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Why do real estate agents use phony names when listing properties?

Public Comments

1. They should not. This sort of thing would be illegal.
2. Phony names? Legally they can't. What are you talking about?
3. They cant, they are set up in the MLS, when listing they only have the choice of using there licensed name.
4. That violates realtor ethics and is illegagl. What makes you think this is happening?
5. My license is in my name and I can only list houses under my name. It is possible to register a license under a nickname like Tom instead of Thomas, but I've never heard of anyone using a phony name.
6. It's not clear to me whether you mean that the agent is using a phony name for himself, his company, or the seller's name. If it is the first two, it is illegal. If the seller doesn't want his name used, that's his privilege, so it can be listed as "owner of record" or a trust number. If the seller is an agent himself, the listing must say something like "agent owned" or Realtor owned".
7. I worked out of 7 real estate offices (not simultaneously, of course) as a real estate agent and have never heard of any agent using a phony name. According to the laws we had to use our own name and the name and phone number of our broker's office when listing in the newspaper. What makes you think they are phony names? And where are the listings specifically? Sometimes two people in the office were trying to sell the same property (they were working together) and listed it in a pamphlet if maybe you're saying the other person's name was used and it was not familiar to you then that's probably what occurred.