Bit of an update on the prize Realtor I was speaking of below. No.... it's been 8 weeks and she still hasn't read the Agreement, but to be honest, I don't think her client did either.
She calls me this week asking ME what needs to be done before my client moves in.
Uh.... why don't you pick up YOUR copy of the Contract and oh, I don't know.... READ IT?
I finally met this person on Friday and all my suspicions were confirmed. She's one of these people that thinks she knows it all and spouts off all the time, but occasionally opens her mouth and proves what an idiot she is. Also one of these people that loves the sound of her own voice. Asks you a question and then interrupts you when you're answering her. FWIW, her client is exactly the same. Good thing I didn't have a firearm with me or I'd be awaiting trial.
After her client signing a contract saying that he'd repair anything that needed repair during a move in inspection- he decides to tell us that he's not fixing a couple of broken doors because "they don't bother him". Uh, no I guess they wouldn't since he's not living there. Also says, and I love this... "I'm not doing renos every time I get a new tenant". And this my friends is a man who my clients are paying 2,200 a month in rent for the next two years. I wish they'd been game when I told them I thought we should play hardball and threaten to walk away and look elsewhere.
All this happened on the same day that a Chinese Realtor (and yeah I know I'll get flack for that) decided to tell me that we "should look elsewhere for something" because either her or her client didn't like the clauses I put in the offer. The clauses were fixing the ones she had in her version that were a violation of the Landlord Tenant Act. Also claimed that our wanting the unit painted was outrageous because the walls were "fine". Yeah, the walls that are still the builders flat beige that have dirt and footprints on them on an 18 month old condo. Turns out that even if we'd offered full list and not wanted anything painted, our money wasn't good enough for them.
Now the reason I mention that she's Chinese is because it's a well known fact amongst Realtors here in Toronto that anytime you see either a Chinese name as an owner or as the Listing Agent, you're in for a headache. No grasp of the concept of negotiating or of the law - especially if the prospective Tenants are non-chinese. You should see some of the crap they pull. Illegal deposits, and violations of the Act left, right and center. Many Realtors won't even show listings like this. One of these days I'll learn and join 'em.
Yes, Realtors are not supposed to NOT show certain listings, but heres the facts - there are certain listings that many agents will not show unless they absolutely have to. This is not all of them but some of them are:
- anything Brad Lamb lists - all his sales force seem to emulate him and are as obnoxious as he is
- rentals with Chinese named owners or Listing Agents
- increasingly - anything listed with Right At Home Realty (they seem to hire plenty of salespeople with little experience, seem to have little disregard for ethics and little desire to improve their level of professionalism).
I don't have a problem working hard for what I earn, but I refuse to be a candidate for the looney bin just to take home $800 for what should have been a simple rental that turns into a nightmarish drama resulting in more work than would have been involved to SELL the darn house.
And so begins a week off from this insanity.
