Century 21 Jeff Keller Realty specifically SUSAN KELLER-LORICK was dishonest, uncooperative and evasive which caused us to lose a contract on a house. Augusta Georgia
Susan had a house listed that we were interested in. On April 28th, we told her that we had a pre-approval letter from the loan company and that we wanted her to get a contract drawn up for us to submit an offer. On May 4th, I gave her a check for $500 for the earnest money and she still had not drawn up a contract. That day I met the inspector because she had a doctor's appt and paid $225 for an inspection to be done on the house, which found numerous problems. Also, I had been asking her for information on the property such as the plat, deed, etc. from the courthouse, which she claims she could never find.
I had to take a full day off from work, that cost me another $130 to go and find the info I wanted. I also ran across the foreclosure information on the house which was significantly less than the asking price. With this information and the list of problems from the inspection report, on May 6th when she had STILL not provided me with a contract to sign, I asked her to lower my offer.
On May 7th, late that afternoon, we finally got the contract to sign. She left to go out of town the next day for a week and did not leave a contact persons name. I called the mortgage company on May 10th to find out if it was possible to submit the contract directly to them without going through the realtor, because she was being so uncooporative and they said no and also that they had recieved another offer on May 6th.
We went ahead and submitted our offer and it was sent to the sellers on May 11th, however it was rejected because the other offer was higher. In real estate, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!!!!! If my offer had of been drawn up when originally requested and submitted, they may have never had an opportunity to see any other offers. Now I have done all this research that cost me a day from work and I paid $225 for an inspection on a house that will belong to someone else.
I believe she knew what she was doing the whole time. BUYERS BEWARE - GET A BUYERS ONLY AGENT OR YOU WILL GET SCREWED.
Monica
Aiken, South Carolina
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Monica
Aiken,South Carolina,
U.S.A.
I will not apologize to her. She was unethical and unjust in her line of business as a Real Estate Agent
#5Author of original report
Wed, May 19, 2004
Actually, she NEVER drove us around or did anything else to assist in the purchase of this house or any other. I had to contact her office SIX times before I could finally get an agent to show me the house. I had to meet the inspector, go to the courthouse for the information needed, and meet her at her GYN's office to deliver the escrow money.
As far as my brother is concerned, this is a joint venture. It does not matter how we are buying the house, we had a pre-approved loan already. So credit had nothing to do with it. And Susan is the one who advised us to put up only $500 for the escrow, it was a repo house!!!!!
Besides that, my problem is not with two offers being made on the house. I know that is legal, I'm not stupid!!!!!!!! My problem is that I told her on April 28th that we were ready to make an offer and to draw up a contract. At that time I told her what we were willing to offer. It never deviated until May 6th when I found out how much the mortgage company actually foreclosed on. Then because she STILL had not provided us with a contract to sign I asked her to lower the price and have a contract to us BEFORE she went out of town or I was going to get another agent!!!!!!
She assured me I did not need a Buyer's Agent and that she was willing to give up the seller to her partner and represent us solely. She finally wrote up the contract and faxed it to my brother on May 7th late PM. She left to go out of town the next day with no point of contact.
On the following Monday, I called the Sellers to see if we could submit the contract directly to them and explained what was going on. She said that the already had an agreement with the agent and that the contracts had to come through her. She suggested I report her to her broker or the RE Commission. She also let me know that there had been another contract submitted on May 6th, but would wait to make a decision until she got ours. Ultimately, the other was higher and they accepted it within TWO days.
My point is, if she had of wrote up and submitted our contract when originally requested, they may have never had an opportunity to see any other offers. They were ready to unload the house. As I said before, this was a REPO!!!!!!!
By the way, NO I will not apologize to her. She was unethical and unjust in her line of business as a Real Estate Agent and I have taken it one step further and reported her to the Georgia RE Commission. We will just have to wait and see what they have to say about this.
Disgruntled and still looking for a house,
Monica
Bland
Virginia Beach,Virginia,
U.S.A.
buyer probably had a escrow of 1% of the sale
#5Consumer Suggestion
Tue, May 18, 2004
Monica I was not there and dont know what took
place. Your offer may have appeared weak to the
seller if it is true you had no price on it. He
may also have been concerned you have bad credit
if the contract was in your brothers name? It is
100% legal for the seller to accept the offer
that will benefit him the most. I wonder could
any possible confusion be created if the agent
had to represent two buyers under two seperate
roofs? Most likely Monica you have been unfair to
this agent who drove you around in her car for
free and made no money off your offer. The agent
wasted her time on a buyer not really ready to
make a serious offer. 500 dollars in todays market
is a puny offer which most buyers will not take
too seriously. The other buyer probably had a escrow of 1% of the sale so on 100,000 that would
be 1000$ escrow. Its ok to be in financial trouble
just get the proper loan to cover it before going out to look. Be prepaired to make several offers on homes becuase others may out bid you. The seller can wait as long as he wants on a offer no
time limit. Sounds like your agent did all she could for you in her rebutal. You on the other hand Monica made a less than geniune offer. I would apolgize to Susan. By the way Susan I am
sorry for my above comment but thanks for telling
your side and shedding light on the situation.
Susan
Augusta,Georgia,
U.S.A.
This is not the correct information
#5REBUTTAL Owner of company
Mon, May 17, 2004
This is not the correct information that Monica has given you. I have never tried to mis represent her in any way. The contract was drawn up in her brother's name. I was never given a clear price to write the contract for. Monica was totally represented in every way possible. By law every contract has to be presented. I cannot present a contract to the bank if I do not have a signed contract to present. I faxed the contract on Friday afternoon and gave all contact information to my 2 assistants. By Tuesday the signed contract finally came from Mrs Rhoden's brother via fax after she had already called the mortgage company and my broker and complained about me. TIME IS OF THE ESSENSE in this case. At this time another contract had come in from another company and we had to present it.
Bland
Virginia Beach,Virginia,
U.S.A.
you should always have a buyers agent
#5Consumer Suggestion
Fri, May 14, 2004
I agree you should always have a buyers agent.
If you dont have a buyers agent legally all the
agents represent the seller.
It does sound like your agent did a poor job. I
would not use this agent again or recomend her to
anyone else.The escrow amount sounded very low.
I do not know the cost of the house.
Also the other buyer could have made a better offer.
You should always put out a good offer and lowering it was your idea lowering your chances of a contract.
Sounds like the seller chose the best deal. This
is normal and to be expected. A seller can sit on a offer as long as they want no time limit.