Bizarre Among Us, Realtor Newman

Rose Newman, hired to sell the house, but instead runs off buyers.

What do you think the purpose of an Open House is? One person we shall call Chris and her friend we’ll call Alex, went Open Housing in Chris’ neighborhood in Sparks. Chris and Alex are a little nervous of further irrational behavior which is why I’m referring to them only by these names. Chris’ neighborhood is a very nice one. Many people that Chris has introduced to her neighborhood through taking them an Open House there have ended buying a home there. Open Houses are advertised in the newspaper. They have the property address and the hours of the Open House. Chris and Alex arrived at the Open House during the publicly posted hours. A man is in the drive-way. He’s agitated. He tells them that his Realtor is late but to please go on in. Chris spots the Open House sign-in book and leaves her name and telephone number.

Chris and Alex spend around 20 minutes in the house. The Realtor still hasn’t shown up, so the owner comes in and answers their questions. The owner had done a lot of work to the property that he was very proud to show off and point out. About 45 minutes after the advertised start of the Open House, Chris, Alex and the owner are walking out. A woman came running up the drive-way yelling over her shoulder to them, “Call me if you have any questions.” She didn’t say who she was, nor what her number is, nor even stop and provide her business card.

Chris and Alex left. That evening at about 9 p.m. Chris got a telephone call at her home; the number she had left at the various Open Houses. Without identifying herself, a woman demanded to know “Just what the crap do you think you are doing?!” The work “crap” was used several more times by this woman. Chris thought the woman was drunk. The woman yelled that it was crap that Chris had entered the house. That it was crap that Chris had spoken to the seller without the agent present. That what Chris had done was crap, just plain crap. That this person was going to get Chris in trouble for her crap. This tirade went on and on until Chris was able to get a word in after she figured out this person yelling at her, chastising her, and then threatening her, was the listing agent of the Open House where an agent had arrived late.
Chris told this real estate agent that she entered the house during the hours it was publically advertised as open. That is was at the invitation of the owner because the real estate agent was not there which the owner had conveyed to Chris he just wasn’t too happy about. That Chris lived in the neighborhood. That many people that Chris has introduced to her neighborhood through taking them an Open House there have ended buying a home there. That if the agent had been there as she was hired to be, then Chris would have spoken with her. That this agent yelling at Chris for going to this agent’s advertised Open House was just turning Chris off to that house, that agent and that agent’s company. That Chris did not like it that an agent was calling her at her home to yell and swear at her and threaten her. That Chris would never use that agent or their company. That Chris would tell everyone she met about not to use them and why.

That telephone call was from Rose Newman, the listing agent for the property where the agent had arrived late for the Open House. Chris got Ms. Newman’s name off the flyer that Chris had picked up at the Open House. Ms. Newman is with Prudential Nevada Realty. This time was not the first that a Prudential Nevada Realty agent had threatened others. Quite a way those Prudential Nevada agents have of treating people.

Definitions of OPEN HOUSE on the Web:

· An advertised period of time in which a property which is for sale is available for inspection by prospective purchasers.www.titlecorockies.com/dictionary_o.htm

· A marketing tool in which a listing agent opens a house for view.mantua.nj.agentsmate.com/Content/glossary/rmgate.asp

· A real estate sales technique. The seller’s realtor opens the seller’s house to the public.www.ameriprise.com/amp/individual/products/banking/information-center/glossary.asp

· A low-pressure sales approach used by realtors to advertise a property that is for sale. The realtor invites potential buyers to drop by and see the property without making a formal appointment. www.canequity.com/mortgage-resources/

· A time, scheduled and advertised by the broker, to get a large number of people and/or other brokers through the property in a short period of time.

· www.nestseekers.com/Guides/Glossary

None of these are what Ms. Newman did.

John Stuart Mill, "Every great movement must experience three stages: ridicule, discussion, adoption." Maybe this story will start a customer service and ethics discussion at Prudential Nevada Realty and they will adopt a more profitable, legal and ethical way of doing business than running off buyers for a house they were hired to sell. Maybe.