Be careful who you give real estate advice to.

On occasion I’ve been approached by an agent seeking advice as how to best handle a scenario involving either a buyer or seller that is not one of our own transactions.

The scene plays out something like this,  (sic) “I have a friend who just bought a home and the seller’s being unreasonable with regards to letting the home inspector enter the property” … or a myriad of other situations like this.

My first response is usually along the lines of  “why did your friend buy their home without using you?”

Sometimes agents get caught up in their desire to show just how savvy they are about the ins and outs of real estate, that they give advice to someone who is seeking help with a problem they are having with another agent(s).

The first thing to remember is that if the “victim” values your advice so much they should have contacted you to begin with.

Secondly, any statement you make could be construed as giving legal advice, or interfering in a contractual relationship that you’re not a party to.

Don’t be tempted to show your friend that they made a big mistake by not using you. 

Simply tell them that you can’t give any advice with regards to a real estate transaction that you’re not involved in, and suggest that they talk with their broker, or contact their attorney.