How to Destroy the Image of an Entire Vertical Million Dollar Listing (cont)

I’m watching real estate’s image crumble.

Agents Ray and Dai ride out Hollywood to meet a homeowner who is more in need of a therapist. After chanting “We have to get this listing” repeatedly in the car, they arrive and swoop down on the home owner like two rabid vultures. The woman is distraught about her husband leaving for a younger woman. She’s on the fence about selling this home that appears to be her only tie to emotional stability.  Ethical agents would recommend she take a week to think about it. Not Ray and Dai. They care only about the listing.

An open house. An offer ensues with a 24-hour contingency. Ray’s immobilized, leaves rapid fire messages on his client’s answering machine, and begs for a call back. Life threatening stress hangs in the air. The seller arrives at his office late in the afternoon. Pressure’s getting to her. Ray retrieves the paperwork off the floor that she flung in dire desperation. He wants her signature. The seller has no home to move to, but this isn't Ray’s concern.

Skip ahead to moving day. an empty home sits perched high above the Hollywood Hills. An entire life packed away in storage boxes. Outside, the lights of LA twinkle like Christmas. Sprawled out on the bare floor is the seller -- sobbing. She calls out “Where am I supposed to go now”?

Cut to: Bar Side. Ray and Dai lift dirty martinis in a toast. He looks into the camera and sings “I just made $35,000. Whoohoo.”

No toast for the seller. She’s curled up in the hills. Destroyed by luxe agents selling their souls for commissions. If the show were called Trailer Trash Transactions, it wouldn’t be so bad. But if this is how the top is portrayed what’s the world to think of this business.

Posted by: Narro Verum

Comments

[Patrick Harfst]

The media does not like our industry... Too bad the greed & inflated egos of some in our profession allow themselves to become "used" by the media to "prove" that agents are just bottom feeders. Shame on the media, and doubel shame on the agents involved.

[Scot Cook]

I watched a different episode of this show in horror, as I am an agent. They might want to do other shows, with different professions like Airline Pilots. They could show them talking about how they cheat on their wifes with the flight attendants while downing martinis before takeoff. Or doctors who get mad at healthcare compensation so they do something unthinkable to an unsuspecting patient.
The truth is, from what I have seen of this show they have gone out of their way to select agents that are the worst of the worst! That may make great televison, but it is an unconscionable portrayal of our profession.