False Advertising?

[Charley]

I got a post card today in the mail from a real estate company. It said that the property at our address was just sold and to welcome their new neighbors.

Well, our house wasn't for sale and is not sold. I am really shocked.

My hubby called the sales associate on the card and she acted like she didn't believe him and said he would have to bring the card to her so she could see it.

So I emailed the associate broker and sent a scanned in photo of the postcard.

Then I went to a few neighbors to see if they had gotten one....and yes....and they have our address listed as sold. One neighbor is going to call them tomorrow and tell them that our house is not sold. I did get her postcard...most people I talked to had thrown them away so I only have ours and one neighbors.

What would you do? Have you heard of this happening to anyone?

We are planning on listing our house for sale this winter, but now people that don't know us will think it just sold a few months ago and that something is wrong with it. This is not good timing for sure. And I wonder how many people they sent this postcard to!

Lois

 

[ozymandias]

I get those occasionally and usually laugh knowing that no homes in our area were even listed let alone just sold but usually it's more generic like "a home in your neighborhood" rather than an actual address. The agent is trying to get business...it's a marketing ploy, they really don't care about you getting to know your new "neighbors". They want their name and contact info directly marketed to you.

Call this agents principle broker. All advertising coming out of this agents office must be approved by their principle broker so that's the person to talk to. Other than them making sure it doesn't happen again and perhaps you getting an apology I don't think there's much else they'd do.

 

[susanne]

In our county, info on any property, including current and past sales and current property owner, is open to the public. Any sale would be recorded with the tax assessors. I would begin by collecting the info they have and taking it to the manager or owner of the realty company. go to the top. The postcards are mailed and most will certainly be pitched into the circular file, but make certain that their records are corrected so this doesn't affect your future sales efforts.

I doubt this would affect any future sale, but on the other hand, home sales are difficult enough without false info floating about.

 

[Charley]

We live in the mountains of Northern Georgia. Most people here were born here and have lived all their lives here. Especially in the community that we live in. The neighbors know for generations who owned each plot of land. And they know stories of each family that lived there before. So when a sale is announced like this was, I think it could hurt the market for selling our house as they will remember that "the 'Jones Place' just sold a few months ago and now it is back up for sale. Y'all know something must be wrong with that house if it's for sale again so soon." But I guess we will never know for sure.

My neighbor called the sales associate and told her that she had the wrong address on the cards. The lady then asked my neighbor to bring her the postcard. She is the lady who's photo is on the postcard and then she wound up blaming it on the local cable/telephone company and said she will get it fixed tomorrow first thing in the morning. I wonder how she is going to fix it? And when did the local cable/telephone company go into the bulk mail service?

 

[Minimor]

I don't see this affecting a future sale; if everyone in the area knows who has lived where for how long then they will know that your property hasn't actually been sold in the recent past. Of the people who got the cards, how many of them would be potential buyers? Your neighbors likely aren't buying and if the card went out to the whole town/county/state, most people will simply chuck the card in the garbage and won't remember the address 3 months from now.

If you list the property with an agent (and I wouldn't use the agent or company that sent out that card!) you can ask them to tell prospective buyers that this home has been owned by this family for x many years. If you're selling privately then you can give that information to anyone who inquires. If someone does remember the address they would likely ask 'didn't this house sell just recently' and then you can explain about the misprinted card. They could certainly check ownership records at whatever office it is that registers land ownership there, and then they would see that the property has not changed hands in years.

 

[Charley]

I did find out where, with the state of Georgia, to file a complaint. I haven't heard anything from them yet. I will wait for the end of the day and then file a complaint with the Governor's Office of Consumer Protection. At the least, I would like to hear from them that it was someone's error and that they will prevent it from happening again.

 

[Jill]

Also in VA, real estate records are public record. It sounds to me like someone had a typo or a transposition of street addresses. I really do not think anyone will remember it when you're ready to sell your house. I'm sorry you are so upset about it. I know I wouldn't like it, either, but as a business owner, I deal with list companies and mail houses frequently. I know that the lists always have some errors on them. "I" have sent dinner or financial workshop invitations to dead husbands and passed away parents

Hugs to you, Lois.