When it comes to money, there can be a vast chasm between what people believe and what they actually do

Nechama Norman with Batsheva Berman

I

t’s painful to admit this, but there’s a reason people sometimes lump real estate agents together with smarmy used car salesmen. Every agent is under intense pressure to get exclusive listings, and there are tricks some agents play to get those listings.

Some dangle a guarantee. “If you list your house with me, I’ll give you a guarantee that it will sell.” Sellers often leap at this offer — it sounds like a dream. What these agents don’t share is what’s in the fine print: If they don’t find a client at the asking price, they’ll sell the home for far below market value. And once you consider that anyone can sell a home below market value, the agent’s guarantee is a lot of hot air.

Another trick is the nonexistent “cash buyer.” Some agents will knock on doors and say, “I have a cash buyer who wants to see your home. Can I look around quickly first to see what it’s like?” In reality, there’s no cash buyer; they just want to get in the door and build a rapport with a potential seller. But what kind of relationship is it if it’s built on untruths?

Honesty is the best policy. As Torah Jews, we firmly believe that. Yet sometimes, when it comes to money, there can be a vast chasm between what people believe and what they actually do.