Nothing Beats Good Old Fashion Honesty

Snake Oil Salesmen

"If I can't sell your home I'll buy it"

"Your home sold in under 60 days or I'll give you $1000 CASH"

"You're approved regardless of credit"

"Your home sold in 45 days guaranteed"

Since the beginning of time snake oil salesmen have preyed on the naive claiming their concoction of colored water and cooking oils possess the power to cure. The power to clean, or the power of hope. After all , isn't everyone searching for that magic elixir. The fountain of youth. Or that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The question we should all be asking ourselves is not why these scoundrels seek out the weak or uninformed with their empty promises of hope. Rather, the question should be...Why do we as a society allow these unscrupulous characters to roam the streets in search of their next victim? But are they victims at all? Maybe, if one person is helped by the power of hope, then we can make the case that the magical concoction works. Maybe if a formerly impenetrable stain is removed by the bottled liquid the consumer is not a victim.

With the passing of time comes changes in the manner by which societies view any particular behavior. Whether it be public, private , or professional. In a democratically elected society, the general public makes distinctions between activities and actions and whether they are to be considered acceptable. Lawmakers derive their motivation based on public support for any issue involving the safety and well being of their constituents, and as a result, many un-acceptable behaviors of yesterday are acceptable today. The opposite holds true as well.

The snake oils salesman's horse drawn wagon of deception has evolved into the flashy foreign sports car that carries him or her into crowded neighborhoods of frolicking kids and unsuspecting parents. The elixir of hope once contained in a bottle and paraded around middle America is now presented in the form of empty promise and guarantees that do not exist or were never intended to be fulfilled.

Although some programs are legitimate, many could be considered Fraud. Fact is, these offers are nothing more than a deceptive means of getting you to call the snake oil salesman and buy a bottle of stain remover. Or at least give the salesman the opportunity to show how wonderful the bottle of colored water really is.

Remember the ole adage " if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is". That ole adage rings true today as much, if not more than any time in the past. The only difference being, the snake oil salesman of today are camouflaged behind expensive fancy suits and flashy foreign sports cars.

If you are considering one of these gimmicks, think long and hard. Get the guarantee in writing and understand the fine print and hold the promisor legally accountable to perform. Nobody will buy your home unless there is something to gain for them. Nobody will give you money if your home doesn't sell unless there is a catch. Banks will not give you a loan if you cannot perform.

Beware! That bottle of elixir may work fine on shallow surface stains, but when dealing with the complexities of the real estate market there's no match for good old fashion elbow grease and honesty.