Tcrack:

never do business with someone with an ID that springs up overnight. (my own personal rules)

Not in all cases dear! Even those that have long-registered; one should deal with caution

there are no two ways about it. once a member suspects or finds out such fraudster, he or she should advertise the property and the  identity of the person posting it as a scam or scammer as the case may be, so people like us will take note. should the person change his personal details and is found out again then, it is time to take him to efcc. however, advertising companies should post their registered address and name. i think that will be better.

@ Lawyer, I'm a legal practitioner my self and must say that this "AGENCY BUSINESS" of a thing has been bastardised in Nigeria.It is now an all comers affair, with all manner of quacks and charlatans finding thier way into the profession. Essentially, I would blame the Nigeria Institute of Estate Surveyors & Valuers (NISEV) for not checking the trend.Like other professions, it should be regulated! Any jobless man roaming the street suddenly becomes and agent and think its all about finding a buyer/tenant for a property, while his eye is on the 10% agency.There's more to just marketing a property.They cannot give the basic clarifications on the title to the property they are supposed to market, at most times they dont even know the owner as there is a long chain of sub-agents connected to the main agent/owner. If a form of ID/Verification can be introduced on this forum, BETTER.But I advise nairalanders to consult a lawyer/professional each time they want to do any transaction with these faceless people.You would be advised on what and what to demand/look out for and once they are not available, please SCRAM for dear life.Never EVER allow any agent put you under pressure to part with your hard earned funds.Be slow and circumspect until you get a clear picture of what you're about to lease or purchase.Sorry for this long post.Had to be very blunt on this issue.

I believe there is an increase in dubious agents on Nairaland because people are patronizing them. One thing for certain is that no agents can do wonders. Anyone apply for visas should sit and read the application procedure. No point in looking for short cut by paying agents (either dubious or genuine).

lanresz:

I believe there is an increase in dubious agents on Nairaland because people are patronizing them. One thing for certain is that no agents can do wonders. Anyone apply for visas should sit and read the application procedure. No point in looking for short cut by paying agents (either dubious or genuine).

 

We are talking about buying properties here. You either use a reliable agent or you will be duped.

@KOKOYE Thanks for the clarification.

Hi, my question is that my topic: "Any Architects in the House" was stickied at one point, upon the request of a member on Nairaland, but then it was removed, replaced with a topic of your own.

@Lawyer, the truth is that these few set of people will not cease as far as it is the Internet, but we can minimize it by policing ourselves; I've done it many times when I see misleading ads at Technology Market having no concrete profile with few posts here. No traceable physical address and real name. Dealing with a phone number posted on an ad is not good enough.

You must checkout for these little things as it will help out a lot to minimize these ugly acts.

What anyone should have to do when you see such ads is to politely ask the poster to provide such details, or even flag it and report, most of them quit when asked.

@lawyer, what about owner sellers, don't they have a right to advertise their properties? Everyone must not be an estate surveyor at once, just tell us this section is being personalised for the professionals and we would keep off. In the end you guys will still meet us on the ground before you you make any sale/rent.

Supposing someone asks for a property and gets no answer from the regular well known agents and gets no answer, maybe because the property is not in Lagos, (like Enugu, Makurdi, Calabar) if someone located in those cities provides answers, and yet the informant is not a registerd surveyor, are we going to discredit the info on just on that basis.

Having played in the property market for the better part of 12 years, I am very much aware of the animosity that exists between the pros, lawyers and registered surveyors on one hand and the 'all comers' by that term I mean those that have elected on their own choice, to find properties on their own and collect commissions for their efforts.

As a young man I walked the streets of Enugu and made quite a bunch marrying buyers to seller and tenants to landlords. I was never registered as a surveyor, although we had our own form of regulating things. What am trying to say is that those foot soldiers, the so called quacks still make things easy in the property market. They are always in direct link with lawyers, landlords, surveyors to the extent that they are becoming indispensable. Most professionals sit down in the office and dictate lists and prices of properties they may not know (apologies to lawyers) while these quacks are on the streets, digging up info, inspecting houses and lands. The last time I used a lawyer for a deal, I had to register in his office, N5000, pay mobilization fee and the lawyer still called up these quacks and asked around till he got one to lead me to the property. They shared the commission later with the lawyer taking over 80%.

Everyone is important, anyone can be a crook, nothing beats your own personal investigation, always double check!

@invisible
i doubt that anyone is worried about any 'foot soldier', as long as what he advertises is legit.
we are all rather wary of the scammers trying to hoodwink us of our money.

its obvious out of 12 disciples there is one judas,not only in real esate but the society@large, u cant do it at all it's a fruitless call.chasing the wind.my advise is the age long wisdom of "CAVEAT EMPTOR" be placed on nairaland.
keep up the gud work

my advice is CAVEAT EMPTOR  Latin for “Let the buyer beware.” It means that a customer should be cautious and alert to the possibility of being cheated: “Caveat emptor is the first rule of buying things"


Agents also should beware,don't be use by Satan,the job is about good name which is better than silver and gold.Keep doing good work with honesty,you will hit that big transaction in your way.
SELLERS should always remember this- Caveat venditor is Latin for "let the seller beware". It is a counter to caveat emptor and suggests that sellers can also be deceived in a market transaction.

my advice is CAVEAT EMPTOR  Latin for “Let the buyer beware.” It means that a customer should be cautious and alert to the possibility of being cheated: “Caveat Emptor is the first rule of buying things"

Caveat venditor
Agents also should beware,don't be use by Satan,the job is about good name which is better than silver and gold.Keep doing good work with honesty,you will hit that big transaction in your way.
SELLERS should always remember this- Caveat venditor is Latin for "let the seller beware". It is a counter to caveat emptor and suggests that sellers can also be deceived in a market transaction.

@landmatterz, how can a seller be decieved in a land transaction?

@ invisibLe,

Well said !

@invisible

@landmatterz, how can a seller be decieved in a land transaction

A seller can be deceive when he is approached by a fake seller or fraud star owners to sell properties on their behalf,they can forge all title documents for him.He will start marketing,advertising on Castle mag and NL property forum meanwhile he has be inspecting without any problem.Maybe the owner is not around,the children want to sell parent property without authority,wife selling husband property without authority,sales of polygamous family properties without the consent of other parties.anything can happen.

I say again "Caveat venditor"

@landmattaz, a seller cannot be decieved if people sell his land for his? Sebi he still have his original documents and can fight and 'decieved' buyer off his propety. The only way a seller will be decieved is if he hands over his documents to his agents or children and they sell and scram with the cash. Sellers should also watch the wordings and measurements on the sale contract document, this will prevent a buyer taking more than he paid for.

The only way a seller will be decieved is if he hands over his documents to his agents or children and they sell and scram with the cash. Sellers should also watch the wordings and measurements on the sale contract document, this will prevent a buyer taking more than he paid for.

invisible,
that only way you mentioned here is what i mean.

Sellers should also watch the wordings and measurements on the sale contract document

Sir, u should stop dealings wit quarks.The only way is 2 do business wit professionals Estate Valuers.

Well, to be realistic I don't think there is really much one can do about dubious agents, I believe a great deal of the responsibility lies in the hands of the clients/prospective dealers to be more vigilant, tactical and well informed, besides this is an open forumn so I doubt if there could be a concrete measure put in place to totally curb this,but as a mitigate I believe the best bet would be to create a black-list alert! on the ones who have been 'verified' dubious by investigation and personal experiences by nairalanders. I for one just joined this forumn a few days ago based on a referal with a property posted for sale, and I have had 2meetings already with contacts goten from here which was very successful.Now, with a blacklist initiative, I as an agent (altho not primarilly but for the purpose of this said property)would obviously work towards protecting my integrity so as not to taint my image for a future deal.May God help us!