We're not in Kansas Anymore TOTO

This story is told by my wife and Real Estate partner.

I have been in real estate nearly half of my professional life. I started way back in 2000 and worked my way through corporate real estate and then moved to residential after I had my little guy a few years back. For the longest time, I LOVED my job. I had the opportunity to find or sell a home for someone and it was my job to ensure their best interest. It was satisfying work. When the transaction was over, everyone was happy... everyone got what they wanted. Well.... times have changed.

I was recently blessed with new out of state buyers. Great people! Kind, friendly, outgoing, fun. People you could have in your car for nearly 20 hours over a 48 hour period and enjoy their company. AND, they were serious buyers - they found a home! Hooray!!

So, the listing agent tells us what we need to do to ensure the deal and we not only do it, but we exceed it a little for good measure. This was Thursday. The agent told me Friday morning she was presenting it to the owners and the lender (this is a short sale, by the way) and we would be on our way. This particular deal already has lender approval. I left a message for the listing agent late Friday and had not heard back from her, so I assumed she was busy for the weekend... yep, she was busy - she was busy negotiating other offers on the home we were assured was ours.

On Saturday, my clients decided to drive by the house for a final look before returning home and there was a Realtor (not the listing agent) holding an open house. He proceeds to tell my clients that there were several offers and nothing had been submitted to the bank at that time.

Long story short, the homeowners are selling personal property and they are *only* considering offers from buyers who are willing to purchase their $900 fridge and $2000 spa, and by Saturday they added $1400 for a washer/dryer set.

So, basically, my clients are being bullied into buying their personal property in order to earn the opportunity to be the one offer sent to the bank for approval. I do not have words for how unethical and immoral this behavior is. I am embarrassed to be part of a profession that allows sellers to bully people into buying personal property so they can walk away with cash in their pockets. It is not my buyers fault you are losing your home. It is not my buyers fault you are too lazy to put your shit on Craigslist. And, it is surely not my buyers fault you have zero class. I digress...

What have we become? People are losing their homes and values are dropping to historic lows. Thanks to short-sales and foreclosure-sales people who are paying their mortgage are being punished with dwindling home values. Now, we have sellers that are losing their homes thinking it is ok to swindle buyers? So now, you not only have to buy the home, but you have to buy their clothes and dirty dishes, too? WTF? I am so disappointed. I am thinking real estate is no longer a good fit for me. I cannot be in a profession that grants me zero opportunity to protect my clients from the unreasonable behaviors permeating the real estate market.

If you are a seller and you are losing your home, PLEASE, I beg you, do it with dignity. DON'T take advantage of honest buyers. It is really an ugly, ugly thing to do.