[Montro]

In an effort to escape my psycho neighbour, I've decided to sell up and buy another house. I've spotted one I really like the look of and gave the agent a call. I was showing a friend the listing and she told me that she knows the people who own the house; she lives in the same street.

The agent told me the people are selling because they both work around a 40 minute drive away and they want to buy closer to their place of employment. She also told me their children go to school close to their place of employment, so that would make the school run a 2km run instead of a 40km run. She also gave me a few more reasons.

When I mentioned the reasons to my friend who knows the family selling, she was shocked as she told me the parents work in the town we live in and not 40kms away at all. The children go to school in the town where we live as well. My friend sometimes takes the children to school! She told me the reason they are selling is because they have bought acreage on the outskirts of town and are building. They will continue to work and school exactly where they are now.

So the agent has lied to me about why these people are selling. I'm really keen on the house they are selling and of course, would do a thorough building inspection on the property if I decided to make an offer. Would the lying agent put you off making an offer on the property, or wouldn't it bother you? I have no idea why the agent would lie, but am hesitating about dealing with an unethical agent.

[Mrs Mc]

I wouldn't let that put me off buying it. But I would let the agent know you know they lied and you will be requesting proof for any statements he makes regarding the state of the house or rates.

[monkeys mum]

If I liked the house it wouldn't bother me but I would mention one selling point for you is being friends with the neighbours so they get the hint that you know they lied to you.

[aprilrain]

I'd be thinking the agent got them confused with a different client. Building on acreage and upgrading are perfectly acceptable reasons for selling and wouldn't make you worry what you are buying into.

Pscho neighbours, looming building plans for next door,etc...I'd be annoyed.

[countrymel]

That is really odd?

I wonder if the agent has mixed up her properties? The real reason the people are selling seems perfectly benign so I can't imagine why she would bother to lie..?



(time for the countrymel obligatory tangent)

I still remember the look on an agent's face when she was showing me a property and said "The previous owner was a wildlife carer" (explaining why there were so many pens and cages in the back yard)

As I was looking further into the house I recognised a few paintings and realised I knew who the owners were..

"Oh now I get it - he's the snake man!"
Agent turns pale "The who?"
"The snake man! He comes and gets snakes from your house! He got a couple of huge tigers from my friend's house last year. I guess these must have been for snakes too?" as I'm looking at some other more tightly meshed pens..

I turned around to see her bolting for her car! She made me look around the rest of the property on my own and I had to escort her to the door to lock it back up!

[pickledbrain]

Wouldn't bother me, but I'd be seeing if I could chat to the owners and negotiate with them without the agent. Can save both parties a lot of money and you don't have to deal with an agent.

[Nanaimo Girl]

Maybe that's what the owners told the realtor. They may have bought through another agency and don't want this realtor to know.

[SunshineMum]

I agree with aprilrain. Selling to build on acreage is a totally legit reason to sell:)

Good luck with the house. Hope you get it:)

This post has been edited by SunshineMum: 03/02/2013, 12:50 PM

[Sassy Girl]

I wouldn't let that put me off buying it. But I would let the agent know you know they lied and you will be requesting proof for any statements he makes regarding the state of the house or rates.

This is excellent advice

[brazen]

maybe there are 2 houses for sale?

anyway, we bought our house from a lying agent - it worked well as our own agent hated him and gave us the goss behind the stories to get us the best price to pay

i wouldn't use him to sell but no probs with buying from him