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Real estate agents say a lot of things with confidence. The problem is, confidence does not make something true.

In this episode of Dishin’ Dirt, Gary Pickren breaks down 10 of the dumbest, most dangerous, and most commonly repeated things real estate agents say—and explains why they can create legal problems, contract disputes, ethics issues, and bad outcomes for clients.

We cover:

• “It’s Coming Soon, so some buyers can see it but others can’t.”
• “You have to guarantee buyer-agent compensation.”
• “Our standard commission is…”
• “We terminated during due diligence, we just didn’t send the termination fee.”
• “Don’t send me the inspection report because I don’t want to know.”
• Why the argument for private exclusives gets harder to defend when most eventually end up on the MLS anyway.
• “I don’t know if the earnest money was ever deposited.”
• “The appraisal came in low, so the seller has to lower the price.”
• “The seller has to fix it because it’s not up to code.”
• And the classic: “Don’t worry about what the contract says. We do it this way all the time.”

The common theme is simple: real estate professionals have to stop repeating bad information just because they heard another agent say it.

Read the contract. Know the law. Understand your agency duties. Explain the options. And when you do not know the answer, say, “I don’t know. Let me find out.”

That answer is a lot safer than confidently giving your client the wrong one.

If you are a real estate agent, broker, lender, closing attorney, buyer, or seller, this episode will help you understand the mistakes that can derail a transaction—and how to avoid them.

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* Gary serves on the South Carolina Real Estate Commission as a Commissioner. The opinions expressed herein are his opinions and are not necessarily the opinions of the SC Real Estate Commission. This podcast is not to be considered legal advice. Please consult an attorney in your area.