Real estate agent turns on his industry to blast ‘fake’ tactics being used to fool buyers and drive up prices

A real estate agent has hit out at the ‘fake’ tactics used by some industry colleagues, which has led to Aussies having a less-than-flattering perception of the sector.

Jordan Bulmer, 30, is a sales agent at McGrath in Terrigal, on the NSW Central Coast, and is set on exposing some of the hated tactics used by those in the property game.

First and foremost, the agent took to TikTok to address the ‘fake offer’ strategy, which he blasted as a trick being increasingly used by some to drive up the price.

Mr Bulmer said he’s ‘not into this’ as he hit out at those who use the underhanded tactic. 

‘The minute a person makes an offer then there’s suddenly another offer on the table… I don’t know why agents do this,’ he said. 

‘If someone comes to me and says, ”Has there been an offer on the property?” and there hasn’t then I say, ”No there hasn’t I haven’t found the right person,” there doesn’t have to be an offer on every property.’

Mr Bulmer said he would then discuss with his client the actual options if they were interested in buying the property. 

He said a price where ‘everybody’s happy’ was the better outcome and warned other agents against passing on ‘fake offers’ as it reduced people’s trust in agents.

The agent was flooded with comments from those who have been subjected to the ploy.  

‘We had a realtor try that scam, so we said great sell it to them then,’ one said. 

‘For the next couple of days they kept calling and offering to make the sale and we blocked their number.’

Another said: ‘I had this happen, I made an offer and was told there was a better offer and kept being ”outbid” and that was the first time I got scammed by an agent. 

‘Funnily enough, about a week after I realised what was going on and pulled out. Then I got a call asking if I was still interested at my last offer amount. Nope.’

Someone else wrote: ‘I put an offer in and the agent said there are two other buyers so I kept upping the offer and they kept pushing till I said I was out. 

‘They ring back the next day saying the other buyers have dropped out do you want the property… Yeah nah I’ll pass thanks.’

Mr Bulmer said there’s ‘no need’ for agents to use ‘fake’ tactics when selling a property. 

‘I don’t understand why some agents do some of the things that frustrate the living daylights out of people. I just don’t get it,’ he told news.com.au.

‘I find that just such a silly thing to do, but it seems to happen so much.’

Mr Bulmer said it’s better to show his clients they can trust him by being transparent. 

Fellow real estate agent and auctioneer Tom Panos agreed that fake ploys are unnecessary and only serve to damage perceptions of the industry.

He pointed out the tactic of ‘catfish homes’ in which real estate agents post edited images of properties on their website listings to make them look better than they do in person. 

‘A real estate agent has an ethical responsibility to get the best price for the vendor (seller) who is their client and pays them. So it really is buyer beware,’ he said.

Another tactic he said was to door-knock a street where there is an auction set to take place and invite the neighbours to stop by on auction day, thus building an illusion that the property is more hotly contested.

Similarly, when buyers register to bid on auction day they might give them bidding numbers that are higher than the actual bidders.

‘So instead of one, two, three they might say 10, 11, 12,’ he said.

He encouraged buyers to undertake their own research before agreeing to purchase a property by looking at comparable prices on property sites like Corelogic and consulting with building inspectors who can check for defects.

‘People often more research planning a holiday or buying a car than they do buying a property.’