Report that Sydney Real Estate Agent
I have had it UP TO HERE with Sydney real estate agents, negligent solicitors and greedy boomer vendors. Tonight, after my eighth failed property purchase due to unsatisfactory building and pest report, my .25% deposit is being held ransom. I’m taking the power back and posting my steps to fight these dodgy d*ckheads:
* Download Anthropic’s Claude if you haven’t already (boycott ChatGPT but that’s another story)
* If you suspect the agent in ANY way has not disclosed something about the property, get as much evidence as possible about how the listing differs to reality. ‘Modernised throughout’ = misleading, ‘turn key first home’ = what’s the catch?
* Ask Claude to summarise NSW regulations for agent standards (they don’t just have to lie, omitting the truth or staying silent about known issues puts them in breach and their licence at risk)
* Knock on neighbours/other units doors and say you’re buying the unit in building (if strata), find out what they know and get the low down, if they’re owners and on body corp - even better. Most people are open to talking to you and telling you the real truth, if they won’t talk to you.. run. It’s a bad sign
* If agent is misleading or does anything untoward, REPORT THEM to NSW Fair Trading. Get Claude to draft it all for you in 5 minutes. The more screenshots the better. There is a NSW gov name and shame list of bad actors, it’s not exhaustive but the only way you can hold the wanker agent accountable is to report them
* Underquoting = breach of regulations and risk of loss of licence. Do the report so they stop doing it.
* If the listing is in ANY WAY inaccurate report the listing on the APP, you can do it in less than two minutes on both Domain and Real Estate.com. They have to look into inaccuracies and false claims
* Give contract deadlines. If you sign first and agent leaves you hanging without countersign, they’re f*cking with you to get a better offer. Give them an ultimatum, sign by 5pm or offer is withdrawn. Call them out before you get gazumped
* Get on Google, Rate My Agent, Trust Pilot etc and tell others. Those 5 stars, we know they’re rubbish but people are too scared or too lazy to help the next person.
* Be an upstanding buyer. Be honest, be accountable, tell the truth and answer emails quickly. Everything in writing. If something goes wrong, cover yourself by acting with integrity.
* Building and pest reports ALWAYS. Make the contract subject to it. Make your lawyer include it. Remind them and check. If the vendor does not agree, WALK AWAY.
I hope you all have better luck than I have had! Here’s to homes for all and an end to this capitalist profiteering off of a basic human right.
Please add your tips xx