10 Things a Real Estate Agent Must Not Say To a Buyer

Finding a good real estate agent / broker is essential to enjoying a painless real estate transaction. Choose a Real Estate Agent that has the right personality. But how will you know if you have chosen the right one, or at least, the qualified and true one? Here are the top 10 Things you never want to hear your real estate agent say to you.
1. "I'm on the Work Release Program"

If your agent is unavailable to show homes on the weekend, it is possible your buyer's agent could be in jail. Lots of incarcerated inmates are released during the week to go to work. It's known as the "work release program."

2. "This Home Mostly Survived the Fire"

It's not uncommon for fires to start in an attic. Exposed wiring, uncovered junction boxes or maybe a pair of frisky squirrels eagerly chomping down on ROMEX casings can start a fire. But fires also start inside walls, due to faulty wiring. The thing is you may not ever know what caused a fire inside a home. Look for white paint on the rafters during an attic inspection. Often restoration crews paint over charred wood.

3. "My Car Has Been Repossessed"

This would mean the agent is having financial troubles, and the last person you want giving you real estate advice is an agent whose future transportation depends on it.

4. "I Just Got My Real Estate License"

You don't want a trial and error kind of transaction, do you?

5. "I Think There's a Dead Body in the Bedroom"

Do give careful consideration to whether you want to buy a home if the seller died in the house.

6. "Let's Not Tell Your Lender About the Seller Kickback"

Believe it or not, if a buyer takes money from the seller under the table, it's considered to be mortgage fraud. Lenders are supposed to know everything that goes on in a real estate transaction. Receiving an authorized seller kickback is against the rules. That's because it looks like the sales price is inflated. If the sales price is inflated, the lender's security could be in jeopardy.

If an agent asks you to sign an agreement that is not given to the lender, the agent is participating in mortgage fraud and could end up in the work release program.

7. "Is That a Pot House Next Door?"

Years ago, marijuana growers used to sow their seeds in a closet, illuminated by hanging grow lights. But over time, they have become much more sophisticated. Now they buy brand new homes in suburbia where none of the neighbours talk to each other. They hang heavy drapes and cover every square inch of the floor with pot plants. They don't interact, so if nobody knows who lives in that house next door, well, could be criminals.

8. "The Seller Says the Snakes Only Come Out at Night"

In most states, sellers are required to disclose material facts to a buyer. Always read your disclosures carefully before closing.

9. "Someone Famous Once Lived Here - a Mr. Manson and His Family"

No doubt about it, stigmatized homes can generally be purchased for a lot less than the homes surrounding them, but not every buyer is comfortable buying a home where ghastly deeds have occurred. Another problem is these homes tend to draw fans who drive from across the country to photograph those homes. You could end up being pestered by tourists and gawkers hanging around your front door. This alone is a good reason to talk to neighbors before buying.

10. "You Know, As it Happens, I'm Also a Mortgage Broker"

Some real estate professionals believe it is necessary to supplement their income by wearing a variety of different hats. The trouble is it's not as simple as it looks, and to be a loan specialist requires a ton of training, experience and knowledge. To avoid a conflict of interest, I advise hiring separate real estate professionals who specialize in their line of work, and do not allow your real estate agent to package your mortgage financing or vice versa