Real estate agent Leslie Rae Young came under fire from regulators in Nebraska and Alaska for flat fee listings in the two states. While a flat fee listing is not against the law, doing it when you are not licensed in the state is against the law. A law Young is charged with breaking. Continue reading
Celebrity Agents: Top Agents or Really Rotten Agents?
Celebrity agents are making their way to TV screens around the country, and these agents are making big news for selling some of America’s largest multi-million dollar penthouses and mega-mansions from coast to coast. But are these agents as trustworthy as they seem? Continue reading
Lessons For Your First Home Purchase
The NerdWallet site focuses on personal finance tips and advice, and part of personal finance is real estate. The NerdWallet team recently polled staff members about their first home purchase lessons. Read on to see highlights of what they learned, and what you can learn from their mistakes and frustrations. Continue reading
Austin Real Estate Bubble Poised to Pop?
Austin, Texas is riding the wave of an economic boom. Thanks to a combination of great weather, affordable cost of living, and popular events like South By Southwest and Austin City Limits, the capital of the Lone Star State has drawn in new residents and visitors pushing up real estate prices to record highs, but will the highs last, or is the Austin real estate bubble poised to pop? Continue reading
Son Uses Mom’s Realtor Lockbox Key to Burglarize Homes
When most people hire a Realtor, they are hiring a trusted real estate agent to help them sell their home. That’s why three homeowners were shocked when, shortly after handing over the keys, their homes were burglarized. Continue reading
Did SunToWater Solve California’s Water Crisis?
Cities around the country are running out of water and facing a water shortage crisis. According to a report by 24/7 Wall St, nine US cities are on the verge of seeing their water sources go dry. The nine cities are in California, and include include Bakersfield, Fresno, and California’s capital Sacramento. Continue reading
Tax Fraud: Chicago Real Estate Executive Pleads Guilty
A real estate appraisal executive, William Daddono, pled guilty to tax evasion in an egregious example of a wealthy executive in the real estate industry industry. This tax fraud is one of the biggest we’ve ever seen here at Really Rotten Realty. Continue reading
Santa Barbara Agency Sues over Stolen Information
There is no crime in leaving your job to work for a competitor, but when you leave, you cannot take your former employer’s confidential information with you. In Santa Barbara, California, Coldwell Banker is suing startup real estate firm Compass for luring away a top manager and stealing confidential information. The stolen information in question relates to top performing agents. Continue reading
Downtown Detroit Real Estate is Picking Up
The economic situation in the “rust belt,” a Northeastern region with a strong industrial history, has taken a big hit thanks to automation and outsourcing in the automotive industry. At the heart of the losses is Detroit, a once thriving city that has seen major economic losses as the big car manufacturers layoff workers, close factories, and ship jobs to the south and overseas. Continue reading
Cuban Rights Activist Gets Four Years for Real Estate Fraud
Alicia Garcia appeared to be a selfless, upstanding citizen on the surface. Her Cuban rights activism gained the attention of Miami-Dade county elected officials, but they had no idea about her shady past. Continue reading
New York Man Earns Big in $200,000 Scam
Due to the nature of real estate transactions, scams can be very lucrative. In this $200,000 scam, a New York man scored big. Continue reading
Deceiving Photos May Result in $22,000 Fine
Deceiving photos happen in real estate from time to time. Photos are always taken to make a room look as big as possible and show a property in a positive light. Few, however, go as far Australian agent Ray White, who had an ugly neighboring building removed from photos completely. Continue reading
Mother Son Duo Scam Team
Most real estate scams we’ve covered on this site focus on an agent or other criminal behaving badly. On some occasions, we see a team or a big group in on the fraud. This is the first time, though, that we’ve seen a mother-son duo scam team. Continue reading
Crime Isn’t Just for the Poor
Residents of high-end neighborhoods are used to feeling safe around their homes and communities, but times may be changing for some who have been targeted by violent crime in the Dallas, Texas area. Continue reading
U.S. to Track Secret Buyers of Luxury Homes
Wealthy individuals around the world are always on the lookout for safe and profitable investment opportunities. Some of those wealthy individuals earned that money through criminal activity, and the United States is on the hunt for tax evaders and criminals using shell companies to act as secret buyers of luxury homes. Continue reading