they didn’t return my calls. It doesn’t take that long to approve someone’s credit and background check–it doesn’t. I’m renting the home I’m in now–it took 2 hours last year to get an answer.
So…I checked the BBB and lo and behold…they have quite a few complaints, ranging from collection agencies, to consumers like me. They have been in business since 1980, but Florida was a different place way back when. I was thinking of waging a complaint with not only the BBB, but also the Florida Board of Realtors.
[Today, I get an email from the listing agent, who said ‘as a courtesy’ he sent me links for other realtors who are listing houses. A courtesy?
So, I let him be privvy to my thoughts on what happened, and that I feel mislead by his company. Had he had other pending applications, I would not have applied. That he shouldn’t have been so encouraging if he knew I was far from the only applicant. He replies with a very nasty tone–stating that he doesn’t handle the process. I replied…‘then why are you listed on your website?’] Needless to say, after seeing the negative reviews on BBB, they are obviously not above board.
What do you think? My hubby tells me to let it go…we have moved on…and found an awesome new place. I don’t know why, but I can’t let it go. The thought that they’ll keep operating this way, and ripping people off upsets me.
I cannot wait to be a homeowner after what we have been through with realtors down here, and landlords’ foreclosure issues.
Ok…so, here is my problem. We toured a home last Monday night (dh and I) and liked it. Called the realtor whose name is listed on the website. He says…‘great, please go to our website, and send in your info soon–DON’T WAIT.’ Exact words. (this is through email) Ok, so, last Tuesday, I send the info in…with $70 application fees. ($35 for each app) Ok, so Tuesday afternoon comes and goes–no word. I get a call Wed morning, stating that I needed to send another application (I included my and my sh’s info on the same app) for my husband. I immediately do that, (through fax again) within an hour. I hear nothing all day Wednesday. I call at the end of the day, and the admin says…‘the leasing agent who handles that is out all day, and she’ll get to it tomorrow.’ (meaning Thursday) This person is NOT the agent listed on the property. Ok, so Thursday, comes and goes…around 4:30pm, I finally call, and get the woman who was out on Wed. She says…‘your app looks good, I sent the info over and the owner should be getting back to me in the morning.’ Ok, so Friday morning comes and goes. (can you believe this?
) I heard nothing back. I call AGAIN. I get transferred to the LISTING agent, not the woman I talked to on Thursday. I get his voicemail, and have never ever been able to speak with him live–but have left three voicemails throughout this ordeal, last week…NO REPLIES.Ok…so, I get an email back from the listing agent, saying…the owner went with another applicant–but that I AM APPROVED WITH THEM. Uh, I am not looking for a realtor, I was only interested in THAT HOUSE listed by them. They didn’t have much in the specific area I’m looking in.
I talked with a real estate attorney, who is a friend of a coworker’s here, and he said that it seems shifty. That people were shifting me around the office…no one would return my calls…that I had to keep calling to get answers…all points to that perhaps they take applications and fees, all to just get someone in their database, but that they already had someone which is why they didn’t return my calls. It doesn’t take that long to approve someone’s credit and background check–it doesn’t. I’m renting the home I’m in now–it took 2 hours last year to get an answer.
So…I checked the BBB and lo and behold…they have quite a few complaints, ranging from collection agencies, to consumers like me. They have been in business since 1980, but Florida was a different place way back when. I was thinking of waging a complaint with not only the BBB, but also the Florida Board of Realtors.
[Today, I get an email from the listing agent, who said ‘as a courtesy’ he sent me links for other realtors who are listing houses. A courtesy?
So, I let him be privvy to my thoughts on what happened, and that I feel mislead by his company. Had he had other pending applications, I would not have applied. That he shouldn’t have been so encouraging if he knew I was far from the only applicant. He replies with a very nasty tone–stating that he doesn’t handle the process. I replied…‘then why are you listed on your website?’] Needless to say, after seeing the negative reviews on BBB, they are obviously not above board.What do you think? My hubby tells me to let it go…we have moved on…and found an awesome new place. I don’t know why, but I can’t let it go. The thought that they’ll keep operating this way, and ripping people off upsets me.
I cannot wait to be a homeowner after what we have been through with realtors down here, and landlords’ foreclosure issues.
is that ALL you have to say, kage? lol
.
) and he was very upfront…and said, I have other people interested, but I am going to process your app, and you let me know what you would like to do before I show anyone else the house. That is how you ethically do business.