Complaint Review: Royal Lepage a Martin Liberty Realty

REAL ESTATE NIGHTMARE IN BRANDON, MANITOBA

1.  The listing 

I was selling my house privately when I started getting hounded to sign on with a new company in town called 3% Realty Solutions.   The owner Dale Nolin made all kinds of promises and told me if I didn't sign immediately he would never sign me.  I stupidly signed for three weeks.  The guy did NOTHING he promised so I cancelled the listing in week two.  I did the waiting period so I was completely done with him.  

2.  Back To Selling Privately 

A buyer approached ME through an online ad I had posted. All communication was through texting.  I told them NO AGENTS AND NO 3 %.  They agreed.  I was away so I had a friend show my house. They loved it and wanted to do a home inspection.  They refused to put in an offer.  I told them I would come back and allow this but I at least had to know if we were on the same page price wise.  They refused to talk money.  I told them this was not proper protocol ... people don't let strangers into their homes to inspect for no reason.

(I did not know the buyers:

-were house flippers and worked with Royal Lepage agent Audrey Wilson

-the wife is a financial advisor and used to work at a bank doing mortgages)

The buyers told me I was uncooperative and they were not interested.

And then ...

They secretly go to their regular agent Audrey Wilson.

(Did not know 3% owner worked at Royal Lepage until six months ago)

Audrey goes to 3 % Nolin and gets my key I forgot he had.

They go back to my house to inspect it when I'm away and after I've said NO!

3.  The Confusion Plan

3% Nolin starts texting me telling me he has several buyers back from the listing period ...I confirm these buyers were HIS FROM THE LISTING PERIOD.  He tells me they are.  I agree to allow him to negotiate.

Things start getting confusing.  He's telling me various people are interested ... and that they want to see the house again. I keep reminding him that these need to be HIS clients from before when I was listed.  He mentions Audrey Wilson's name and I told him I didn't recall her bring in the house .. no response.

4.  The Deal

These people all team up and make up a bogus offer.  They put 3% guy as listing agent and Royal Lepage as selling agent fully knowing:

-I sourced this buyer

-I was not listed with ANY agent

-buyers were told NO AGENTS AND SPECIFICALLY NO 3% and they agreed

I signed but under very bad citcumstsnces:

-I was lead to believe buyers were from 3% listing period

-I was camping and only had camp office a block away to send and receive faxes 

-I did not have my Power of Attorney with me nor was she available 

-my lawyer was unavailable 

-the entire process was RUSHED and confusing ...3% Nolin text me many times no need to talk to lawyer until the next month

(I am on Disabilty for anxiety/depression etc which Nolin was told at the start of my listing ...and that was why i had a Power of Attorney to handle things like this.  He took COMPLETE advantage of this)

I realized I had been tricked in one hour and tried to cancel based on that but was told I could not.  I sent a text to buyers asking them how agents got involved but they have had zero communication since I signed.

I did as Nolin told me.  I just accepted that I had to oay $8000 to these two agents on my own sale. 

My lawyer NEVER called me back .. conveniently. 

(Was not told my lawyer set up 3%, gets tons of business from him AND even shared same assistant.   Nolin informed me of this in one of his rages.  He told me how close they were abd that I would not get any help ..He was right)

5.  Return Home

I came bsck and my Power of Attorney (mom) had questions like where was the deposit etc.  

I text Nolin we just had couple questions.   He blows me off .. refuses to answer.  When I insist he becomes volatile:  yelked using obscenities.

I decide I'm not paying anyone anything. 

6.  The Battle

I told all involved I was:

-not paying commissions

-not selling my house to these people

-not moving

I stand my ground.  

My lawyer tells me I needed to pack my things and get out .. fight the commissions later.  He was no help at all.

I went and paid another lawyer out of town.  After that I decided that I should definately not relinquish control of my home.

The buyers never would not talk to me nor would they give in.  

Royal Lepage comoany eventually gave in but not without a lot of fighting.

3% never gave in.  I had to serve him by baliff to get buyers deposit back. 

I put EXTREME pressure on buyers on day Six after possession and they gave in.

7.  Thoughts

I should never have agreed to dealing with 3% after my experience with them but I trusted him and thought he would be honest and only do deals WITH HIS clients from the listing period.

I'm disgusted wuth a Royal Lepage because:

-their agent should not have become involved as she KNEW that I was a private seller and that I had done the work.  She was GREEDY!   How pathetic is that ... going after the house sale proceeds from a person on Disabilty! 

The head of Royal Lepage was rude to me when I questioned this. She told me they always call FORMER agents as a professional courtesy and decided it was unnecessary to notify me of anything.   She even hung up on me!

8.  Ramifications

This ordeal has cost me a lot:

Financially

-I can't sell my house now .. banned from our main local website fir telling my story 

as these realtors complained  

-gave away furniture in a panic 

-had to fly in a friend to help fight this as he had business knowkedge 

-had to travel to a city two hours away to consult outside lawyer ... had accident on way

- paid baliff to get buyers deposit back 

-now have to pay to store my camper in case my house sells in winter as I csnt have it stuck in my car 

Etc etc etc

Personally

This ordeal has made my illness worse 

I was selling my house so I could move in with my parents and get out of debt /

Completely overwhelmed and devastated from this situation 

*I asked both agencies for compensation and they ignored me.

9.  Going Public

I'm so angry that these people get away with using such underhanded tactics.  I'm shocked at how connected they all are and noone discloses this.  The local real estate board did nothing to help.  They don't do their job at ensuring their Code of Ethics is followed.

I've been telling everyone my story.  I've handed out flyers, done reviews and do on. I'm reporting to agencies including the law society and Securities Commission.

Royal Lepage has paid their big lawyer (the same lawyer the buyers had) to scare me by sending Cease snd Desust letters that threaten to kick me off Facebook snd kijji!?

3% chased me around on my bike taking photos of me handing out my flyers. 

My mission now is:

-to get compensation

-to make people in this industry behave more appropriately 

-to educate people about how to protect themselves when selling their home

-to show people what goes on in this industry and that regular people CAN fight big businesses when they are unethical