Realtor Question-complaint

[hotwheelstx]

I have been in the process of selling my mother's house. Anyway, I was asked for the key from my realtor to show the house.....I gave it to her under the pretense that she until the house was sold would be the only other person to have a key besides me.

I sold my mother's house and the new owners are letting me get things out of the house that I want....I couldn't touch my mom's stuff until probate was done. The new owner yesterday asked me for another key to the house.....and explained to me that my realtor had given him the key to my mom's house months ago and he'd lost that key.....I didn't sign a contract with realtor until early January for the sale of the house....closing was this past Friday.

My question is....Is this legal? Is there anything that I can do? I've never heard of anyone getting any keys to a house they're not buying or owning. I know I didn't get the keys to my house until I signed the paperwork.

I was made administrator of my mom's estate last July. By giving the realtor the key...I would be responsible for anything that would/could of been missing from my mom's house.

[justme23]

If nothing is missing why would you WANT to do anything?

Just sayin...

[annie169]

I've had Realtors give me house keys when we went househunting. They didn't go with us. I did have to leave my license at the office tho (hubby was driving)

[cathych]

why on earth would you give your mothers house keys to anybody? Realtors always use a lock box.

[Bliss]

If nothing was taken or damaged leave it be unless you are sue happy.

[Shann]

I would talk to her about this her employer, if they work for a company, or the realtor company that gives them their license. Out here they use lock boxes as well, but I can see why you'd be upset, I wouldn't want someone I didn't know having a key to a house that was not theirs. I wouldn't want anyone in the house w/o the realtor, but with our dogs unless we were here no one would be allowed in. I personally don't trust people.

[meltodd69]

I would be upset too. It's a matter of trust, I have no idea about the law. Even if nothing is missing I would still bring it to the companies attention. This time nothing was missing but what about the next person?

[hotwheelstx]

If nothing is missing why would you WANT to do anything?

Just sayin...

There was no lock box put on my mother's door. I trusted that the realtor wouldn't give the keys to anyone.....There was NO contract with these people when I gave realtor the keys.

I just feel uncomfortable with a stranger having the keys.....the realtor wasn't there when these people walked into the house.

I'm still not sure anything is missing. I haven't been able to go thru the entire house yet...due to probate, someone from the courts not being there.

[iluvmybaby]

There was no lock box put on my mother's door. I trusted that the realtor wouldn't give the keys to anyone.....There was NO contract with these people when I gave realtor the keys.

I just feel uncomfortable with a stranger having the keys.....the realtor wasn't there when these people walked into the house.

I'm still not sure anything is missing. I haven't been able to go thru the entire house yet...due to probate, someone from the courts not being there.

I would go thru the house, and then rekey the doors, and then ream the realitor out

[cathych]

she can't do that. She doesnt own it anymore.

[hotwheelstx]

I would go thru the house, and then rekey the doors, and then ream the realitor out

As of Friday Jan. 23 I don't own the house anymore. This all transpired before the sale of the house. I just found out about it on Friday afternoon when I went over to my mom's house w/the new owners.

[cathych]

there is really nothing you can do except chalk it up to experience, and give her a bad rep if anyone asks, don't use that agency anymore, and tell her boss about it.

[iluvmybaby]

As of Friday Jan. 23 I don't own the house anymore. This all transpired before the sale of the house. I just found out about it on Friday afternoon when I went over to my mom's house w/the new owners.

So is it the NEW owner who has the key? If not, I would recommend that you incur the cost for rekeying the house, as like you said you were legally resposible. If someone uses the key to break into their house, I am sure that it would weigh heavily on your consicence.

[cathych]

I would not worry about it. It is their house, thier problem. If I lost the keys to my house, it would be my responsibility to get the house rekeyed, not someone elses. It is not her, (OP) responsibility.

[hotwheelstx]

I'm at a loss. The realtor tells me she didn't give the new owners the keys, yet. My question is....then why did the new owners tell me they had the key, lost it?

Thru the courts I'm still responsible for what's in the house....everything that's in there is my mothers. I was ordered by the courts to wait til the house was sold before I removed anything else from the house.

I did remove...tv's, money, jewelery, things of important value out right after my mother passed. When I was taken to court by my brother....that's when I was told to leave everything alone in the house. That was within a 10 day period after my mother died.

I'm the executor of my mom's estate.....my brother was caught lying under oath to the judge.

I'll just wait and see if anything's missing. I can't go over there w/out the new owners permission.

[cathych]

that was just so you could not remove things like light fixtures, etc. You can certainly remove anything like a sofa or chair.

[whatever]

that was just so you could not remove things like light fixtures, etc. You can certainly remove anything like a sofa or chair.

I agree, Cause otherwise the new owners can be "helping" themselves to whatever they want and you would never know the difference. which could have already happened unless you have a photographic memory of EVERYTHING in the house.

[hotwheelstx]

It was made clear by my attorney to my realtor she wasn't to give/loan the key to anyone during the time I was showing the house.

She gave the new owners the key sometime in early December....without my permission and NO CONTRACT.

She also signed my name on a contract for her employer. Stating I was out of town (I was the first week of December for fil's funeral) and that she had permission to sign my name. She did not. Everything is to be cleared by my attorney, judge overseeing the estate. I have to report to the judge once a month on the status of everything that's gone on, turn in receipts, show proof that things were done.

She came highly recommended by a lot of people. I did research on her before I hired her....her references are outstanding here in Houston. Named one of the top sellers for 2004-2008.

Going to see attorney tomorrow and hopefully get this all straightened out. If my brother finds out what happened I'm not sure what he'll do.

Wish me luck.

[gmyers]

She definitely shouldn't be signing your name to anything. Thats wrong and I hope the people haven't taken anything either. It seems like they shouldn't have been shown the house without you or the realtor there with them.

[freeplease]

When we were house hunting, we were NEVER allowed to enter a home without the realtor. Every single house had a lock box on it. I'd be checking into this realtor. She sounds like quite the operator. Signing your name to any document is forgery, a crime. I'm assuming your state has a board of realtors. A phone call to them might be a good idea. If only to get an idea of your rights. I'd be calling her ethics into question.

[pepperpot]

I'm sorry....never trust realtors.....they only work for themselves, not you.....:nono

Trust me......I've bought and sold many properties....they work for themselves only.:agree