Complain about a product or service

RE/MAX

RE/MAX brokerages are locally owned so a complaint about one doesn't necessarily reflect on the others. Having said that, here are a few of the more recent complaints about RE/MAX Realtors.

Renter of Rowlett TX (10/05/08)
Sarah Athey was the most unprofessional realtor I have ever had to work with. After leasing a home form her, she refused to respond to any issues (including a major flood) with the home without continuous phone calls and e-mails. Her inexperience and lack of knowledge about real estate should be (but probabaly and unfortunately isn't) enough to remove her license.

After a flood in the home, and her inaction to repair damages, she not only illegally withheld a security deposit but then sued to have the carpet replaced due to her own negliegnce. Sarah Athey is the definition of why realtors have a bad name, and from some of these other comments makes me question why anyone would use RE/MAX.

Sheri of Lakeland FL (06/02/08)
I moved into a house that was for rent on March 22, 2008. Ever since the first day I moved in, I have had nothing but problems, all of which was reported to ReMax Prop. I have had electrical problems, plumbing problems to the point where me or my children couldnt take showers. The house is infested with rodents. I have problems with rats, roaches, termites, horseflies, fleas, and moths. I have reported all this to remax. The exterminator has been to the house at least 5 or 6 times and has not one time sprayed or put down any products to help stop the problems. I have spent money on hotels due to the fact ofd the shear terror of being around rats, not to mention I have a 9 month old daughter and a 7 year old daughter.

I couldnt continue to expose my children to rats and fleas so I had a sit down talk with the realtor from ReMax and he stated that whateva it took for me to be happy even if that included giving me my money back. I wrote a letter stating that I would move out but I needed the money that I gave to move into the house. I was informed that a walk thru needed to be completed by the realtor, after the walk thru I was informed that I would only get back my security deposit of $900, after paying over $2000 to move into the house. I have had to incur hotel costs and costs of buying rat traps and roach spray and flyswatters and was not once reimbursed.

After the realtor found out I wanted to move no further actions have been taken to get rid of the rodent problem. Now the realtor stated that I must sign a letter written by the owner before I can get my security deposit back. The only thing I asked for was my security deposit and one month's rent in order for me to move elsewhere. If i dont sign the letter which by the way isnt even on a letter head then i dont get anything back. I am a single mother with two small children and I am being taken advantage of. I would really like an attorney to review this. Me and my children are currently residing in the home because remax has left us no choice. There is still a rodent problem in the house and my children are terrified to live there. We all sleep in one room witht he door closed.

Renee of Del Valle TX (04/25/08)
JW handled the short-sell of my home. At closing, my husband and I were told we were responsible for the $350 fee to purchase a 1 year warranty policy for the buyers and this money would come out of the $1000 seller incentive money my lender offered to us if we sold the home within 90 days. After closing, I received a check for $150 vs. $650. When I contacted him to find out why I was receiving less than agreed upon, he stated there were other fees we had to pay.

He did not represent me or my husband professionally nor did he disclose all information to us prior to signing our paperwork. I contacted the title company who handled the closing and they informed me that JW was fully aware of which fees the Lender would pay and which fees I was responsible. He lied to me and my husband.

We have lost our property based on lies. My husband and I decided we were going to keep the property since the mortgage decreased by $200 if we had to pay any additional fees in order to sell the house. We specifically asked what the final amount we would have to pay was and he stated $350. He lied to us and now we have lost our home.  He was eager to sell our home at all costs in order to receive his $3500 commission so he did not disclose information to us that would possibily change our mind with the sell of our home.

Christina of Sacramento CA (04/25/08)
Carla Morgan is a licensed Real Estate Agent that is in charge of property management for Re/Max. My family and I rented one of the properties that Re/Max oversees. We were required to sign a walk-through before receiving keys to the property. Upon entering the property we made corrections to our walk-through (the walk-through said the carpets had been shampooed and they were not). There were other problems as well: Five electrical outlets did not work in the kitchen, and touch up paint did not match, and the downstairs bath was dirty. In addition to submitting the revised walk-through we requested in writing that Re/Max fix the electrical problem and supply us with touch up paint. We never got a response. Shortly before giving our notice to vacate, my son turned the light on in the laundry room. The switch that he touched arced, shocking him and subsequently knocking out power to the whole kitchen, laundry room, dining room, and garage. The breaker was tripped. Upon my husband resetting the breaker, it would trip every time that the laundry room light was turned on.

We called the repair number and petitioned in writing for the problem to be fixed. We heard no response. Before vacating the property we requested an initial walk-through before leaving the property. This is a provision that would allow us to correct any problem before leaving; thereby, protecting our deposit. At the time of requesting the walk-through I also asked again about touch up paint. Carla told me that I would have to take a 1x1 inch piece of the wall out and have it matched. I did. It did not match. The paint rep said that I would need to know the brand that had been used. Carla never returned my phone calls.

A Re/Max representative never showed up for an initial walk-through before we vacated. Upon moving out $1237.18 was held out of the deposit. The charges included: Carpet cleaning (carpets were not cleaned upon move-in), troubleshooting breaker for lights not working, paint, drywall damage, dump run for trash, and cleaning. The remainder of my deposit and an itemized list was not returned until almost 60 days after I had moved out. I called Carla and requested receipts because I was suspicious mostly about the dump run. I reminded her that the law only gives allowance for 21 days. She became hostile and would not speak to me. Carla never sent receipts. She did send two invoices. One invoice was for carpet cleaning and the second invoice was for all of the other charges. The second invoice is from the Steward Corporation.

They charged a total of $765.00. (I was never provided receipts for the paint and the dump run. Carla said we had left things that needed to go to the dump. I don't dispute that we left things. In fact, we did leave brand new camping equipment in one of the high cupboards in the garage. It was evident that it was new. No one bothered to call us to see if it was intentional. I have a hard time believing that it was taken to the dump.) I did some research and found the following information.

The Steward Corporation lists on the invoice an address that belongs to a UPS store. There was no phone number on the invoice so I looked one up. I had to use the reverse directory and use the UPS store's address. The phone number had been disconnected. I went to the California Secretary of State and found out that the contact person for the Steward Corporation is a licensed Real Estate Agent, Judy Shamblin, who works for the same company(Re/Max)as Carla. She works at the same address, just a different suite. The suite numbeer is 410.

Loss of $1237.18 and several hundred dollars in unused camping equipment.

Marcus of Bedford OH (12/14/07)
I am trying to get this realitor to stop using my name for puchase contracts in Cleveland Ohio. I have left a message for Tony ( the realitor) and Gary Golem (the broker) but no one is returning my calls. Please help right away, I have a feeling that there are hundreds of offers in my name and no one has asked me for earnest money or talked to me at all.

Margarett of Roselle NJ (09/01/06)
I was sold a house, I am a first time home buyer, I was never told I had to have the home inspected, I was only allowed to come into the home one time, the first time I was shown the home, I have been in here approx. 5 weeks, and I have had to have the kitchen ripped out, the house re-wired, and only one of the three bathrooms in the house are operable. I complained about one of the bathrooms, hours after closing, and no one has given me any feedback. I had an inspector come and was told that the bathrooms have to be completely ripped out , including ground work, because the sewer has a problem. I am so hurt and dissillusioned, and the realtor won't even speak with me. Please help me, I never met the so-called attorney that closed on my house until the day of closing, that was my second time speaking with him.

I have had to take out 2 loans, one for the electric, and I have lost money on two plumbers trying to repair the bathrooms, only now to find out that the damage that was done, was not done by a licensed plumber, it was done by the owner or self, so therefore, that is why they did not give me a inspection on the house prior to me buying it...The toilet is over 16 inches from the wall, if you sit on it, it will tilt, the shower and the sink and the toilet are all connected to a 2 inch pipe, with no air vent at all, that is why it is not flushing...one plumber suggesed it might be a sewer problem, that is why they sold the house. The wiring on the house, was self done, half of the outlets worked, the other half didn't - therefore I had to rewire the entire house. $2500.00 This is my worst experience I have ever had in life.

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