Stalker real estate agents (LONG)

W

WhoseHouse

250+ Posts
So I found an ad for a rental property on craigslist. I am not ready to move for another couple of months, but am sort of compiling a list of potential places to look. I didn't figure the agent would tell me the name of the property, but I thought I'd give it a shot anyway. Anyway, I sent a short email inquiry and here are the replies (all four of them) that I have received. I have not corresponded with him other than my initial email.

Email #1 (minutes after my inquiry)

Well, excellent. It's a terrific place - one of the nicest in town - and the prices aren't out of this world either. I'm more than happy to talk about that place, but would just like a bit more info if you don't mind. But rest assured, once I have some good contact info (your ph # is all) I WILL TELL YOU THE NAME OF THE PROPERTY. I know how frustrating it is when agents won't tell you the name. I'd prefer if we could see it together, so I could bring backups and give you my full attention do all I can do for you. I'll also email you some similar places that may be more along the lines of what you want. Get back to me, [my name], and I'll tell you the name and EXACT location. Calling me is always the fastest way to get it done. But I'll talk to you soon, ok?


Email #2 (2 hours later):
Do you not want to check it out? I'm dying to tell you the name of the place - just help me help you! Without at least a phone number I can't send people anywhere without knowing if they picked the place! So I'm not trying to tie you down - I'm happy to give you an address and more info if you work with me. Just let me know

Email #3 (the next day):
So what's the deal, [my name]? What's up? Whatcha gonna do? You're not interested because the first words out of my lips weren't the name and address? Let me tell you the name! I'm dying to! I would love to help you find something - I'm a licensed professional and am offering free assistance. The properties pay us to keep them full - just see what I can do for you in an email. In 10 minutes on the phone with me we'll make more progress than calling leasing agents who just want you to come to the property to tour before they tell you anything. So I'm not trying to be difficult by not telling you the name - all I need is your phone number! Do you not like real estate agents in general? That's the only reason I can imagine you wouldn't trade your phone number for the name and address. Let me know what you'd like to do. But when your search becomes tiresome and you wish you had some help, think about when you had someone on the line and you didn't take advantage because you don't trust other people.

At this point, I'm very disturbed and obviously annoyed. He didn't even give me a chance to respond in the first place, and he's written three emails and accused me of not trusting people?? So I drafted an email response to him about being psycho, not having good communication skills, borderline harassment, etc etc. I sat on it for a day and didn't send it, because I started feeling bad and he hadn't emailed again. Then today I receive another email:

Email #4:
So you asked for the address, I said I'd be happy to give it to you, but you lost interest in an hour? Why did you email me in the first place if you don't want my help? I'd be happy to help you - and you don't have to come to the office, you don't have to chit chat with me about the recent weather, you don't have to ride in my car, you don't have to do anything! Just give me a phone number and I'll give you the address and directions! What happened?

Keep in mind that I have NEVER responded to any emails! How would you all deal with this crazy? I don't think he has my full name (which is in my email address) since I only emailed him through the craigslist ad, but I could be wrong. So I don't necessarily fear for my safety or anything but I feel compelled to let him know he's insane and also that he cannot talk to me that way. Thoughts?
 
Maybe he's Nigerian?
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No scam. I used to be an apt. locator. Some of them can actually be that persistent/desperate.

Just to piss him off, I would tell him you were ready to sign if he hadn't been so persistent.
 
Holy crap. What a psycho! That's pretty disturbing.

And not to frighten you or anything, but I believe he probably does have your email address if you contacted him through Craigslist.

I've sold lots of stuff on CL and I'm always able to see people's email addresses when they initially contact me through CL.

I wouldn't email him again if I were you. Just let it go.
 
There were a few west campus real estate agents that i wouldn't have minded stalking me. Anyone remember that billboard over c-mart from the last few years?
 
Get his name and license number and report him to the local real estate board, the state board, and national board.

Post some CL ads that warn other people about his "techniques".

Get the name of the property somehow and report him to them directly. Then report him to all the other properties in the area.

Throw a coke on him, or a flaming bag of poo.
 
Seems to me like the guy's busting his *** to try to make a buck.

I have no problem with choosing not to deal with him because of the over-the-top persistence (which I abhor in a salesman), but JohnnyM's suggestion seems way out of line to me.
 
I finally responded with a to-the-point email (somewhat harsh, but definitely not mean) about how I might have given him my number after the first email but certainly not after the next three. He wrote back with about a two page response (I will spare you all unless you really want to read it) about how he's just trying to help, yada yada. Here's a fun excerpt:
"I'll say it again - I was just trying to help. And you'll say: "No, you just wanted the commission." And I'd say "go see who else will give you the address without meeting them." And you'd say "Well, I'll talk to your boss," and once I show him the emails he'd see that I was just trying to help. "

I realize the point is to get the commission and I have no problem with that, I just don't want to deal with people that are annoying and stalker-like. His long response annoyed me and I realize he is about as clueless as you can be re: social interaction, so I am not responding again. It's just annoying. I kind of feel bad for the guy, I can't imagine that he has ANY clients.
 
I'll bet he doesn't have any/many clients either. So, that's why he tries so hard with new, potential clients...and then he scares them away, but isn't aware that his tactics are what scares people away, so he tries harder and on and on. It's a vicious cycle.
 
Clients are pretty thin after the bubble burst. I'm sure he hasn't sold anything for six months.

Either that or he is new to the game and came in at the wrong friggin time.
 
eastwood,
sounds like the guy is a lease only agent... and that can be rough stuff. if he's spending that much time on a LEASE, no way in hell he's sniffing purchase clients.

which leads to an interesting sidebar thought in that post 'bubble burst' (which really isn't correct for Austin b/c there never was a true bubble) the rents and renters have already begun to increase and vacancies are being filled very quickly so there should be a healthy amount of potential clients out there for him. people are so spooked of 'not being able to qualify' (which is very overblown) and the media blitz on re markets falling (which is true for a few areas of austin) they are just choosing to rent right now.

probably just a young person new to the game and trying to push his 'product' too hard.

and in hornfans dialect.... file a restraining order against him.
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I agree those sound like the actions of a chick, not a dude.

He/she apparently missed out on the Glen Garry leads and is desperate.
 
Reminds me of 'George' from the Sears where I bought a washer/dryer. Don't give me hell for going to sears, we had a family member employee discount.

Anyway 50-year-old George follows us around the section the entire time, explaining every frickin machine in detail to us, even though we were only interested in front-loaders. For him, an LCD display meant the machine had 'space-age electronics' and was therefore a better buy. We'd walk away to talk amongst ourselves about the ones we liked, & he'd literally enter into the 'circle' of discussion the sell some other model. I thanked him for his help, went up to another salesman next to him, & gave him the commission.
 
jeeeeee-zus.

Salespeople can really be irritating. My wife and I had a guy folllow us out to the PARKING LOT of a furniture store. There was some furniture we were mildly interested in, but we were pretty much planning on hitting 5 or 6 stores, comparing selection/price/etc then making a final decision. This guy was so pushy it was unreal and then we finally break away and are walking to the car and we hear "FOLKS!? FOLKS?! Not interested in the furniture anymore??" I mean, WTF??
 
I'm confused. What exactly is this guy an agent for? An apartment complex? Why would an apartment complex need to work through an agent?

A private homeowner trying to rent a house? I guess I can see that moreso than an apartment, but still.

What is the big deal about telling you where the property is located? Maybe it's different for renters, but when I was looking for a house to buy, if the ad didn't give at least some indication of location, I moved on. Why would you respond to an ad that didn't say where the property was?

I guess I just don't understand this whole situation. But man, salesman can really be the suck sometimes.
 
SN - you're probably right, to the board is overboard and unwarranted without something illegal or unethical (although i think he's REALLY close to the second). to his company and the property he represents i think it would be not only called for but appreciated.

the guy is a nutcase. it almost seems so crazy that they are just script emails he copies and pastes but in the last one he actually mentions something you said. creepy.

and your comment about being a dime a dozen was nothing like what he was insinuating, which is that you think agents are untrustworthy. so he just completely missed the boat there, which should not be a surprise.
 
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