Curtis Johnson Realty

[Radio Man]

Curtis's radio show on Sunday mornings, on 550 KFYI is a paid program (though he doesn't mention it) and it isn't broadcast live (not that there's anything wrong with that, though he goes though every effort to make it appear that it IS live.)

Curtis records his show every Friday around 10:30AM. That's why he doesn't take calls.

[Insider Knowledge]

http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Curtis...

This post at another website says that Curtis Johnson has "at least one complaint filled with the Attorney General."

I wonder what THAT is for. Any insight, Curtis?

[Insider Knowledge]

Oh, and is it true, Curtis, that you and/or your company got your balls in a wringer for illegally offering to do loan modifications?

[Ripped off by Curtis]

"This post at another website says that Curtis Johnson has "at least one complaint filled with the Attorney General" "

"I wonder what THAT is for. Any insight, Curtis?
Insider Knowledge
United States "

That was/is me.

"Oh, and is it true, Curtis, that you and/or your company got your balls in a wringer for illegally offering to do loan modifications?"

I was told by a current employee that they were making promises they couldn't keep with modifications when they first started doing them. I can only tell you they dropped the ball with mine but luckily I had lost my faith in his firm and continued to try and work with my bank on my own.

[Insider Knowledge]

Ripped off by Curtis wrote:

...I was told by a current employee that they were making promises they couldn't keep...

Curtis is notorious for that.

[Insider Knowledge]

BTW, always remember: "The Fish Stinks From The Head Down."

[Watchman in AZ]

Hey Curtis, I was looking on line at the AZDRE page and it shous that you have only one Agent with a Spanish Last-name in all of your 4 offices... That's a bit strange in AZ, isn't it?
There are some rumors that you have some racist inclinations... That seems a bit crazy to me.
What do you have to say about that?

[Insider Knowledge]

Watchman in AZ wrote:

...There are some rumors that you have some racist inclinations...

Curtis has a LOT of flaws, but it isn't my impression that THAT is one of them.

[Insider Knowledge]

Hey Curtis, how was your trip to San Diego?

Do you REALLY think you can pull off an expansion to a new market, when you don't even have your house in order in you PRESENT area?

LOL!

[Additional Knowledge]

Curtis isn't racist, I can tell you that. He's a lot of things, but he's not racist. Not sure who is doing some of the inside postings, but I can verify that that information, that email and so forth are accurate and legitimate.
I found recently regarding the Curtis Johson Realty short sale approach that they are offering buyer's agents just 2% to bring a buyer to purchase a home he represents, and obviously, keeping a bigger chunk than most anyone else for himself. Doesn't really help his seller out much as he's providing less incentive for buyer's agents but I guess if it goes through it pads his wallet more!
He also tries to obtain a couple thousand bucks in non-refundable retainer fees. Another pocket filler.
Last but not least, he had a company started in his wife's name (I forgot the name of it but it's on an addendum in all his short sales listed on the MLS) that pretends to be some 3rd party company that his short sale clients chose to hire. Well it's no third party, it's Curtis himself! What's the big deal with that and why would he disguise it? Great question. The reason is because he tells the buyers that his sellers retained the service of this company for $3999 and it's up to the buyers to cover this added expense. But don't worry, it can be worked into the closing costs! Unbelievable!!!
I would also suggest as others have - if you want real insight, talk to ex-employees of Curtis' and you'll find out to just what extent and what means he's willing to go. I think you will truly be shocked. Curtis has made more enemies than he can keep track of and if you talked and gathered many of them, you'd have so much evidence and things to take him to tsk on it wouldn't even be funny.
And yes, he did minimize his office in Mesa. Thing is, he wasn't always paying the bills on it. He had other agents turned "owners" doing it. But once they quit on him, he apparently decided if he had to be the one footing the bill on the costs and not benefiting from his "owners" making the payment, he would be better off downsizing.
Karma.

[Insider Knowledge]

Additional Knowledge wrote:

...Last but not least, he had a company started in his wife's name (I forgot the name of it but it's on an addendum in all his short sales listed on the MLS) that pretends to be some 3rd party company that his short sale clients chose to hire. Well it's no third party, it's Curtis himself! What's the big deal with that and why would he disguise it? Great question. The reason is because he tells the buyers that his sellers retained the service of this company for $3999 and it's up to the buyers to cover this added expense. But don't worry, it can be worked into the closing costs! Unbelievable!!!

The name of than company is Vanquish, Inc. And the address of the company is Curtis Johnson's home address.

[SEK]

I'm working with "Vanquish Inc" on a short sale and they are charging $3999 and doing NOTHING! It has been months and the only reason my client's offer is still in is bc we haven't had another offer accepted yet (believe me, we're trying) and we're just keeping that on the back burner as a last resort. I hope for my client that it goes through, but I REALLY don't want to sell one of Curtis Johnsons measly 2% listings.

[Insider Knowledge]

Curtis IS monitoring this forum thread. He is VERY intent on managing his image.

Hello, Curtis. Wanna go bungie-jumping?

[Insider Knowledge]

SEK wrote:

I'm working with "Vanquish Inc" on a short sale and they are charging $3999 and doing NOTHING! It has been months and the only reason my client's offer is still in is bc we haven't had another offer accepted yet (believe me, we're trying) and we're just keeping that on the back burner as a last resort. I hope for my client that it goes through, but I REALLY don't want to sell one of Curtis Johnsons measly 2% listings.

To bring non-agent readers up to speed: real estate people typically get paid a commission based on a percentage of the sales price. By law, there can be no "set" commission, but in our market we "typically" see 6% of the sales price. If the listing broker brings in the buyer, he/she earns the 6%. If another broker brings the buyer, the commission is usually split down the middle - 3%/3%.

The individual real estate salesperson keeps a percentage of the commission paid to the broker, depending upon the "split" in his or her office; for example, 50%, minus any fees.

The theory behind the 2% to the Buyer's agent for a short sale, is that the Listing broker is doing the bulk of the work for a very difficult and time-consuming process. However, if Curtis is farming out the heavy lifting to a short sale company for a fee of $3,999, then there's no reason for the Listing broker to keep the Buyer's agent at 2%.

But we now know that "Vanquish Inc" IS a shell company for Curtis Johnson Realty - so he's keeping the bulk of the commission AND the $3,999 fee.

You might be tempted to be angry at the agents who work for Curtis - but save it all for Curtis himself. We did the math once, and with his splits and fees, agents were only earning about 23% of the total commission. If the agent is not successful in securing the up-front retainer fees, the agent has to pay Curtis those fees him/herself.(The joke is, on payday, the agent has to cut Curtis a check.) For a while, Curtis bumped the splits to 50%- but with the hidden fees and so forth, it wasn't a true 50%. We hear he changed back to to the old splits. His agents don't know what's going on, as he no longer attached a disbursement form, detailing where all the money goes - they just get a check and have to take his word for it.

In my opinion, Curtis Johnson is a fraud.

[Insider Knowledge]

Also, I think this would be a VERY good story for Channel 5, which recently did a piece on Chris Hanson of High Profile Realty:

http://www.kpho.com/video/21572768/index.html...

[Prospective Client]

So glad that I used the internet and found THIS forum on Curtis Johnson; he contacted me by phone wanting to list our home. I had taken it off the market given 'this bad market'...as we can 'wait it out'.
THANKS to everyone who has written in 'on him'.

[Mr Bean]

He's preparing to record his radio show right now. I hope he checks this website right before he heads out to the studio.

[Additional Knowledge]

Yes, all of this is true that is spoken by Insider Information and I wish I knew who it was! I too worked for Curtis Johnson Realty and the splits you mentioned are spot on, as is your account of how things work at the company at least from my perspective in working there. As mentioned, I think that's one of the reasons Curtis has numerous former employees who have absolutely nothhing good to say about him. He's definitely geting a reputation in the industry but he tries to convince everyone that it's because he's so successful. He's truly delusional and lives in his own fantasy world.

I also agree that there's no doubt he is monitoring this forum. He made snide remarks earlier and he's a control freak and NO WAY is he not seeing what's going on. I think his silence speaks volumes as there has been many pinpoint claims of what's going on over here and he remains silent. If he had anything to dispute any of this, he'd no doubt be on here making that claim and challenging all of this. Nothing to challenge here, it's all lgitimate.

Buyers and sellers need to beware and need to spread the word so mor buyer and sellers aren't "taken" by unscrupulous tactics.

[Additional Knowledge]

Oh, and Vanquish Inc. is not only a shell, but it's headed up by his administration. Curtis used to have an agent or two deicted to servicing short sales, but even that fell apart. Now the workload has been added to the plate of the administration who are also burried under a thousand other things that are needed. Think that's worth $4K? Ha!

I'd definitely suggest this: If you know other former Curtis Johnson Realty agents out there, alert them to this thread. You'll find out b the additional comments just how pervasive and widespread these viewpoints are of Curtis, and you'll get all kinds of additional insight.

I've heard many other actions by Curtis that at the very least are extremely unethical and are at worst highly criminal, but I'll save them for a later time if the timing in this forum and the topic surfaces. Needless to say, Curtis' empire appears built from a deck of cards.

[Need More Input]

I looked him up on the BBB website and the way I'm reading it, CJR has an "A" rating. Am I looking at the wrong information? The last blog I read said they have an "F" rating. Is that correct or incorrect? I'd like to know if I'm reading it wrong or if we are just saying whatever we feel like, truth or not...Please let me know!