Should you Trust the BBB when wanting to Know about a Real Estate Brokerage.

No Way. Do not Expect information on unEthical Realtors to be at the BBB. They do NOT listen, they want you to Make Nice and work it out with Realtors and Mortgage brokers even in the face of Proven Fraud.

The Better Business Buruea is not what they claim to be nor are they what you think or expect them to be. The BBB is WORTHLESS, it is just another agency for folks to work at to make a living but is of no real use. I use to be a proud member but now I know it is is part of the Real Estate Hoax. I have seen Proven Fraud shown to them and they IGNORE it, they discourage complaints and want you to simply play nice.

There is no real way to know if a Real Estate Brokerage / Company has been complained against or not. I have seen proven fraud taken to the BBB and they encourage the consumer to work it out. So big time bad stuff happened and the consumer lost in a major way and the BBB says to work it out. Do not trust this as a source to find if a Realtor has integrity. Do not trust information at the BBB on a Real Estate Brokerage - you will not Find the TRUTH there.

My opinion is that a Realtor’s integrity is irrelevant. They can try and be honest but the system gets the best of them as well and you, the consumer pay the price. There is no true Realtor Accountability. So know more BEFORE you sign, Demand that your contract include what you want it to. Do NOT assume that your Realtors really knows more then your or that they can truly protect you in any way.

Crystal L. Cox, Broker

the Question asked was "Why do Realtors Charge So Much"

the Answer is Because they Can.

NAR does HUGE marketing campaigns to make sure that you Believe you need a Realtor and that a Realtor, NAR member can and will protect you in your real estate transaction.

However, NAR does Nothing as far as I have seen as a Real Estate Broker Owner to actually ensure that the Realtor Members in the Real World of Real Estate that Affects your Real Life actually are held Accountable for when they lie to you, fail to disclose, Violate Ethics and Standards of Practice and More...

Realtors Charge So much Because Consumer Let them, Expect them to and have become use to Simply Sitting Down and Shutting up and Doing as the Realtor, who went to school for one week, says is best.... STOP using a Realtor in Your Real Estate Transaction.

Contrary to Popular Belief there is NOT one reason to USE a "Realtor" - NAR member in your Real Estate Transaction..... not ONE...

How do you Know a Property in 20 Minutes ? You Don't Know. Find Out More Before You Buy.

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Real Estate Buyers Need to Dig Deeper on their Own BEFORE they buy or hire a 3rd party to the real estate transaction that is NOT based on whether they buy or not for their Paycheck, this is the only way to get real, true information and to find out more.. other then the Buyers Tips in this Video.

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Real Estate Owned Properties

"When a lender forecloses on a property, obtains title in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise obtains title to real property as a result of a mortgage or lien, the property becomes what is called “Real Estate Owned” or REO property. Lenders typically sell REO property using the same listing and marketing techniques as ordinary home owners.

REO property, however, is almost always sold using forms and procedures developed by the lender. Such forms and procedures can significantly affect a buyer’s rights and obligations in the transaction.

For instance, may REO forms delay formation of the contract until right before closing, or otherwise reserve to the seller the right to cancel the contract. Buyers should understand and plan for the resulting uncertainty. REO forms typically contain very detailed clauses that shift responsibility for the condition of the property to the buyer and make it difficult or impossible for the buyer to sue the seller if a defect is discovered after closing.

Real estate licensees can give buyers important marketing, business and negotiating advice and information and can assist in preparation of the sale agreement but only pursuant to the client’s instructions. Real estate licensees are not attorneys and are prohibited by law from giving legal advice."

This is For your Need To Know and is from the Link Below...
http://www.oregonrealtors.org/About_OAR/buyadv.html#ShortSaleProperties

Short Sale Properties

From http://www.oregonrealtors.org/About_OAR/buyadv.html#ShortSaleProperties

"A short sale is any sale where the purchase price will not result in sufficient proceeds to pay off the mortgage, or other liens, and clear the title.

Short sales are typically made using a short sale addendum that makes the transaction contingent upon the seller obtaining the consent from their creditors permitting a reduction in the closing costs sufficient to close the transaction for the purchase price. Because the transaction is contingent upon the consent of third parties, short sales often fail. Buyers should understand and plan for the resulting uncertainty.

Contract deadlines and termination provisions must be carefully considered in a short sale. Because the transaction is contingent on the consent of one of more third parties, sellers can, and often do, continue to market the property and seek better offers.

Creditors will often demand changes in the terms of the sale agreement as a condition of giving their consent. Buyers should be prepared to deal with the additional uncertainty created by the potential for multiple offers and third party demands. Real estate licensees can give buyers important marketing, business and negotiating advice and information and can assist in preparation of the sale agreement but only pursuant to the client’s instructions. Real estate licensees are not attorneys and are prohibited by law from giving legal advice."

Folks Make sure you are looking at all your paperwork, there may be NO benefit to using a in your Short Sale process, the Realtor is negotiating so they get paid... find out all you can BEFORE you Sign. Ask questions, change things on contracts if you don't like it, NEVER EVER accept a supposed "Standard Form" - they are not meant to protect you, the Real Estate Victim (real estate consumer ). NAR is in the Short Sale game BIG TIME... Realtors everywhere benefitting from what NAR pushed you into in the first place, don't let it happen again.

OREGON PROPERTY BUYER ADVISORY

This is A CONSUMER INFORMATION PUBLICATION OF THE OREGON REAL ESTATE AGENCY - I am Posting what is said about this advisory below..

"A real estate licensee is vital to the home buying process and can provide a variety of services in locating property, negotiating the sale and advising the buyer.

A real estate agent is generally not qualified to discover defects or evaluate the physical condition of property; however, a real estate agent can assist a buyer in finding qualified inspectors and provide the buyer with documents and other resources containing vital information about a prospective new home.

This Advisory is designed to assist home buyers in meeting their obligation to satisfy themselves as to the condition and desirability of property they are interested in purchasing. Common issues in real property transactions that home buyers often decide to investigate or verify are summarized in this Advisory.

In addition to investigating or verifying these common issues, the buyer should tell the licensee with whom they are working about any special concerns or issues the buyer may have regarding the condition of the property or surrounding area. Such special concerns are not addressed in this Advisory. "

I think you do need real estate advise But I do not think it should be based on the Deal Closing. I feel that Real Estate Advice should be a Real Service and Cut out as many reasons to Lie - Cheat - Steal or fail to disclose as possible.

I don't think a "Realtor" can objectively advise a Buyer. If they only get paid if the Deal Closes there is too much room for Silent Fraud, Failed Disclosure, Latent Defects, Adverse Material Fact and many other factors that directly hurt the real estate consumer.

The above advisory says, "A real estate agent is generally not qualified to discover defects or evaluate the physical condition of property" - the thing is YOU should demand that REALTORS - supposedly of a higher standard.. ARE qualified to "discover defects" and "evaluate". The REALTOR, real estate agent gets paid a large chunk of money and they do not know enough to really help you make informed decisions or to protect you. You, the Real Estate Consumer need to DEMAND that REALTORS know more, are "qualified" to tell you what can hurt you, and are required to "evaluate the physical condition" otherwise of what use are they Really.

Most Realtors get paid basically for talking you into listing with them, and then they wait for a buyer to magically appear. Though more and more Realtors are using more photos they generally still do not, the POINT is to get you to call and ask questions so they can sell you something, anything will do really.

I have seen many Realtors simply do Nothing at all and then when the closing comes they go and just sit in the room, and wait patiently for their money. I have seen Realtors point at a photo of a listing in their office - send the buyer out to look, buyer comes back and the secretary writes up the deal.. Cha Ching.. $12,000 pay check for Broker Owner Big shot..

This advisory also talks about home buyers "obligations" - you see as a buyer you are Obligated to Find out what is wrong with the place your buying, you have to do all the research - homework and all it takes to be sure and you have to pay specialists in each field - When in TRUTH the Realtor should do this, the NAR member that is Suppose to be of a higher standard really should be of a higher standard. Instead they get to brush off all the real work on to title companies, inspectors, and on the buyer themselves to "discover" issues..

Yes this reduces the Realtors Risk, Bigtime... and it makes it easy for them to just say hey I DID NOT KNOW... or I THOUGHT THE SELLER FIXED THAT... You the Real Estate Consumer needs to demand that the "Realtors" do more to protect you, do more to advise you, and do more to actually be the Higher Standard and the Voice of Real Estate that NAR brags Realtors up to Be.

All this investigative work should be done by the Realtors... WHAT are you Still Paying them For...

Mortgage Fraud to Me - Liars Loans - Sellers “Contribution”

Liars Loans they called them whereby you got to State Your Own income. These loans were Perfect for many consumers who could NOT otherwise afford a home. the Problem was they were Fraud but over looked on PURPOSE.

Sellers Contributions Contributed to FALSE Data in the MLS, Sellers Contribution was NOT consistently taken into affect in appraisals, in My Opinion. How could they be really, they were not really disclosed in the MLS, and NO ONE looks at the settlement statement to make sure everything is accurate. That would be asking to much of the VOICE OF REAL ESTATE.

So a Sellers contribution of vary money, and sometimes big money would mean that the purchase price was actually lower. This contributed HUGELY to overinflated real estate. Who cares, the Buyer got in, The Realtor got paid, the Seller got their money. So what is the Big Deal?

Well down the road, collapse was inevitable and pretty much easily predictable. NAR - and Big Lenders had to know what was going on but they all pushed consumers and when folks lose everything and markets collapse then NAR - the Voice of Real Estate Comes in as the Hero to "work with Congress" to "lobby" and get those loans back into action whatever it takes. NAR was at the HELM of the Real Estate ship... they are The Self Appointed VOICE of Real Estate (which that Title- trademark- SHOULD be Stripped) this VOICE consumers listened to, markets listened to and when it all came tumbling down, oh well we were wrong.

and They were not there to help you. then comes Short Sales and Foreclosure experts. Otherwise known as the same NAR members that told you to BUY..

BULL - you Flat Out lied, you could see what was coming, YOU were creating it and the Lenders went right along with it, they made Billions upon Billions of Your Debt which was their asset and they leveraged for larger investments. You cannot keep falsely inflating and never expect a collapse... they new.. and yet this Voice of Real Estate is back at advising YOU and YOUR government again.

Sellers Contribution were ALWAYS downright fraud and consumer lies... they made it so someone could afford a home when they could not afford a home, and when they lost the home oh well... we Can Help you With That Too.

Seller Contribution - Liars Loans, otherwise called stated income loans were all creating a false house of cards but money was falling everywhere and no one cared. YOU need to Blame NAR, to NOT let lenders, mortgage brokers and Realtors do this AGAIN as if they were not part of all this in the first place. Sellers Contributions are a Flat Lie. They create totally inaccurate SOLD Data and were allowed over and over with VERY big contributions.

One more NOTE on Stated Income Loans, Guess What, they work VERY good for someone who has a whole lot of right offs, special tax breaks, hides income VERY well and cannot really SHOW how much they make though they make that and more.... these are the Realtors. Stated Income Loans are - were Awesome for the Realtors themselves.

And NAR attorneys told me that Buyers Rebates were Illegal all the While all this Chaos, Fraud, and Anti-Consumer Data and Financing was happening... you were fleeced Real Estate Consumers..

Do NOT let it Happen Again.

DO NOT listen to NAR as the rise to the Top of this Economic Collapse as Housing Heros - the Voice of Real Estate To the Rescue... NAR is a Fraud. They Lobby for What Benefits them and Not you.

If NAR was really interested in you, the consumer they would TRY at least to hold Realtors accountable for lies, fraud, and non-disclosure. NAR Needs to hold Realtors accountable for the Ethics and Standards of Practice they claim the are All about as Realtors.

NAR should be making, creating, enforcing, working with congress, lobbying on issues such as the REAL world of real estate at the Local Level where hard working people are losing everything at the hands of a Realtor and NO ONE is listening. NAR should Sit Down and SHUT up.. with their Yapping to Congress and Pushing THEIR agenda on Your government to benefit their pocketbook. They need to ENFORCE what they already have in Place. They NEED to be what they already PRETEND they are instead of worrying about working with congress to ensure that REALTORS stay in Business.


Crystal Cox Broker
Real Estate Industry Insider
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is it unethical to cut out your realtor when you buy a for sale by owner

This Questions was in my Search Terms Today. This is a Good One. I have more information on this site and others about this topic. Just know this You have More Rights then your Realtors tells you that you have.

If your Realtor Forced or talked you into signing a Buyers Locating agreement / form of some sort that you would work "Exclusively" with them, then you are kind of out of luck. This is a SCAM, in my opinion that accreditated Buyers Agents (Realtors) run on the real estate consumer. They make you sign this agreement saying it is the law and what gives them the right to represent you, and in a way it is. State Laws, where I live say you must have this form so the buyer knows you have entered inton an agreement with them before you show them property. Most Realtors use this as way to tie, you the Real Estate Buyer to them no matter what you buy, this is UnEthical and Unfair.

So DO not Sign an Exclusive Agreement that you will work with only one Buyers Agent, otherwise this ties you to them whether they do the job you want or expect of them. The form you do sign should, in my opinion be non-exclusive or only for a certain property, or set of properties you seen that day - meaning if you buy one of those then they are your Buyers agent otherwise your Free to Do as you Please.

The Buyers Broker Form - Locating agreement or whatever it is called where you are may also say something about you paying commission, don't sign it. And in fact, add a clause that says if I find my own FSBO and I close on this FSBO you, the Broker of XXX Realty get no commission. Add to this form anything you like, you have a right, I am not giving legal advice of ANY kind, however it is my understand that you, the real estate consumer are a party to the real estate contract and can make any changes you like BEFORE all parties sign.

I saw a guy, a Real Estate Broker owner tie his Client to a Buyers Broker agreement that promised his 4% commission, my seller was offer 4%, so either the Buyer or my Seller had to pay this extra 1% on a multi-million dollar deal. This is extoration in my opinion, but hey, my Seller wanted the deal so they paid. NEVER lock in no matter the game. Each deal SHOULD be based on individual properties and the work the agent actually does for you.

IT is NOT unethical to CUT the Realtor out if you find a FSBO. If lots of time and gas money were spent, it may be curtious to reimburse the Realtor, however, if you found the FSBO and they did not find it for you, then they were not working hard enough on your behalf. And as far as Ethics, Consumers don't have to abide by Ethics, Consumer have to act within the Law. Realtors are not held accountable for Ethics and you certainly will not be.

Yes be respectful of your Realtor and the time they put in, each case is different but in general that answer to this is NO it is NOT unethical to CUT your Realtor out if you find a FSBO without tham. HOWEVER, If the REALTOR showed you the FSBO, pointed at it, told you about it... then yes it is WRONG to cut them out...
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realtor lies about real estate - a Search Term on My Site quite Often

This is kind of a Duh, of Course they do. This is a Commission based business and ya know what sometimes there is no way to Sell anything with out some sort of lie. Realtors, good ones may try but they cannot tell all they know about a property, it is against the law and ethics and some realtors do follow those. The Problem is the ones who don't are not held accountable.

As far as a List of Lies Realtor Tell.. well scour this website and many, many more posts to follow.

Knowledge is Power

Crystal Cox Broker

Life Decisions in 15 Minutes ?

Look Deeper, Look for Yourself, Do NOT put your Life in the hands of a Home Inspector or a Realtor. JUST don't Do It.

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How Do you Know what your Buying Really in 15 minutes to 30 minutes? Should you trust an Engineered Inspection? Folks they don't know what can hurt you and Sellers and their agents cannot afford to Tell you. Wake UP... This is Your Life.
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Am I the Only Realtor / now Simply Real Estate Broker Who has Seen this Stuff ?

I am not sure if the Realtors that say I am lying have seen what the Real Estate Attorney does to the Consumer. The Realtors and Those Claiming to Be Educated about Real Estate are Bashing me daily. I know that I do not know everything. But I have seen the HUGE gap between Realtors and Real Estate Attorneys, and in lawsuits what this Failure does that hurts you the real estate consumer.

Surely other Real Estate Brokers out there are seeing this stuff and just doing what they can to ignore it, side step or somehow look the other way over and over so they can keep doing business. This is what I saw, in several MLS - Realtor Association, among Realtor after Realtor, how can I be the only one seeing it.

The Realtor Love to Tell me I am lying to you folks, I don't get it, How do they get to say I am lying about what I experienced? Just because they did not experience what I did does not mean that I am flat out lying... shocking that they say I am Lying.

The Realtors saying I am making a Fool Out of Myself. That’s Ok. I made more of a Fool of Myself putting my hand over my heart and swearing to the Realtor Creed. I mad more of a Fool of Myself not being able to actual do for consumers what I really thought I could.

I made promises, I ate my words over and over because of the NAR lies and games Realtors play, especially after one lawsuit when they realize their super power, they are ABOVE the law. I don’t mind that I don’t talk just so, or dress just so, I can live with the REALTORS trashing me for that. And I don’t mind if what I say makes me look foolish.

Something I say will reach out to someone somewhere and in that I will have made a Real Difference and I will have actually stood by the Oath I gave when I joined NAR and became of a “Higher Standard”.

The Realtors say that my information is “pathetic” - I could sit hear and quote prices, and trends, quote the hundreds of real estate books and information I have read, but what I want you to know how bad it really is. I am not trying to “Impress” those who apparently need me to be a Scholar in my videos. I am saying the real estate consumer counts on real estate brokers and when they lie, when they fail, no one holds them accountable.

The Realtors say that My Videos make me look bad to anyone who is “Educated” about real estate. I am a Broker Owner, I have seen the inside of Lawsuits, I have seen Flat Out Fraud, I have seen lies about lake access and property disclosure that ruins consumers lives. Sorry if I don't look just so, and I must say I don't need Those Realtors to worry about how I look to folks, or how I come across. The internet is simple, you can STOP a video you don't Like or close Website - a Blog... JUST look away if your so worried about me ..

I am ok with sounding “ignorant” - “stupid” as the Realtors like to say. I am NOT ok with being SILENT about the Bad things I have seen happen to Good People at the Hand of "Higher Quality" - "Higher Standards of Practice" Real Estate Agents called Realtors. I am not ok with the Consumer NOT being heard and being treated as if they don't something wrong when they reach out for help to attempt to fix What has Truly been Done to Them.
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I am the VOICE for the Real Estate Consumer, though Most may not even feel they need it. Many have not seen what I have seen, but for those who have, well they know that this stuff is really - really bad and can ruin lives.

The Realtors who slam me for what I tell you say that I am wrong, Are they lying to you, do they live in a different world then I do, have they not seen what I have seen? Are these Realtors Broker Owners ?

Have they seen major lawsuits where consumers have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars, years of their life, their homes, children to cancer due to MOLD lies, and have they seen the intimate details of a Real Estate Lawsuit with PROVEN without a Doubt proof that a Realtor lied and watched the Realtor NOT be held accountable in ANY way?

Have these Realtors witnessed the lies, false data, ethics violations and no accountability,

I mean Surely I am not the Only “Realtor” out there that saw this stuff… Am I the only Broker that has not been heard by NAR at the Local State and National Level? Am I the only Realtor that has seen what a lack of Realtor Accountability does to the Real Estate Consumer?

Well I Guess I Must Be. By the Sounds of those Who love to tell me how wrong I am, How I am Lying…


Shhhhh… Don’t Create Waves.
You Still NEED the Consumer to
Believe YOU, a Realtor - a NAR member

Who Monitors the Realtors ?

Who policing what the Realtors are Really doing? I say that no one is really looking. Sure there is a State Audit of a few files every decade or so. Big Deal, what the Realtors do on a daily basis, well no one is looking at any of this.

REALTOR, the NAR members are Self Governed - they look over their own shoulder, they protect their own, they have a Code of Silence that is as Good as It Gets. And the Real Estate consumer with a REAL - legitimate case, well they don’t stand a chance.

This needs to change and has needed to change for a VERY long time.

There is not enough Agents per say of the Dept. of Justice, Governing Bodies or someone who will actually watch what the Realtors are really up to and hold them accountable for harm that is really, truly being done to the Real Estate Consumer.

Things Need to Change. You Need to Demand It.

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Look Beyond the Marketing, Hype, Infomercial Junk..

You do not need that stuff. Sellers want to sell and Buyers want to buy and all that chaos - garbage - yammering looking to get a piece of your pie in the middle .. You don’t need them. They want to sell you coaching, marketing, how to get rich in real estate.. It is all bull. The cold hard facts are what you need, who cares how much you make if the REALTOR lies and you loose it all.

I had a Guy tell me he spent $75,000 that year alone on real estate coaching, yet he talked to me, a Broker Owner for Free for hours.. I of course let him and tried to give good advice for FREE. So what are these real estate coaches teaching… is it really worth the money they charge.

They are the Master of Illusion and know the Art of Manipulation well. They do not really need to know how to make you money or how to navigate the Real World of Real Estate. They do not need to show you how to avoid lawsuits, demand your rights or be protected in your transaction in ANY way.

All they need to do is convince you that they know more then YOU… that they know more then anyone on the topic and you should pay them big bucks because they can make you even bigger bucks…

Stop Being Scammed. Real Estate is between Buyers and Sellers, those who transfer title, those who really loan the actual money and that is it. All others just have their hand out and you don’t need to give them your hard earned money.

Don’t buy into the Illusion. Real Estate should be a Simple transfering of property and there does not need to be so many made up "Profession" getting in the middle of Simply Buyer and Selling Real Estate.
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Why are Seemingly All the Real Estate Brokers Getting Auctioneer Licenses ?

Seems like the Real Estate Brokers are planning for a whole lot of foreclosures, a whole lot of losses, and now they are going to make even more money from the Sellers loss. Funny, in my area Coldwell Banker led the pack at telling consumers to BUY BUY BUY when the real world, the internet, and real information was saying that the market was tumbling. And now those same folks are making money off of selling those distressed properties be it Short Sales, Foreclosures that the Bank Took, Auctioning Off the Houses, or well… what ever it takes…. Now really is a Good time to Buy.

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Agency Laws and Real Estate Consulting, Real Estate Advice….

If I see you in the Supermarket and you ask me a Broker Owner what I think your property is worth, or ask questions on the current market and I tell you what I think, have we entered into some sort of agreement or contract? Does Agency Laws Apply ?

Do I have to disclose in that moment who I represent in the conversation ? It is said that I cannot give real estate advice or I have entered into some sort of agency agreement, yet it happens all the time.

They make such a big deal out of Agency Laws, the thing is WHAT? I mean why this? They cannot enforce non-disclosure that is for the courts to battle and the consumer to most of the time lose. They cannot enforce laws in place that really do hurt consumers but they can seemingly, easily, revoke a real estate license if you do not Disclose “Agency” appropriately, in the right way and at the right time.

Is Agency Disclosure so important ? I don’t think so. I mean you are working with an agent, they are looking with you the buyer, you kind of know that they your Buyers Agent. And if you choose to list with a Realtor, a real estate broker you kind of know that they represent you as a Seller’s Agent.

I guess all this came out of Consumers confusion on who really pays the commission and where the Realtors duty really lies and other Fiduciary Yammerings. However, come on, in the Real World of Real Estate an argument can be made for the Fact that the Buyer pays the commission and the Seller pays the commission.

If Fiduciary is who is paying you well then I guess in Closing, in theory it is the Seller for it is on the Sellers Settlement Statement, however in the Big Picture that money is paid from the buyer and debited to them first on their settlement statement before it becomes commission paid by the Seller.

Who Does the Realtor Really Work for ? You don’t need agency disclosure to know that the agent / the “Realtor” works for the “Realtor”. Keep it Simple… Buying and Selling Real Estate - you Need to look out for yourself as a Real Estate Consumer and DO NOT trust that anyone in your real estate transaction really knows how to or will actually be able to look out for your best interest. I know you wish is was that way, you expect it to be that way, but it is NOT that way.

I think laws on real estate are a mess, lack of Realtor Accountability is a Consumer Nightmare and the games and drama surrounding and in between it all are hurting the Real Estate Consumer Every single day with no end in sight.

I believe the Real Estate Consumer deserves Independent - 3rd party real estate advice NOT paid on whether the Realtor - Real Estate Broker gets commission or not. It seems that some State's agency laws may interfere with this Consumer Friendly way of doing real estate. And I am sure that NAR will find a way to LOBBY, pay of politicians and push for even stricter agency laws to prevent Brokers like me from giving you feel, fee base advice... that is NOT based on real estate commission.

Demand More from NAR - Talk to your State Law Makers, You have a Right to Independent Advice from Independent Sources.
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How Do appraiser Value your Home ? Why do Appraisers Trust and Lean on REALTORS so much? Who Watches the Appraisers - Really? Who Polices the Data?

Your lender needs an appraisal to justify your loan. Appraisers get your VALUE from SOLD data. They can get this SOLD data also from FSBO’s that have SOLD if they can find out about them. Appraisers in my area call the different Brokers to see if they have had anything SOLD, and guess what they pretty much take whatever the Broker says to be the WORD, the Truth.

Appraisers assume that Brokers are telling them the Truth, or they just need to pretend they are. What if the Broker lies about a closing and never has to prove it?

Appraisers called me and asked about my Closings in the MLS, there was not enough Data there for them to stretch their value so they called to pick my brain, I did it a couple of times. I refuse to know. Why do appraisers call real estate Brokers, ask tons of questions, pick their brain on their closings and get all kinds of information to use in their appraisal report and don’t pay the Broker for their time or services.

The appraiser is being paid for the service but really the MLS data and the Brokers on the Phone do the work. I have even had appraisers make me, ask me to go and take photos for them so they can “get it appraised” - well of course I did, I wanted the Deal to Close. I wanted my Big Fat Commission Check.

The last appraisal I had, the guy said he was doing 6 a day at that time, and they were 500 a piece. Yes there are later reports bit deal, it is software on their computer and not that difficult.

One guy used his brothers recent SOLD as a Comparable - a SOLD Data for his loan. There may be a few comparables that stretch the parameters but one Solid SOLD is needed. And I truly believe that one True, False, Lie or Made Up SOLD data can change - can Make a Market.

Appraisers love to argue with me and tell me that I have not seen what truly I have seen. The Appraisers love to tell me that One Sale never makes a market and that what I way about appraisals, pretty much all of it is not true.

The thing is that Appraisers and Real Estate Brokers around the World can start their own blog and tell you their experience, they can start a blog and tell you how is should be or how it really is for them. My blog is my perspective based on what I, ONE real estate Broker Owner has truly experienced.

I am not saying this is everywhere, however, the lenders I speak of are global in ownership and reach, the mortgage issues are global, REALTOR - NAR certainly is global so I am thinking that my experience has a lot more common ground then folks care to admit.

I have seen situations where, not my clients and no one would admit it, but where a large developer was having trouble getting his price for homes in his development. Savvy Internet Buyers would see the Purchase Price and run. The buyers would say it is not worth it and I could never get a loan on it. So the developer would get it “Appraised” - now there are SERIOUSLY many, many tricks to get something to appraise, to “Come in At”.

One trick is to sell one of the many houses to an old buddy, and get this SOLD price put into the MLS, maybe by having the Realtor run the deal for say 1 or 2 percent and then it goes into the MLS data. This SOLD is one of the Comps, maybe sell another one this way or simply use the one to Stretch the "Value" parameters so your buyers can easily get Funded on the Loan for the House. In this example of course the "buddy" would get the money back, it is not a real sale just made to look that way.

How about this one, they wanted me to buy a lost for $100,000 that would only appraise at $30,000. They said they would finance it and give me the $70,000 difference back. They just wanted the rest of the lots in the subdivision to appraise at $100,000 and to drive up the price for other for a state buy out of some of their land.

A Realtor had an 80 acre parcel and a 40 acre parcel, our buyer bought both. It Sold for a certain price, that price was on the Settlement Statement, was on the buy sell. But that price was NEVER in the MLS. It was a 120 acres that SOLD for a certain Specific Sold Price. yet It was entered as a 40 and and 80, and add both SOLD prices together and it was way to high, plus it give a per acreage price dif. on each.

Turns out the Realtor did this because they had other listings of the same acreage and need the SOLD data for CMA's at first and future appraisals to sell other lots they personally owned and of their clients.

I called the MLS about the price inaccuracy, no one cared or listed - I Was a Realtor, a Broker owner. I called the Realtor who did it and they quoted the correct SOLD data on the phone "for my records" but did not change the MLS data. No one cared, and many go loans based on this FAKE - Fudged Sold price. This happens more often then any of us will ever know. The MLS data is, in and of itself a VERY big Deal and no one watches over it.

Appraisers TRUST, the Entire Lending community trusts that the MLS data is accurate and that the Real Estate Broker is being honest when they call them. They never verify what I say, lenders nor appraisers, it would take too many man hours. They assume, I a real estate Broker Owner, a Then Realtor would simply NEVER lie or stretch the truth.

Unless Realtors truly do and acceptable so Violate Anti-trust laws every single day, how do appraisals know what commission was really taken out of the deal? Do they assume it is standard, do they look in the MLS and automatically take the SOC - Selling office commission as the fact that the whole commission is just that doubled (which is NOT necessarily True). Do they know about buyers agent bonuses, is that truly factored into this infamous, supposed value?

Appraisers can tell you what ever they need to about their Secret Society, but the world I live in is truly the only real perspective I have and in my world appraisals are far from reliable, accurate or really what a place is worth or would actually sell for.

Maybe appraisers really don’t know the tricks that are played on them or on the market, I have certainly seen some.

Who am I? Seriously I went to school one week and still back then as an agent, appraisers took my word, they believed me on my closed data. What if I knew the property they were appraising and wanted it to come in at a certain price for my own selfish interest?

There are many Reasons a Realtor may need a property to “Come in At” a certain price. Maybe it is there development, maybe they have a house in that same market, maybe a friend or family does, maybe it is just commission based, whatever the reason an Appraiser should not trust a Broker.

I can lie off the cuff, right on the spot and you would never know. Most Good Brokers can. I am a master in the art of manipulation and illusions. Don’t worry I use my Power for the good, but I do have it and you, the Real Estate Consumer need to make sure that you really are making your own decisions out there. Seriously, you may NEVER know if your being led to a decision that REALLY is Not your Own.

How do appraisers find out about Non-MLS listings, SOLDS. Well their client tells them or they clal broker to broker begging for a comparable SOLD. Even on my own sales they let me come up with a comp, get me to root around for them. Hey if I want it to close, and I do so I go find a comp, myself to get the deal closed.

Do appraisers use Settlement Statements from SOLD data in their Reports? Hmmm… I don’t think so… ok then how do they know the Real SOLD price ? Oh I know from the High Quality, High Integrity of the MLS data in which no one EVER looks at to see if the SOLD price is entered the same as is actually was on the Settlement Statement. Gee there would be no reason for it to be WRONG, or in accurate in any way now would there.


What If you next sale of your own or your client needed certain SOLD prices to be in the MLS to justify their price.

So the Appraisers just say, Hey Appraisals are not Fact, they are opinion. Seriously is that good enough. And if they are Just Opinion why not get this Opinion for Free from the MLS. Lenders can access the MLS themselves, the Public should be able to, what is the big mysterious deal about all of it ?

Why did Lenders let appraisals come in so high? And let “Values” keep rising so fast? Well it is because lenders made BIG money from these loans, made big interest, big commissions, and now they are making money from taking the property from YOU. And their attorneys are making money, the Realtors are making money again off SELLING the property again. The only one who loses over and over in the whole game is the Real Estate Consumer.
The Real Estate Industry is Broken at every level and the Consumer has been paying the price for a very long time.

The Games, Lies, Illusions are never ending and may just SHOCK you… and there is no end in site, the only answer is Consumers Knowing More of the Big Finance, Mortgage, Real Estate games that are played and how to avoid them.

Crystal L. Cox - Broker
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more on My Buyers Rebate Fight

I wanted to Give Buyers rebates from Day ONE of my Real Estate Career, I was told I could not do it and that it was Illegal. This told to me by my Local Association of Realtors and Shown to me via State laws and Newsletters from MAR - the State Association of Realtors.
I found it incredibly anti-consumer from the start and there was nothing I could do, as year upon year rolled by I was given more and more excuses and just before the law changed not to long ago to allow buyers rebates we got an NAR newletter about how illegal it was, how it was mortgage fraud and how our state was even making it Stricter as a Law that we do not GIVE BUYERS rebates.

The Realtors pushed this one hard, and why? I could do what I want with MY MONEY as long as I did not give it Back to the Real Estate Consumer. Hmmmm... and now it is legal, but WHAT? I thought the NAR attorneys said it was mortgage fraud and we should Tell on each other. Lies - Misleadings and NAR agenda pushed on the Realtors in the field as Law - Fact and in the best interest of all. And that was a Flat Out Lie.

Buyers Rebate - Buyers Cash Back
NAR Lies - NAR is Anti-Consumer.
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Do what you Want with your Money
but don't help consumers that is Illegal.
Maybe Mortgage Fraud - YET Sellers Contributions
Were Somehow Legal and Fine.. hmmmm.
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Real Estate Consumers are Use to NOT being Heard so they Stop Complaining.

Real Estate Consumers have Taken IT to Long. They have not been heard, no one is listening to the real estate consumer and so they just shut up and Take It. Whatever the Realtors Dish Out, the Consumer is Forced to Take.

No One is Truly Listening to the Real Estate Consumer. Real Estate laws are WORTHLESS because they are pretty much impossibly to enforce. If you do try and enforce them you lose even more then you lost in the first place and go through Literal Hell in the Mean Time.

NAR Ethics are WORTHLESS and in NO Way Truly help the Consumer.

NAR does NOT hold the Realtors Accountable when they Lie or Fail to Disclose, and this is at the State, Local and National Level.

NAR brags about their Ethics and Higher Standards and it is a Flat Out Lie.

NAR says I cannot Use this Sentence for it is a Trademark Violation…. “Confessions of a Realtor”, law books use Realtor in place of Real Estate Agent, Law Cases use Realtor in place of Real Estate Agent, thousands of websites use Realtor in place of Real Estate Agent, everyone on the street use Realtor in place of Real Estate Agent, Real Estate Franchise Ads on TV use Realtor in place of Real Estate Agent, but NAR trademark attorneys want me to Shut Up, NAR says I cannot say “Confessions of a Realtor” - I Say the Real Estate Consumer is Ready for Some Truth, Ready for some serious “Confessions of a Realtor”.

Consumers really do call a Real Estate Agent, a Real Estate Broker - a Realtor.

It is just the way it is, Society seems to assume that all Real Estate Brokers are Realtors and hey if they are not well who cares, because If a Real Estate Broker is not a Realtor, NAR member, then they Have No Ethics, are Dis-Honest, are NOT of a Higher Standard and well just someone that should not be trusted. This is No Where Near the Truth, but this is the Lies NAR wants YOU to believe, NAR needs You to Believe.

The Real Estate Consumer NOW has a Voice for the Real Estate Consumer, and that is Me, Crystal L. Cox - Real Estate Industry Whistleblower. I want you to know what NAR supports, neglects, lobby's for, hides, brags about and flat out lies about that really does hurt you, the Real Estate Consumer.

I am Listening to Real Estate Consumers, Standing Up for the Real Estate Consumers and I believe it is about time a Broker Owner, and Industry insider… Boldly Stood up To NAR and SAID - NO… STOP your Lies, Stop your Pretending to Be of a Higher Standard, Stop Lobbying against Consumers, STOP ignoring Broker Owners, START policing DATA in the MLS, Start holding Realtors who lie accountable… Really Be the Voice of Real Estate Or Get OUT of Real Estate FOREVER.

YOUR local real estate Broker Supposedly has a Choice to NOT join the Cartel known as NAR, but really they don't currently have a lot of options. Your Local Broker does not have to Be a Realtor, and Guess what they still may have Ethics, and they still may truly be of a Higher Standard. I Quit NAR, I am the Same person, the Same type of Broker, I just don't have to lie about Ethics and being of this fancy, pancy Higher Standard where Realtors around the World of held to their supposed Ethics and Standards of Practices by some "I Swear" bull and no one holding them to it. I no longer have to play the game of Hey, were Realtors of Course your protected, we have Ethics... we ALL of us are held to a Higher Standard, Really and then BE Flat Out lying to the Real Estate Consumer Every day.

They don’t like how I talk, they trash the way I dress, they slam my hairstyle of choice, they HATE the way I say Real-A-Tor, they bash me in forums, they say I am lying, and much more all while I am telling you my honest experience as One Real Estate Broker, Ex-NAR member.

The Realtors say I am Self Righteous, I am Not, I am not saying I am any better then any Realtor, I play the game, I have to or quit making money. Realtors say I am using these blogs, exposing the industry to get listings, to get buyers... BULL.. don't List with me.. SELL as an Internet Savvy FSBO.

I am telling you How It Is... the Down and Dirty, Raw Truth about the Realtors... Simple as That...
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Agricultural - Tax, Taxes, Disclosure Issue

When NAR Lobbys - You, the real estate Consumer, You lose. NAR is Anti-Consumer - Period.

April 29, 2009 ~ Realtors are DIRECTLY against YOU.. the Consumer and they Spend at Least a Hundred Thousand Dollars a Day, to make sure of it.

" The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has dramatically increased its lobbying expenditures (and influence) in Washington in the wake of the bursting of the housing bubble. The first chart shows the lobbying expenditures of the NAR over the past five quarters. As you can see the NAR has greatly ramped up its lobbying expenditures in the past couple of quarters. The Q1′09 expenditures represent an increase of more than 82% over Q1′08 expenditures. In the past two quarters the NAR has spent $12.25 million on lobbying in Washington."

http://ChartingTheEconomy.com/?p=839
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The purpose of the next two charts is to give you some perspective on the amount of money that NAR / the National Association of Realtors is spending on lobbying. The second chart shows how much that NAR spent per business day on lobbying during each of the past five quarters. During the past couple of quarters on average the NAR has spent roughly $100,000 per business day on lobbying expenditures. This is a mind numbing number.
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$100,000 A Day ~
Anti-Consumer Lobbying in My Opinion.
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This is YOUR money, you the Realtors in the Field - you the Real Estate Consumer and I am Highly Doubtful that it is really in ANY best interest of the Public.

So NAR can Seemingly justify their expenditures by saying it was (is) necessary to help educate public officals on the complex issues facing the nation during the housing crisis.

This is a ridiculous argument. Having educational meetings with policy makers is important, but it doesn’t need to be an expensive process. How do I know this? Because I was a corporate lobbyist in Washington years ago.

I had many meetings on Capitol Hill, and it just doesn’t cost much. How much does it cost to meet over a cup of coffee and exchange some ideas? My expenses were always small (a few bucks). As a former lobbyist it blows my mind to think of spending $100,000 every business day on expenses. It would be work just trying to spend the money.

As far as having NAR educating our public officals, that scares me too. The forth chart (below) shows what the NAR was saying about housing during the past few years as the housing market was collapsing.

I took the quotes directly from the titles of NAR press releases. Is this the organization that we want educating our public officals on how to fix the housing crisis?

.... it serves an important part in the American political process. The problem is the excessive amounts of money that have become commonplace in Washington lobbying circles. Excessive levels of lobbying expenditures serve to distort politics and not to advance the political process.

On a positive note the disclosure and reporting on lobbying has become better. The next step is to put controls in place on lobbying expenditures.

Note: The lobbying expenditures covered in this report are from U.S. Congress disclosures (and cover just the federal government). It should be noted that there are many state and local realtor associations in the U.S. that also lobby state and local officals. Those expenditures are not included in this report.

Data Source: U.S. Congress
Various National Association of Realtors Press Releases

Link to Source: Check It Out
http://chartingtheeconomy.com/?p=839

r r
This is VERY, Very bad for the Real Estate Consumer. Realtors, NAR - lobbying your government why ? Sure must be on behalf of the Realtor. Why Not Just Get Back to Buyers Buying and Sellers Selling and Get Rid of all the Mumbo Jumbo.
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Lobbying is a way to FORCE Realtors into Consumers lives on as many levels as they can. Money Talks, the Realtors Lobby about an Issue that you, the Real Estate Consumer don't even know about. So you don't get a vote, but you get to Pay for It... for the Realtors, and for the Politicians they lobby and "Contribute" to. In the Real World of Real Estate, you, the Real Estate Consumer - You Lose.
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I was so happy to have a Real Estate Attorney at my Disposal.

The Association testimonials said that the Attorney available to us as Broker Owners was worth all the membership dues in and of itself.

I quickly learned that this information was paid for by the State Association of Realtors. So the real estate attorney giving me advice was paid by NAR and I now know that the information I received was to benefit NAR, such as the lies told to me about Buyers Rebates and them being Mortgage Fraud. The Answers were to keep Realtors in Line as Realtors with what was best for NAR and not necessarily for the Real Estate Consumer.

The Article accusing Mortgage Fraud in cases of buyers rebates was sent out as an NAR newsletter insert, then 2 weeks later the law changed and turns out that well, it was not really mortgage fraud. though they said it Might Be and Encouraged Realtors to Tell on each other.. so don't tell on each other for Real Fraud that Really Hurts the Real Estate Consumer or non-disclosure, don't tell details you know about a Realtors listing that you use to have listed - that is all in the Code of Silence.. but do tell on the agent who gives a Buyers Rebate... it was all too much for me... Shocking.. so turns out the Attorney thing was no big deal and may have caused more harm then good.

NAR pretends they care about mortgage fraud, but only in the case of them fighting for decades to STOP buyers rebates, and selfishly so. In real mortgage fraud no one is really looking or interested unless millions upon millions are at stake.

You will see through out my information, discussions on buyers rebates, as the years unfolded I was filled with lies, and STOPPED from buyers rebates over and over by NAR and in turn State Laws. This was VERY anti - real estate consumer. I have alot of proof, and stories on this deliberate attack on the Real Estate Consumer.... Stay Tuned...

And their last grasp at straws was to work with the state to make the law stricter, then only to be STOPPED by the Department of Justice lawsuit ... ya know the one where NAR does not admit to Anti-Trust violations but will let some things change and well this in turn somehow affected state laws on Buyers Rebates yet NAR and State Governing Bodies are not really connected Right...

Don't forget the E and O insurance document where the NAR representative and the Big Insurance Company Rep. Attempt and seem to succeed in convincing State Governing bodies that E and O insurance should be Mandatory because it protects Consumers and Real Estate Agents though the prior is a Flat Out Lie..

Check out that Document and the NAR - Dept. of Justice Lawsuit at www.SavvyBroke.com ..

crystal l cox broker

NAR - You Do Not Get to Be the Voice of Real Estate...

NAR - You Are NOT
the Voice of Real Estate
you Say You are But you Are Not

Is Third Party Real Estate Advice Illegal or UnEthical? Broker Consultations - Real Estate Consulting - Independant Real Estate Advice..

Well it is in the Realtor Ethics.. You cannot interfere with another Realtors Deal. Talk about Anti-Consumer. YOU have a right to get advice, services from any agent - any person you want, and they should not get to say that you do now.

As far as the law goes, can you enter into an Agreement to Buy, To list real estate with one Real Estate Broker and then get advice from another Real Estate Broker that is not part of your "Agency Agreement" - well you had better LEGALLY be able to do so.. you have a righto get information that is NOT based on whether you CLOSE the deal. How could this information possibly really not be jaded somehow?

You can get an attorney to give you advice. That is 3rd party advice that seems to be expected and allowed, however, the Real Estate Attorney does not know what the Realtors are really up to that can hurt you, those who have not seen the inside of major real estate lawsuits may disagree, I have seen it.. they don't know .. they ask the simplest questions and seem to expect certain information and integrity that is not really there.

Now home inspections are NOT Law, and if the attorney rights up a deal they don't even have to recommend one... yet if you don't get one they are the first to say, how stupid you are and how you were not looking out for yourself if you did not get one.

Real Estate Attorneys do not get down and dirty and look at a home for red flags that could one day hurt you, nor do they have to legally recommend that you do so.

Real Estate Attorneys do not know what should be in the Realtor file, from where I sit. I have seen this mishap - joke up close and personal.. The attorney really does not know what the real estate agent are really up to in the real world of real estate.

You Have a Right To Real Advice, Independent Advice, 3rd Party advice that is NOT based on whether you close your deal. Demand this Right.. don't except what Realtors are dishing out.

Real Estate Advice, Independent Advice, Broker Consultations, Real Estate Consulting, these are consumer friendly but they are Unethical if you’re an NAR member. You are NOT allowed to interfere with the Deal of others.

Some state laws may even prevent these, and whatever those EXACT laws are NAR will use its $100k,000 A DAY in Lobby Money to change it and keep forcing Realtors into your life.

Demand that you are offered Real Estate Consulting, Advice and Services independently from the actual real estate commission.

You Deserve Better then what NAR is Giving You ?

You Deserve Better then NAR is Giving You...
the Realtor Lies - You Lose and Have no where to turn.

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Demand More then NAR is Giving You.
NAR Should NOT get to Be the Self Appointed
Voice of Real Estate at Your Expense.

rYou have to Fight for what the Realtor told you
that you were buying in the first place.

No one automatically Stands up for the Real Estate Consumer.

The Real Estate System is Broken.

Do you think that all of you, the Public - non-Realtors- Should Have Access to the Holy Grail called the MLS ?

The Realtors claim that they own the MLS, that they built it. I say this is a Flat Out Lie. I say that the Real Estate Buyers and the Real Estate Sellers who chose to list with the Realtor, whose money - equity and lifes work went into creating the sale and creating the real data is who should own the MLS.

The MLS data base should not be Controled by NAR, the Real Estate Cartel standing guard over data your life created and lobbying to make sure that YOU stay out of THEIR data base, unless of course you go to school for one week and join their club.. .. if you work for them.. then it is ok for you to take a peak at their Holy Grail of numbers and nonesense...

Sidenote: it is VERY wrong that no one polices the MLS database for Accuracy.. this is The biggest single factor to mortgage and lending fraud and to the collapse of secondary loan market, which as you know affected many sectors of our Economy.

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Demand More then NAR is Giving You.

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Crystal L. Cox ~ Real Estate Broker Owner

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Realtor Accountability - my Favorite Oxymoron - What Happens when you Complain About a Realtor ?

Realtors are Self Policed.

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They Get to Decide what, if any, action will be taken internally. If the Realtor breaks the law, plain - simple and proven well their E and O insurance will keep you in court so long that you will want out no matter what it takes even if you have to let the Realtor out of the Lawsuit or you have to take a small settlment as long as you promise not to Tattle Tale on the Realtor.

Is there Any Realtor Accountability ?
r
Who has the Tenancity, the Money, the Legal Right to
Stand up to a Realtor who has lied or Violated
those Ethics or Standards of Practice or has Even Broke the Law ???
R
Well from what I have seen NAR at all levels won't or cannot make Realtors Accountable, Real Estate Attornies are to scared to - they want the easy way to a paycheck, State Lawmakers can revoke licensing but there will be a fight and this does nothing to get the consumer justice or any kind of accountability or what they deserve...
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So We are Left with Trial By Blog.
R

Email me Your Story at
Crystal@CrystalCox.com

What Laws Give a Real Estate Agent a Right to Write up Your Real Estate Contract?

The Only thing that Gives Realtors/Brokers the legal right to write up these contracts is the legal loophole of having a listing agreement to sell the property ? This is what I was told, but it is all quite confusing and there is a legal loophole for seemingly everything.

It is said that it is the law that a Realtor/Broker cannot write up a contract for a buyer and a seller in which they did not have a previous contract with ( so Realtors just Create a Contract). It is said that if they do not have a previous agreement in place that writing a contract falls out of their legal scope, yet many do.

However, remember you as a consumer are a “party to the contract" and if you do not like something on the real estate contract, the Standard forms that the Realtor hands you, then you can change it and initial it. Do NOT sign this contract unless you are sure what everything says and what it can mean to your real estate transaction, your future, and your financial assets.

Realtors/Brokers are seemingly not a party to the contract, or are they? I mean Realtors/Brokers get a paycheck from the results of the contract. In theory the Realtors / Broker is liable for the contract, for disclosure, abiding by the law and such. So can a Realtor / Broker make changes to a standard form that are beneficial to a particular deal or is it Illegal ?
If A Buyer and a Seller Walk into My Office, and they want me, a Real Estate Broker, to Write up a Deal, a Purchase or Buy Sell Agreement, is that Illegal? Is it legal if I have I have a Listing on the Property, a signed contract between me and the Seller ? Of course it is and then a buyer walks in, I show the home they want it and whoop there it is now I am a Buyers Agent, then time to do a buyers locating form and a Buyers Agency Disclosure to make double sure the buyers knows that I represent them.


I mean most buyers call me on a particular listing and not to look in general at first. So I have to have a buyers locating form, seemingly forced on them before we go see the property, talk about pushy. I can't do it. It is not Ethical to me to push forms and contracts on buyers the first time I meet them. At this point they have no idea if I will even be nice to them little own actually do my best to find them something.

So Back to the Buyer and the Seller that walked in, what if I never met them before and they want me to right up a deal, Is it legal for me to write up a deal?



Some say it is legal if they already come to price and terms before they come in and just want me to write it up, and they say as long as I Give No Advice it is legal and is a Statatory Broker Situation but if I do this am I acting as a Real Estate Attorney without a License?

How do I not give advice and when do I cross Out of Bound for what is legal in this situation? Do I just keep quiet, what if they ask a definition, a legal description or any simple or complex question... should I say I can't answer that ? Is this in the best interest of the Real Estate Consumer.


My local association of Realtors and classes I took that they Sponsored say that it is illegal if a buyer and a seller walk in and you "Write up a Deal" with no prior contract in place...they say- if you do so then you are acting as an attorney without a license.


They told me I have to write up an employment contract, even if for only one buyer and even if for only 30 - 60 days.. The closing period... this to me seemed fake, like it was just to pretend to be obey some law.. I mean Either we can Write up a Deal or NOT...


If my MLS office was wrong on this, legally then what it did was prevent me from "Writing Up Deals" for FSBOs who found their own buyer. Why would the local MLS office, the local association want to prevent me from actually providing a service such as this. You would think this kind of service would be great for the buyer and the seller. The Buyer calls the FSBO and they make a deal and come in to my office and I take it from there.


Ok but then what, do I take the deal to the title company or do they? If I explain the title insurance is it still statutory brokerage, am I giving advice at that moment and then have to disclose a different kind of agency? Is it all Illegal because I did not having a previous Listing on the Subject Property?


What Really is Statutory Brokerage? I mean is it different in different states, are their many - many loopholes? I get the Glossary Terminology and I get the Law Definition but still there seems to be a serious discrepancy in what the state thinks is Statutory Brokerage, the Lawmakers Say - and on the other hand what the Realtors teach us in Real Estate classes... and then what we end up really doing in the Real World of Real Estate.

I was always told that I only have the Legal Right to Work with Buyers and Sellers and write up contracts if I have a listing on that property - this gives me, as a Real Estate Broker, the right to kinda - sorta act as an attorney without an attorneys license.

If I have entered into an agreement with a buyer to represent them and I go to a FSBO with my buyer, who do I represent? Well I already have a Buyers agreement right, so I represent the buyer first, so can I then go with Statutory Brokerage if I right up a deal. Can I say that no one represents the Seller, they represent themselves and I represent the Buyer so am I a buyers broker or a statutory broker?

The issue of agency and who represents who is confusing to the Real Estate Broker, so how is the consumer supposed to really understand it?

I should be able to Write up a Deal for a Buyer and Seller and give them advice for a set fee and not need a prior contract. Being a Real Estate Broker should actually be a Real - Real Estate Service. And I should not have to have games such as previous Agency Disclosure and Contracts that I lock consumers into, that is not consumer friendly.


Sooooo as you can guess.. we will be visiting this topic much more.

Crystal Cox Broker

Realtors - NAR - and the Great Real Estate Hoax ...

Real Estate is Not Rocket Science. The Realtor and all the other mumbo jumbo in the middle or your deal causes you harm, spends unneccessary money ALL without accountability or protection for the Real Estate Consumer.

r

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Don't Give away your Money, Your Power.
I want to Stand Up for You - the Real Estate Consumer.

SavvyBroker@Yahoo.com

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Email me Your Story, I Care and I will Get you Heard.

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I am your Real Estate Consumer Advocate,
Self Appointed Of Course

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Does the Local Association of Realtors Leader have to know Laws.. Is ANYONE Listening ...

Is it imperative that an Executive Director of a local MLS office listen to their members. Now I know they are very busy, however at least listen to Broker Owners and follow up on their concerns, questions, fraud accusations and ethics violations.

I get that the MLS, the local associations have grievance committees and all these different roles that different Realtors in the community fill, and that is the nature of an “Association” of this type. The problem is that this is not good for consumers and basically creates a situation of chaos and perpetual passing of the buck.

An Association of Realtors “Policing Their Owner” is very wrong. Especially in an industry so big as to label themselves the “Voice of Real Estate”. NAR is seriously to big for their britches per say. And the Consumer is up against bylaws, nonsense, codes of ethics, Arbitration, forced settlements and well just a mess of loopholes just to buy and sell real estate.

The Buyer Wants to Buy - the Seller Wants to Sell... why all this Bull, Chaos, and Confusion placed in the middle of it all at the cost of the consumers money over and over.

When a Broker Owner comes to an Executive Director of a local MLS office with things such as Fraud, and basic violations of morals and law they NEED to be heard but instead the Executive Director of a local MLS office will choose sides right away, will warn the agent they like best on what is to come so they can get their “file in order”.

I have not personally witnessed, higher standard, Integrity.... in the industry the REALTORS claim to be the voice of. Integrity Does not Pay, I imagine if the MLS director were to stand on the right side of the moral compass She or He would then be subject to major ridicule, they pick the agent that is likes to bring in the least revenue and give them the least grief and toss them to the curb while choosing to side with the Big Shot Agent, the Franchised Agent, the "Dreamy" Agent... regardless of who truly is on the Right Side of the situation, the law, ethics, standards of practice, and basic Moral Decency.

The Executive Director of a local MLS office is kind of just a figure head, but they should have more power, more knowledge and be able to Bring the Hammer down and really protect the consumer in a fair and just way from the Realtor who do lie, cheat, steal and violate Ethics and Standards of Practice. This not only helps the real estate consumer at large but also helps the Good Realtors keep honest and stay of high integrity. Demand More from NAR...

The head of a local Association of Realtors needs to have a small team working under them and they need to Really Police the Industry. Though I am sure being a Realtor pays more then being an Executive Director of a local MLS office

I told my local Executive Director issue after issue and my guess is her hands were tied, I mean surely she did not deliberately ignore my issues with Agency Classes giving different information each class or coming to her with known fraud issues or Real Estate Agents that worked for more then one office. She either pretended not to understand me or really just did not get it.
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Either way IT IS NOT an Excuse.
r
Those who represent NAR at the local and state level need to know the local laws, need to make sure that things are done right and NOT be subject to the whims and attitudes of the Big Name Brokers that push them around. And they need to not just do what it takes to Keep the "State" off their back or the Dept. of Justice but instead really do right by the real estate consumer in every way they can, really stand in a Higher Standard and really be the Voice of the Real Estate Industry that we can be proud of. This is No WHERE in Sight.

Local and State MLS offices need to really have the power to make a difference in the Cleaning Up of the Real Estate Industry. NAR, the National Association of Realtors coming on to the scene was suppose to give Real Estate Brokers a better name, a Higher Standard

Their education is not really of Real Use to Consumers... it is fluff and filler to create more money for NAR and their Cronies along with those who provide such supposed Education. Getting those NAR accreditation is necessarily a good thing for the real estate consumer.

I told my Local MLS Executive Director how confused my agents were about Agency Classes that they had taken. I Told Her that is seemed like different classes were teaching different versions of agency, she did not hear me. I guess she just chocked it up as me not knowing what I was talking about.

I know for local REALTOR association and those who run them it is just a job, most likely do the best they can. However, is that an excuse, is that Good Enough? Real Estate Consumers want these folks to hear them, to protect them from NAR members but that is not really the Scope of their Job ? Why Not ?

I mean consumers thing NAR is the Voice of real estate they have come to know Realtors as Real Estate Agents and to assume that they are really providing a service and standing behind that service when really they are an association, a club and have ever change board members and Presidents even at the very top and there is no real "Standards" that are enforced or "Ethics" that Realtors in the Real World of Real Estate Are held accountable to.

NAR, says they are of a Higher Standard, they claim they are the Voice of Real Estate but where are they? Local Association are seemingly not able to really help the agents / the Broker Owners who really do want to do right by the consumer, to really be fair and just to other Realtors and to really obey the laws.

If NAR cannot really do what they say they can then they need to be MADE to STOP advertising lies to the real estate consumer. NAR needs to STOP making promises that they really can't keep, and I as a Broker Owner - Ex Realtor member, I do not believe they really even try. I think they do what they have to in abiding by State and Local Laws as well as National and Anti-Trust Laws so they can Simply Stay in busy and that they really do not even try to be of a Higher Standard.

NAR needs to educate those who run local association offices, maybe they are not paid enough, I don’t know. What I do know is that for years to go by and my local association to push certain speakers, educators and trainers on us as members such as, Oliver Frascona and to sit in class after class, take notes and really try and learn this stuff as the local association pushes his books and information on us to buy. We are made to think this information will better us as Realtors, will somehow give us more knowledge and we can bring that knowledge back to your Real Estate Career and make real use of it to benefit us and our real estate consumer. While at the same time NEVER ever lend to the Fact that this information is not accurate, not even recognize that the instructor as in the example of Oliver Frascona teaching Colorado agency laws in Montana. I went to the MLS Directory and asked why the discrepencies and I was not heard.

I want to know why the local association of Realtors Executive Director did not know enough about local agency law to recognize this years before. Meanwhile we were all taught the wrong laws and well I guess just more collateral damage that we bring directly to the Real Estate Consumer.

This is one small example of what is taught to us in supposed Continuing Education that is, not only of no use to the real estate consumer but actually causes them harm. We listen, we take notes, we try and learn this stuff and years later after may unanswered, ignored questions we find out that we were actually being taught a class that was about laws that were not even our state laws.


Meanwhile Realtors just go back to their work and are thoroughly confused as to the true laws and nature of agency due to several classes with different information. And every class the local MLS Executive Director attended as well. Shouldn't they have to Wake Up, to know more, to Listen More... to do better... I mean the Entire Industry - Finance Secondary Market Mortgage, Investors ... and way more count on the integrity of MLS data and in this the true knowledge and its implementation by the Realtors in the Field bringing in this data, this money.

It all starts at the Local Level - No Realtor Accountability there.. then the State Association of Realtor.. they are no help to consumers... they are their for the Realtors.. not for the Consumers, you, as real estate consumer simply assume that Realtors are their for you and that say the Executive Director at your Local Association of Realtors can listen to your accusations, see your proof of fraud and truly do anything about .. it just ain't going to happen.

Demand MORE

then NAR is Giving You.

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Crystal L. Cox

Broker Owner

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When is it Time To Sue - Time To Settle - Time To Walk Away...

At some point you have to put your tail between your legs and take your life back. The Realtor walks, of Course that is the Nature of E and O Insurance and the Realtor Game.

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You Deserve Better then NAR is Giving You.
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NAR Lobbys all the Time to Ensure that You Need Them.
There is no End in Site to the Damage Being Done to the
Real Estate Consumer. Know More Before You Buy.

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Crystal@CrystalCox.com
Email me Your Story, Tell Me what has Happened to You.
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Crystal L. Cox

Broker Owner

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To Keep you Up on How the Realtors are taking all this Yammering...

for the Drama Rama of it all.. go to www.RealtorSucks.com

Here is My Response to My Attack at AgentsOnline.net from the "Realtors" - so Friendly they are...

It seems that My Videos and "information" is riling up the Realtors. Of course it is because they feel consumers will look at my information and judge or attack them. And many of them are Good People just trying to get by in this world.

However, the Realtor Agenda at NAR is hurting consumers and me speaking out about my TRUE experience may hurt some Realtors in the field in the process, this is Collateral Damage. I have truly experienced the stuff I talk about, and if my story seems like a lie to the Realtors who Flat Out say that I am lying, well I can't help that. It is true for me according to what I have seen. If other REALTORS, Brokers want to share their stories of the "industry" and how happy they are with it then they are free to do that. However most simply just like to attack me because they somehow feel threatened.

The thing is, if you do right by your consumer and do the best you can to protect them and stand behind them then don't let my sites bother you. If NAR at your State and Local level backs you up and holds Realtors Accountable for Ethics and Standards of Practice Violations, well then ignore my sites, my words.. my Yammerings.

For me I have found those at the Local Level and State level are turning consumers away. Maybe they are powerless, maybe they are lazy, whatever the reason, Consumers go to them with REAL issues, REAL lies they have been told by REALTORS and the State Realtor Association says they can do nothing. The State Governing body can do nothing and the consumer ends up fighting in court for years for something they thought they were buying in the first place.

They take their proof to the local board, they reach out to get help and there is none. Then they go into the lawsuit process where the Real Estate Attorneys treat them, the Victim, as if they are the criminal and the fight begins. This fight is not so much about fact or proof but about the Realtors E and O insurance dragging the consumer through years of "discovery" - marching engineer after engineer through your home, dragging each request for discovery out for months on end.

And this fight is where your attorneys decide what you DESERVE, what you can settle for and they push you into what is best for them.. and by settle this means between the buyer and the Seller and rarely does the Realtor have to pay anything. I have seen this stuff first hand, I have reached out the Realtors Association and they CHOOSE the bad Realtor - the Realtor who lied - failed to disclose and hurt the real estate consumer badly.

Why, well they choose the Franchise especially if one of the franchises is Owned by Cendant, who use to be Realogy or Apollo management and yes they went or are going bankrupt so what, they will just restructure under another name and you the real estate consumer, you Lose.

And those at the National Level well they are all about Billions, about Lobbying to make sure REALTORS can keep at What they Do... a Privately held Company, association ... they push your government around and Make you, the Real Estate Consumer NEED them (or thing you do) and they enact - push for laws that ensure you have to use them in your Real Estate Transaction. This SHOULD be Illegal. I mean they have a whole lot of tricks and loopholes as an Association and yet really they are a very big business forcing consumer, manipulating consumers to have to use them... and getting richer every day from it.

The owners or Realtor.com , HomeStore, Move.com and more sites .. they need you (the Realtor and the Real Estate Consumer) to make their sites more interesting and to get a HUGE amount of Internet traffic, this is not traffic that is GOOD for the consumer, it is NOT targeted Internet traffic to really hook up buyers and sellers. It is good for advertising, for those at the top of the REALTOR food chain to be able to sell ad space, make deals with insurance companies, mortgage companies, computer and hardware companies and lots more. Without your real estate listing they have nothing to justify their websites....

NAR makes money at every single level, off the Realtors in the Field and the Consumers and they do NOT back up their propaganda of being of a Higher Standard. It is all about the Bottom Dollar.... about investors... about Billions...

I have a whole lot of posts on several blogs about these topics, I do this to empower and to educate the real estate consumer in HOPES of protecting them from lawsuits, sleepless nights, stress and financial loss from a Realtor lying to them and NAR not holding the Realtor accountable. What I have to say, to share is very valuable... take it or leave it. But why bash me, why say I am lying.. it makes no sense to me.

I understand the Realtors frustration, however I am Speaking the Truth. I cannot help if they have not seen what I have. It does not make it less true. I am not out to hurt the individual Realtor, but if it upsets them then Oh Well.... This Stuff is Really Happen and is Really TRUE.

most Realtors blogs are just to keep them on your minds for your target market, which is good, for Them, however most Realtor blogs are stats, regurgitated information, reports rewritten and well just filler... my Goal is to GIVE you the Cold - Hard Truth about the Real Estate Industry.

Funny how they slam me on What I don't Know.. and that is one of my points... I did not know.. yet You, the consumer looked to me as if I did. You look at real estate Brokers and expect them to know more then they do, expect them to be held to higher standards and ethics then they really are.

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The Realtors say that my videos “sound like” I am saying that “everyone is out to get you”. I do believe that ALL hands are out and at the Real Estate Consumer’s Expense. I believe that many costs, services, products, insurances, affiliations, lack of accountable and “agendas” end up costing the real estate consumer a lot more then necessary. And Yes I believe that everyone is OUT to get you, your money and possible future money from you the real estate consumer is the POINT .. Right?

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I believe the real estate consumer has no real protection in their transaction. I have seen this and experienced it first hand. I am telling YOU the TRUTH.

Most who slam me are NOT Broker Owners, did not speak for their agents, and their clients. They did not deal directly with the People at the levels I did. These Realtors simply assume that I am lying, I am wrong and that this did not really happen and they go at me like a pack of Wild Dogs. The TRUTH is it really did happen.

I am not sure if the Realtors that say I am lying have seen what the Real Estate Attorney does to the Consumer. The Realtors and Those Claiming to Be Educated about Real Estate are Bashing me daily. I know that I do not know everything. But I certainly Know what I have seen with my own eyes...

I have seen the HUGE gap between Realtors, what they really do in the field - in the real estate transaction and Real Estate Attorneys, and what they think the Realtors do. And in lawsuits what this Failure does that hurts you the real estate consumer. This is not localized or ONE incident... it happens ALL the time, over and over. And no one is there to back up the consumer....

So Here I am ... To Back up the Real Estate Consumer.. which is the Oath I gave, and what was my intention in joining NAR - the Supposed of a "Higher Standard" association.

I will NOT back Down. I have seen the Pain Consumers Go through. I have went through it myself. I have seen sick kids and financial ruin. NAR is in NO WAY there to back up the consumer or the honest Realtor in these situations... so there is NO POINT in being a Part of NAR... oh unless you need their STOLEN database. ... that SHOULD be a Public Utility.. the PUBLIC is really who built it...

I am not trying to sound like anything other then who I am, I am just me. These Realtors who spend their day telling me that I am wrong have NOT seen what I have seen. I am not acting SUPERIOR in any way as they like to say, I don’t even know them or how they do business, my experience is with NAR at every level and with what I have seen with the Realtors in the Field that I have known.

These folks take my words as a direct attack on them personally and they get their panties in a wad and attack back, defending the Realtor Nation…. Why? I am speaking up for the Realtors as Well. I cannot help it if they don’t know what is really going on, that does not mean that I am lying.

I expect over the next Decade, thousands upon thousands of Realtors will feel they need to attack me to protect their turf. But seriously it is a waste of your time. This really happened to me and I am not going anywhere. My Sites will be up for at least a decade... that is just the way it is.

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The Realtors saying I am making a Fool Out of Myself.

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That’s Ok. I made more of a Fool of Myself putting my hand over my heart and swearing to the Realtor Creed. I made more of a Fool of Myself not being able to actually do for consumers what I really thought I could. I made promises, I ate my words over and over due to NAR lies and games Realtors play, especially after one lawsuit when they realize their super power, they are ABOVE the law.

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I don’t mind that I don’t talk just so, or dress just so and I don’t mind if what I say makes me look foolish. Something will reach out to someone somewhere and in that I will have made a Real Difference and I will have actually stood by the Oath I gave when I joined NAR and became of a “Higher Standard”.
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The Realtors say that my information is “pathetic” - I could sit hear and quote prices, and trends, quote the hundreds of real estate books and information I have read, but what I want you to know how bad it really is. I am not trying to “Impress” those who apparently need me to be a Scholar in my videos, I am saying the real estate consumer counts on real estate brokers and when they lie, when they fail, no one holds them accountable.

The Realtors say that My Videos make me look bad to anyone who is “Educated” about real estate. I am a Broker Owner, I have seen the inside of Lawsuits, I have seen Flat Out Fraud, I have seen lies about lake access and property disclosure that ruins consumers lives.

Education - Big Deal... this is information on what it Should Be, what a perfect world of real estate might be, on laws that are in place, on facts and figures and it is NOT on the Real World of Real Estate, the down and dirty details of the REAL real estate transaction. It is an education on the FACT that you cannot really enforce those laws you spent years learning.

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The Education they speak of is Books, Blathering, Articles, Laws, Reports, Numbers, Financing that is what they learn... it is not what really happens.. .. I know How it is Suppose to Be.. but So What it is not happening in the Real World.. so go ahead and get your head back in those books... I have read hundreds of them myself, I had an Office library my first year.. and now looking back.. it is all BULL..

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I am ok with sounding “ignorant” - “stupid”, as the Realtors like to say. I do my best to get my point across. I am NOT ok with not Speaking Out about what I have seen over the last decade.

I can quote textbooks, I have read a whole lot of real estate How To mumbo Jumbo books. But I don’t think that is what the real estate consumer really needs to know.

I have also ready a whole lot of law cases, law books, and though the “Realtors” slam me online I am certain I have read and studied more then most of them.

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Some say I am writing this stuff because I have had a BAD year, this is BULL, I am writing this stuff to tell you the TRUTH to attempt to tell you what the “Realtors” are saying about you and what they are doing to you.

I have cut my hair off, SO WHAT. They like to Slam me for That.

One Person called “Faithful Member” at AgentsONLINE.net say that I look like a guy but call my self Crystal. Folks, look beyond all their drama and find out the TRUTH. I look like a guy, this agent says… so what is this Relevant to Consumer Protection in any way. The Realtors slam my hair, slam my clothes, slam the way I pronounce words… is this Helping?

I am a Broker Owner, I have my own real estate company and have for almost a decade, I am telling people, who read MY blog.. What I have seen that DOES happen in the Real Estate Industry.. And the “Realtors” want to somehow discredit me or diminish my truth somehow because I don’t dress or talk right. This does not make Sense.

I do not want you to be hurt in ANY way by your Real Estate Transaction. Not because I had a Bad year, not because I failed in ANY way, but because I say what DOES happen to the Real Estate Consumer every single day and I want you to KNOW… it is YOUR right to know. And though the “Realtors” have just begun their Rant on me… their Counter Attack, I won’t back down. I want dress the way they need me to, I won’t tell you useless facts and yammerings that NAR puts out … you don’t really need to know that stuff….

Someone tells me how STUPID and how WRONG I am most every day. But How DARE they really, I am telling you What I have Seen FIRST hand as a Real Estate Broker Owner, it is my True Experience. These Realtors slamming me and telling me that this did not happen or this is not true, they have no right to do this, really, I mean it is my blog, my story, my truth the way I REALLY witnessed it myself and they tell me I am wrong…. What…

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What's in it for me the Realtors Ask?
hat is in it for me is to Save ONE real Estate Consumer from the Misery and Pain I have seen the Real Estate Industry, the Realtors do to the Real Estate Consumer.

Most ALL of The Realtors who slam me do so after watching one video, or reading one or 2 posts. They do not even get the Whole message or what I am really saying. Most see One Video or hear something from a Client and they lay into me…

I have Hundred of Posts out there on hundreds of sites, the Realtor who NEED to slam me have certainly not read them all. Most only watch a part of a video, and read MAYBE one post then they jump in to attack the way I look, the way I dress, and how I pronounce Real A Tor and then they tell me how STUPID I am and How I am lying…

My Blogs is My Story, like a “Realtor” Biography, sort of, it is my experience. It is not necessarily idea, bit a concept, not how things MIGHT be, but instead how they really TRULY are in the Real World of Real Estate.

Slammed Again and Again, SLAMMED because I do not say Realtor - Real A Tor… who cares…. NAR makes such a big deal about this and it is NO big deal. The Consumer has no rights, and NAR makes sure to keep it that way. The Real Estate Industry is seriously broken and the Real Estate Consumer is suffering silently with no where to turn and Realtors want to slam me for my Pronunciation of a Word.

I have been slammed a lot for this. I know how to say it, I have all the same classes you have. So what, I say it the way is MOST comfortable to me. I am so sick of NAR and all their classes and now agent after agent slamming me because I say “Realtor” wrong and don’t say REAL - A - TOR… it is NOT that big of a deal and if this is the biggest thing on your mind, you don’t have a clue about what is really going on in the real world of real estate.

The Realtors are beside themselves trying to figure out my angle. Why can’t they just accept the FACT that I am just telling my story, sharing my experience with the Real Estate consumer.

There are hundreds of thousands of Blogs out there to fill the Real Estate Consumers head full of information, stats, bogus “how to” and most all of it leads to simply getting the agent recognized, getting them clients - customers. My Blog is NOT intended to be that kind of information. I assume that the Real Estates Consumer is VERY intelligent. I KNOW that the Real Estate Consumer is being misled, and has no rights. My blog is about what they are not telling you. It is Real World real estate.
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The drama, the cat fights, the lies, the silent fraud, the non-disclosure, the Realtors talking about your illness - your divorce, the lies of back up offers, the truth about title insurance and the Big Ol’ Realtor GAME that is Directly Hurting you the Real Estate Consumer.

NAR is in no way of a Higher standard. The Real Estate Industry is seriously Broken and NAR is at the Helm of the Ship.

So what if I don’t Look the Part, Talk the Part or Dress the Part … I played the Part and I am Telling you what I have Experienced.

What Does all of this Mean to you the Real Estate Consumer? It means that Realtors do not know what you need them to know in order to really protect you. they Do not really get internet marketing.. you do not need a Realtor and they are fighting hard to make sure that you think you do... This is NOT about YOU, the consumer, but affects you EVERY day.. it affects the price you get, the stress you endure and all aspects of your transaction.. the games played among Realtors, their hatred and slamming of each other.. talking behind your back.. this stuff.. really does affect you..

This Drama is One tiny example of what goes on behind your back... link to forum below..

http://www.agentsonline.net/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/
Number/293561/gonew/1/one_brokers_viewpoint.html

Their Misguided Rant Continues.. I am done Sparring with Them..
go ahead and Slam away... go ahead and tell the Consumers what you think I am up to..

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