Ask Phyllis!

Invasion Of Privacy

Dear Phyllis,

After searching for a home for almost a year, we finally got one!  We wrote offers on three others before we got an offer accepted. Getting our loan approved was probably the most stressful part of the process. It seemed each day our lender wanted another piece of information. Having the inspection and the all of the repair items worked out was another obstacle, but at the end we got it done.  Our real estate agent was referred by a co-worker and he was great.  The seller’s agent seemed to be nice as well.  So no real issues until after the deal was done.  I don’t want the pictures of my home all over the internet.  I feel it’s an invasion of our privacy.  And even though we asked the other agent, he refuses to remove them from the internet.  Do you know how we can get them removed or who we can appeal to?  Feeling exposed

Dear Feeling,

Congratulations on your new home! Prior to becoming a real estate agent, I worked in the mortgage banking industry. I understand how stressful the loan approval process is. The paperwork is unending.  Most loans are sold to investors and that is why the lenders are so fussy, they don’t want a loan returned.

Multiple Listing Service (MLS) rules require that each listing has at least one photograph.  As a real estate agent, I get business from a variety of sources, primarily: 1) repeat business and referrals from past clients 2) internet 3) people I meet at open houses.  Let’s assume that a neighbor of the home you purchased was looking for a Realtor® and searched online to research the agent that had your home listed for sale. This neighbor clicks on the listing and finds only one photograph. They then look at other listings and sales with multiple photos.  In their research they decide on a different Realtor® to hire, one who does a better job marketing his listings.

The listing agent of the home you purchased likely paid a professional photographer about $400.00 to obtain the photos. Now that the home is sold it is understandable that the Realtor® would like to obtain more business from that listing.  If this is important to you on any future home purchases, have your real estate agent put the request in writing when you make the offer to purchase. And have all parties sign this request. .

  Phyllis Harb