SANTO DOMINGO – In a real estate transaction, the advisor should be a bridge of trust. However, when that role is distorted, the buying process ceases to be transparent and begins to favor the seller, not the investor.
Identifying these practices is not optional: it's a way to protect your money before you sign.
1. Press to close quickly
The use of phrases like “there are other interested parties” or “the offer will fall through today” doesn't always reflect market reality. In many cases, it's a strategy by the advisor to expedite the signing without allowing for verification.
2. Hide key property information
An advisor doesn't just sell, they also inform. When they omit information about debts, legal issues, or the property's actual condition, they are directly influencing the buyer's decision.
3. Invent or exaggerate offers
Simulating demand is one of the most delicate practices. Creating the perception of competition where none exists aims to pressure the client and distort the true value of the negotiation.
4. Promoting properties with misleading information
Retouched images, mismatched spaces, or inflated descriptions are clear signs of a sale based on unrealistic expectations, not facts.
5. Charging without transparency
Unclear fees, unexpected payments, or charges for basic services should raise red flags. A professional advisor sets terms from the outset, not on the fly.
6. Assuming functions that do not correspond to him/her
When an advisor offers legal, tax, or technical guidance without the proper training, they cross a professional line that can have serious consequences for the client.
According to Reyna Echenique published in El Inmobiliario, these practices do not dominate the market, but they tend to appear when the buyer does not carry out adequate due diligence. Similarly, according to the article by Moma Team Real Estate and the information presented by Hoffman Real Estate, many of these behaviors are linked to a lack of transparency and a lack of awareness of the limits that should govern professional real estate practice.
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