Coldwell Banker

I used a real estate agent in this office-​Shirley Siegel-​and, unfortunately, the whole experience of buying my home (which I found, by the way, due to a friend and not the agent) was a disaster. I do blame myself for trusting her and not double checking everything but I did assume that she and her office were supposed to be the experts. I was talked into doing things due to fear of losing this house that were completely out of line. I was told there were other offers and I had to come in and sign even though I was not supposed to sign documents due to a medical procedure I had less than 24 hrs earlier. The agent was fully aware of this. I should have let it go-​especially because there were no other offers as the selling agent had represented to my agent. But… I wanted the house and so submitted to many things that I normally wouldn’t have. So even after she knew that there were no other offers… that she had been «bamboozled» she presented the offer anyway because she told me that she «didn’t know what else to do». However-​the worst part was when I discovered that the homeowners had not been truthful about the disclosure list-​and when I called to enlist the help of the agency-​they said I was on my own. I would have to hire an attorney. I thought that the point of hiring an agent and agency was to represent me on the contract that we all had signed. Evidently, the manager of this agency, told me that it would be up to me to pay for an attorney to dispute anything that was found not to be true. So although the owner fully knew about many problems and basically lied about them-​the agency would do nothing to help me out. Wow. Trust is a very big issue… it seems that even though inspections are done, and contracts are signed… you still have to hire an attorney and pay more money if you want things to be as they should be. That is… unless you have a very competent and astute representative and agency behind you. I have learned a very valuable lesson… and have helped a friend of mine after my experience… to go after everything yourself and not trust someone who is just trying to make a sale –especially someone who is inexperienced and you are relying on the company behind her. It just doesn’t pay to be «nice» and «trusting» sometimes. Also, choose your own companies to do inspections… there is a whole lot of inconsistency and more out there… terrible. I should have gone with the reputable company in Lafayette who stands behind their clients… but was trying to help someone out. Business is business… stupid me. Don’t let it be you. Choose the best and not someone who you are trying to help out.

Lisa Hoctor found my dream house for me in June. The first day out house hunting, after about 6 or 7 houses, we walked into «my» house and I fell in love. She had found a list of possible houses that all would have been wonderful, with all the attributes I was looking for, in all the cities I was interested in, and she hit the jackpot with this one. She guided me thru the bidding and buying process so that the whole transaction went incredibly smoothly. I HIGHLY recommend her,

Andie Carlin handled the sale of our house with great professional care. Her knowledge, expertise and patience were very much appreciated.

Coldwell Banker missed out with us! (see my experience with them below) Shelley found me my dream home the first weekend we looked. She worked with us to determine we can in fact afford a bit more than we had thought. The offer on my dream home was accepted and we are now in contract!
Shelley from Pacific Union International is the type of agent you want working for you! She worked very hard to get us this home. I couldn’t be happier.

Our realtor was not from this company, rather the realtor representing the seller. Cheryl made the process so difficult. She would take forever to get back to our realtor and for most of the discloure papers that by LAW she must provide us, she waited until the last minute to send them. Literally the last minute, like the day of the signing and a day before we took possession. I feel this is wrong and unethical. She didnt present information to her seller like a realtor is supposed to, thus increasing our frustration and the timeline. And when she finally would respond, she would say things like «ok, make sure you get that done by the end of today. «Is she serious? She can take weeks to do something, but expects us and our realtor to jump when she says jump? Wow. I would never be happy with a realtor like this and I would not expect anyone else to be either. The way this was handled was insane, but thanlfully my realtor was competent and professional. Oh, and two weeks after the close date, there is still a lockbox from her on our front door, even though there have been repeated attempts to get her to take it off.