Guaranteed Real Estate Sales are a Scam
Have you seen TV commercials promising to sell your home or the Broker will buy it? Or, to sell within a certain time frame or they will sell it for free? A recent article by Inman Real Estate News reveals these offers are largely a scam. They are used as a hook to get your business, but the terms are completely unreasonable.
One example was a broker from another state. She received 36 new listings, but not one agreed to the terms required for a “free” sale. All of the listing clients chose a more traditional arrangement. To receive the “guarantee”, the seller had to make improvements and repairs required by the agent. They had to agree to list their home at 95% of the fair market value. Further, they had to agree to drop the price 5% every 30 days until sold.
Another example was an agent that promised to buy your home if it did not sell. The terms of the agreement were similar, requiring you to accept less than a fair price. The agent would not comment on whether he had actually ever purchased a home he did not sell.
We have all heard the phrase “buyer beware”. In this case, “seller beware”. If something seems to good to be true, it almost always is.
Please submit questions by email at jeffbspears@gmail.com, or feel free to give me a call on my direct line at 325-248-4369.
Jeff Spears is a Licensed Broker in the State of Texas. Each Office of Keller Williams Realty is Independently Owned and Operated.