Kate Elim, Lake Anna Real Estate Specialist

SCAM: I do not Recommed using Real Estate Client Referrals (RECR)

Kate Elim, Realtor® 540-226-1964 Selling Homes & Land at LAKE ANNA — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:18:35 -0700

Words of wisdom from a "newer" agent will hopefully help many others from making the same mistake. Angela learned her lesson and is the wiser for it. Like her, many others have found out the "easy" was is the costly way and not the productive way. Rely on the many tools that really benefit you such as blogging on Active Rain. It takes time and a bit of work but it will eventually pay off and that's what counts.

I'm waiting for this post to be featured. It has been suggested and it is

Via Angela Helfrick (Keller Williams Cityside):

BE VERY CAUTIOUS WHEN THINKING OF USING THE COMPANY "REAL ESTATE CLIENT REFERRALS." (RECR)

I was recently contacted by this company and everything sounded good. They give you referral leads that they have spoken to and confirmed for $99 per referral with a minimum purchase of 5. If that lead is not good or your unable to work with the person, you have 7 days to let RECR know and they will replace the lead for free.

Well I was also told that I had 90 days to try out the service and if I was unhappy, I would be refunded any $ spent on leads that I couldn't reach and the start up fee. Well there was a place in the contract that seemed to contradict what I was told , so I questioned it and they said, Our customer service people will work with you to keep you happy and yes you could be refunded all you $ if you were unhappy.   BIG LIE!!

I have received 3 "new leads" 2 of which I am unable to contact and 1 is no longer able to purchase. So 3 bad leads which I had to pay for. What I was not told is that when they replace your leads, they do not give them to you until you have received all the paid for leads and you can only have the paid for leads replaced 1 time. This in effect means that you can get a max of 10 leads if you purchase 5 and it does not matter if you are not able to get in touch with 100% of them, you still need to pay for them and have nothing to show for it but a $600 bill and a HEADACHE.

New to real estate, this could not have come at a worse time with all the start up fees that I have had to pay without any income.

Please do let yourself get taken advantage of like I was.

I believe this could only be good it you need some referrals, but are willing to pay a lot of money up front without any return. After calling and speaking with the Customer service manager, I was cheerfully informed that only about 1 in 5 leads are converted into closings. This means that an average you can pay up to $500 for 1 closed deal. She also said there was nothing they could do to credit that money that I spent on dead leads, but if I would like they would refund me $198 for the 2 leads that I have not received and stop my service. Yippee I could walk away with $400 less than I started and nothing to show for it. I thought are you crazy, my best bet now is to spend the remaining $198 and Pray to God that I get 1 good lead out of the remaining 2 "paid leads" and 3 "free replacement leads" that I paid $99each for. I found it interesting when I was told that the manager only had 2 choices: 1) to stop my service and refund the remaining $198 or 2)to give me 2 more "free referrals" that I would first need to spend the remaining $198 to get. What a sham! usually a manager of a good company would at least try to make a person happy, but that's not the case here.

Pardon my negative attitude. I normally am not like this, but when people mislead other people just to get their $ I really take offense.

I hope this saves at least one person out there from throwing away money.

©Copyright Kate Elim 2011

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

GET MOVING WITH KATE!

540-226-1964 cell

Kate Elim, Lake Anna Real Estate Specialist

SCAM: I do not Recommed using Real Estate Client Referrals (RECR)

Something Was Calling Me Down to the Dock

UPDATE TO KIDS TO PARK DAY at LAKE ANNA STATE PARK...MAY 19, 2012

LAKE ANNA MARKET REPORT - WATER ACCESS LOTS FIRST QTR. 2012

LAKE ANNA MARKET REPORT - WATERFRONT LOTS SOLD FIRST QTR. 2012

LAKE ANNA MARKET REPORT - WATERFRONT HOMES SOLD FIRST QTR. 2012

LAKE ANNA MARKET REPORT - WATER ACCESS HOMES SOLD FIRST QTR. 2012

EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL AT LAKE ANNA

Lucky Me...Living at Lake Anna Next to a Beautiful Garden

Living is Good in The Waters at Lake Anna

FRIENDS OF LAKE ANNA STATE PARK ANNUAL MEETING SATURDAY, MAY 19, 2012

LAKE ANNA IS ENJOYING SPRING...HOW ABOUT YOU?

MARKET REPORT - LAKE ANNA...Louisa County WATER ACCESS Homes SOLD in 2011

Fredericksburg, VA Has the Beatuy and Charm of a Small American Town

WINTER HASN'T HIT US YET AND ALREADY I'M THINKING OF SPRING & SUMMER AT LAKE ANNA