- Report: #1407076
Complaint Review: Better Homes and Gardens - Masiello Group in Bangor ME - Bangor Maine
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Better Homes and Gardens - Masiello Group in Bangor ME
1162 Union Street Bangor, 04401 Maine, USA
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(207) 942-6711
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Better Homes and Gardens - Masiello Group in Bangor, ME How the Maine Retirement Dream Became a Nightmare for 2 Senior Citizens Bangor Maine
*Author of original report: Update to Report on Better Homes and Gardens - Masiello Group in Bangor, Maine to include, Christopher Masiello, CEO and Sherry Chris, President of BH&G Corporate Office
*Author of original report: SHAME ON CAROLYN FISH, ANGELIA LEVESQUE, CHRISTOPHER MASIELLO AND SHERRY CHRIS FOR RUINING OUR LIVES ON BAD REAL ESTATE DEAL
*Author of original report: CAROLYN FISH - REALTOR FOR BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS MASIELLO GROUP CALLS HERSELF "A HOUSE WHISPERER". She should have Whispered to me that I was getting a bad deal on a home in Dover Foxcroft.
This truthful report is being written under the protection of Free Speech, afforded to all citizens under the Bill of Rights - Constitution of the United States of America. Internet Reviews are upheld as Free Speech by the United States Supreme Court.
My husband and I were selling our home in Georgia. We were looking forward to a retirement in Maine. We have very limited knowledge of the State. In hindsight, we needed a true Relocation Specialist, but did not get one.
Back in May, 2016, I called the Better Homes and Gardens Masiello Group in Bangor, ME. I spoke to an agent, who had a home we saw online. This agent did not want to represent us. The Broker had assigned us to another female agent.
While my husband was in Georgia dealing with the difficult sale. I flew up there alone. I do not drive, nor did I have a car. I was completely dependent upon the agent to drive me around.
I had a list of homes I saw online. She never came up with any other homes. She also did NOT evaluate our needs properly.
Bear in mind, that I did not know the areas, and needed her advise and expertise to evaluate properties and point out any flaws which would help me make a good decision.
I saw 2-3 houses I liked. I made the horrible mistake of choosing a large home in the Dover Foxcroft area. In hindsight, this agent saw flaws with the property, but did not communicate them properly to me. She also did not evaluate the neighborhood and comparible sales. If she did, she would have informed me that the home was overpriced for the area. Also, the road, the home was located, was not desirable.
I made an offer on this home for $ 275,000, which was quickly accepted by the sellers. What I did not know, at the time, was that the home was on the market for 1 year, and a premier real estate office, in that area, never showed it even once, due to the fact that no one wanted to see it.
We could not attend the final walkthrough nor closing. We depended upon this agent to be through for us. She allowed the sellers to leave the home in damaged and dirty condition. she also recommended a home inspection company, whom I hired, but they missed key issues with the house. They would NOT refund any of the $670 I paid for the inspection.
When we arrived at the home in August - for what should have been a happy experience - turned bad quickly. There were 25 things wrong with the home - some of which the seller did spitefully. One horrible thing is that they let the above ground pool turn green and put in an 8" cockroach.
We called the agent immediately, but the deal had closed and the money disbursed. The agent admitted the house was dirty and damaged. She said she had sent over a cleaning lady, but admitted this lady did not clean the home.
We found out, over the next 2 weeks, that we overpaid for the house and that the sellers were spiteful people. We learned this from neighbors, people we hired to do repairs, and other real estate agents. An electrican told us. I HOPE YOU KNOW YOU BOUGHT THE BEST HOUSE IN THE WORST AREA. One guy from our moving company told us, YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT REALLY F---ED YOU OVER.
All this was horrible to hear.
We tried to call lawyers in the area and in Bangor. I was trying to get the sale reversed. One para-legal, who knew the home, told us, YOU JUST GOT A BUM HORSE. Of the 20 or so lawyers I called, they either did not do that kind of law or it was a conflict of interest.
My husband was very upset and distraught. I became very ill with a nervous breakdown, was in the hospital and on medication.
I tried to seek help from the broker, but she was very nasty and rude to me. She said, YOU BOUGHT HE HOUSE. JUST FIX AND PAINT IT. LEARN TO DEAL WITH IT."
I guess, they got their commission, and now they do not care.
We listed the home with a local agent, in the Dover Foxcroft area. A couple, who had seen the home, in the past, would only pay $235,00. They were qualifed and had good jobs. They lacked a down payment. Their credit union would allow them to borrow $ 261,100, with us giving the buyers $ 26,100 for their 10% down payment.
We were too sickened to stay there. We were spending money making repairs. The agent thought we were lucky to sell it, and the buyers were qualified. With regret, we accepted the $ 235,000 offer, and the agent took a 3% commission to help us.
This was a $40,000 loss. Couple that with closing costs to buy the home in the first place. Closing costs and commission to sell the home. Then more closing costs to buy another home in another area. Finally more moving costs, we lost a total of $ 60,000 - which at our ages - could never be made up.
We were reduced to buying a $215,000 fixer farm house in Kennebeck County. Large, with storage, but old. We could have had a nicer home, but had to settle for what we could now afford. At least, the new agent, we hired to help us find something we could afford, tried his best to get us a fair deal.
I did file a complaint with the Maine Real Estate Commission, but due to the high volume of complaints, statewide, that complaing is still pending.
I had also written a private letter to the President and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens - Masiello Group. I was seeking some help and intervention. Instead of getting the help, I got a curt e-mail from the company attorney, advising me to address concerns to him. Something I will not do.
I also wrote a private letter to the President and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens, Corporate office in New Jersey. Also asking for help and intervention. Instead of getting such help, I got a UPS letter from their attorney, who told us that our complain was "frivilous." Also she warned us not to name them as a defendent in any legal action.
If that agent we were assigned to, was a true relocation specialist, she should have advised me of flaws with the home and area. She would have done a comparable market analyis, and advised us of it being overpriced. We feel she failed us greatly, as a buyer's agent.
To this very day, there is not a day that goes by, when this horrible experience does not haunt us. If she had properly advised us and informed us of what she saw and knew, we never would have bought the house. I would have bought another house, and none of they would have happened.
Now we are 2 broke senior citizens, living month to month, with 2 dogs and a limited future.
This should never happen to anyone. I invite any helpful suggestions from the readers out there. We also welcome anyone, with legal experience, with any useful advise.
Signed,
2 Broke Senior Citizens - who are thankful to the US Supreme Court for upholding internet reviews as free speech.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Barbara
Eureka,California,
United States
CAROLYN FISH - REALTOR FOR BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS MASIELLO GROUP CALLS HERSELF "A HOUSE WHISPERER". She should have Whispered to me that I was getting a bad deal on a home in Dover Foxcroft.
#2Author of original report
Wed, November 06, 2019
This is an update to my original report on Better Homes and Gardens Masiello Group in Bangor, Maine. In the original report, I stated - truthfully - our horrible experience with Carolyn Fish - an agent of 29 years experience who was SUPPOSED to be OUR BUYERS AGENT.
This happened in August, 2016 and we live with the devastating financial loss and severe emotional damage - all caused by the negligence of Carolyn Fish - who was and is backed up by her broker, Angelia Levesque.
Those reading my orignal report, will know of the $60,000 overall loss we suffered with a home and location that Carolyn Fish KNEW FULL WELL WAS A VERY BAD DEAL, for us, yet she did nothing and allowed us to walk into a pit of pure hell.
We are senior citizens and were from out of State. We cannot make up the loss of this money. She got away with all of this because we did not have $50,000 to take her to trial. Also, most lawyers have a conflict of interest regarding real estate agents and most do not do that kind of law because they do not want to lose business in real estate closings.
I have followed Fish's website and see that she somehow has some glowing real estate reviews. I do not know how true they are as they could have been written by companies who prop up the reputations of business people like Fish.
I read, with pure digust, the fact that now, Carolyn Fish calls herself a HOUSE WHISPERER.
All, she had to do was to tell me and my husband that we were overpaying for a house in an area where real estate is cheap and difficult to re-sell.
She failed to give us any type of comparitive market analysis.
She also allowed the sellers to leave the home in dirty and damaged condition. Also to take things from the house, they were - as per contract - to leave.
She did nothing to help us, and plain DID NOT CARE. So, how can she be a House Whisperer?
When I filed a complaint with the WORTHLESS, Maine Real Estate Commission, she and her broker, vigorously defended themselves and failed to tell the real truth and admit her negligence in our real estate transaction.
Of course, the corrupt Maine Real Estate Commission failed to give our valid complaint any creedance and the investigator, made up 5 pages of lies in a wrongful dismissal.
I found out that complaining to the Maine State Government does NOTHING to help the citizen, and those State Agencies often fail to side with or help the citizen.
Thus, the citizen, like ourselves, ends up in a worse situation - legally - then if the complaint was not made.
This agent, Carolyn Fish, did not protect us as a buyer's agent and that is the real truth.
My only fault was to put my trust in this agent, when I should have gotten references.
A word to the wise. Just because an agent, has the word "Realtor" in front or after their names DOES NOT MEAN A HILL OF BEANS.
We learned, way too late, that we should have investigated her repulation and made sure she would protect our interest. We did not, and have suffered and are still suffering greatly because of what she failed to do for us.
We are now getting ready to move out of Maine and as far West as we can.
We wish we never met Carolyn Fish and her broker Angelia Levesque. We would NEVER recommend her nor Better Homes and Gardens -Masiello Group.
By the way, the Masiello Group and Better Homes and Gardens - head offices, also failed to help us. In fact they had their lawyer send us a nasty letter basically threatening us with counter law suits if we dared to file any legal action against their company.
What a shameful way to treat a customer with whom they earned a nice, but unearned commission. Especially by a Multi Million Dollar Company.
The moral of this report is to warn citizens out there, that you need to investigate your agent and get actual references before you hire them to buy a home or sell a home.
A House Whisperer - Carolyn Fish is definately NOT.
Signed,
Two Senior Citizens, who realized, too late, that we never should have used this office.
Barbara
Eureka,California,
United States
SHAME ON CAROLYN FISH, ANGELIA LEVESQUE, CHRISTOPHER MASIELLO AND SHERRY CHRIS FOR RUINING OUR LIVES ON BAD REAL ESTATE DEAL
#3Author of original report
Mon, January 14, 2019
I am the author of the original Rip Off Report on Better Homes and Gardens Masiello Group. I related our TERRIBLE STORY on how two innocent people from out of State had our lives ruined by Better Homes and Gardens.
This is my final update:
This happened to us in August, 2016 and we have spent over 2 1/2 years trying to get justice for ourselves and resolution from Better Homes and Gardens.
All that we have done and everything we tried to get justice for ourselves have failed.
This Multi Million Dollar Company - with its holdings in Real Estate, Books, Magazines, Cook Books, Candles, Bedding, Curtains and much more - has turned their backs on us and made matters much worse.
All we did was to put our trust in this company to buy a home in Maine - and our lives are ruined financially and emotionally.
From related reports we wrote, no one helped us. It seems that Better Homes and Gardens - Masiello Group has friends everywhere. Lawyers. Real Estate Associations, Government Agencies like Maine Real Estate Commission, Maine Attorney General and all the Way to the Govenor's Office.
FRIENDS FOR THEM AND NO ONE FOR US.
We now wish to say our final throughts:
SHAME ON AGENT CAROLYN FISH AND HER BROKER ANGELIA LEVESQUE:
We put our trust in this agent - after her broker assigned her to us.
She said nothing when we picked a bad house in an undesirable location. She knew we were making a serious mistake, yet stood silent while we fell into a pit of misery.
She allowed us to overpay, and allowed the sellers to leave the home in diry and damaged condition.
We lost $60,000 overall to sell that house we never should have bought and would not have bought if this agent has been truthful and honest with us.
Anyway, she and her broker got Commission and we got the shaft.
SHAME ON CHRISTOPER MASIELLO - CEO and PRESIDENT OF THE MASIELLO GROUP.
We sent him a letter asking for help. Instead on responding or offering any help or solution, he sent the information to their LAWYERS. The lawyer sent to to their INSURANCE COMPANY - Travelers, and the claim was DENIED.
SHAME ON SHERRY CHRIS, CEO and PRESIDENT OF THE BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS CORPORATE OFFICE
We also sent her a letter asking for help. No reply. I called her office and spoke with her. She was very rude and said she would have the company lawyer mail us a responce.
Well, we got a reply from the lawyer, who basically warned us not to file a lawsuit against their company. She called such a lawsuit - FRIVOLOUS - and said that they would sue US for any costs relating to any suit we should file.
HOW IS THAT FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.
In the finaly analyis, I would advise ALL READERS OUT THERE, TO FIND ANOTHER REAL ESTATE COMPANY IF YOU WANT TO BUY OR SELL A HOME IN MAINE.
The bigger the company, the more they fail to care about the the consumer.
There are many fine smaller Real Estate Companies, who would give better - MORE HONEST - service. Ones that would truly PUT YOUR NEEDS FIRST.
STAY AWAY FROM BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS. Unless you want what heppend to us - to also happen to you.
Signed,
Older, but Wiser
Barbara
Eureka,California,
United States
Update to Report on Better Homes and Gardens - Masiello Group in Bangor, Maine to include, Christopher Masiello, CEO and Sherry Chris, President of BH&G Corporate Office
#4Author of original report
Wed, December 26, 2018
I am the author of a report regarding a very negative and horrible experience my husband and I had with an Agent of Better Homes and Gardens, Masiello Group in Bangor, Maine.
The agent in question is Carolyn Fish and her broker is Angelia Levesque.
I wish to update this report to include Christopher Masiello, President and CEO of of the Masiello Group in Bedford, New Hampshire. Also to include Sherry Chris, President and CEO of the Corporate Office of Better Homes and Gardens, Real Estate Division in Madison, New Jersery.
After my husband and I had the devasting experience and all resulting happenings with Carolyn Fish and Angelia Levesque, we tried to seek help and assistance from:
Christopher Masiello.
We wrote him a detailed letter back on August 15, 2017. Instead of contacting us or offering any resolution, this unfeeling man simply sent our letter to the company attorney.
Our correspondence with this Corporate Attorney went no where. The lawyer just sent our material to their Insurance Company - Travelers - who was very difficult to deal with and - OF COURSE - denied our valid claim.
We also sought help from:
Sherry Chris.
We wrote her a letter dated August 21, 2017. Instead of offering us any assistance, she simply sent our material to their Corporate lawyer, who wrote us a very nasty and insulting letter. Basically the COLD HEARTED letter was to WARN us against filing any type of lawsuit against Better Homes and Gardens. Also to say, that such a lawsuit would be FRVILOUS and that they - Better Homes and Gardens would seek damages from us to defend such a lawsuit.
HOW VERY NICE - DEAR READERS, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
We put our trust in Better Homes and Gardens to find us a suitable home. Instead, we got the shaft from a negligent agent and her broker who simply did not care what we ended up with.
The agent KNEW I was making a grave mistake by picking out the house I did pick. Yet, she failed to inform me of negative aspects of the house and its hocation.
Her duty was to inform us of everything she knew - good, bad or indifferent.
In short, THEY GOT THEIR COMMISSION, WE SUFFERED FINANCIAL LOSS, PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL DISTRESS.
We bought ourselves a BAG OF PROBLEMS. The agent knew we were walking into a bad deal, and just allowed it to happen.
She did not have our best interest at heart. ALL SHE HAD TO DO WAS TO INFORM US AND TELL US THE REAL TRUTH, AND WE WOULD NEVER HAVE BOUGHT THAT HOME.
When we sought help from the 2 Corporate Offices, they too failed us. No offer to help. Just warning about filing a lawsuit.
I want to encourage all readers out there to:
1.) Make sure you find a real estate agent who has YOUR best interests at heart. One who will fight for you - whether you are the seller or the buyer.
2.) Search out all REVIEWS on the agent and company before you sign your name to a document to work with that agent and company.
3.) Try to use a smaller Real Estate Company - one who is not tied to a BIG CORPORATION. You might get better and more personal service from such a smaller firm.
Look what has happened to us. Big Companies, like Better Homes and Gardens are guilty of Corporate Greed. They like to squash customers who complain like a bug. Just sweep the matter under the rug is their motto.
Learn from our experience. CHECK OUT YOUR REAL ESTATE COMPANY AND AGENT BEFORE YOU COMMIT TO WORKING WITH THEM.
This truthful update is to share our experience and hope such awful experiences do not happen to anyone else.
As for us, we will move so far West so we can touch the Pacific Ocean.
Maine has great people and wonderful neighbors. However, the people need to watch what companies they deal with. Also, NEVER seek help from Maine Government Agencies.
They will never help the citizen and will make matters worse. That also happened to us.
Signed,
A Word to the Wise - from Crusader Rabbit III
