How to Read an Untrustworthy Real Estate Person

In real estate, trust isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s the ground beneath your feet. Yet anyone who’s been through a deal knows the landscape is full of doubt: buyers suspicious of sellers, sellers wary of buyers, and plenty of side-eye for Realtors, lenders, inspectors, appraisers, and contractors. This episode of Selling Greenville takes that gut feeling—those “Spidey senses”—and gives it structure. Instead of just feeling that something’s off, it lays out practical questions that help identify when a real estate person is acting in ways that deserve your caution.

At its heart, this is a field guide to reading behavior. Not a research study, not armchair psychology—just seasoned, Greenville-based experience across countless transactions in Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Laurens, and Pickens.

Reading the Signs: How to Read an Untrustworthy Real Estate Person

A focused takeaway runs through the entire episode: how to read an untrustworthy real estate person. The framework is simple—five questions to ask yourself as you interact with anyone in a transaction (Realtors, lenders, contractors, inspectors, appraisers). Each question surfaces a pattern. Stack the patterns, and you’ll know whether to proceed, press pause, or part ways.

1) Do they give guidance that helps you—even if it could cost them?

This is the strongest tell. Real estate is full of moral hazards: incentives to gloss over risk, upsell services, or steer a decision toward the path that pays the professional more. A trustworthy pro cuts against that grain.

The episode shares a clear example: walking a large house with obvious deferred maintenance—little things everywhere (the kind that often signal bigger things below the surface). As the walkthrough continued, major concerns emerged: moisture indicators, structural clues, and then significant brick veneer cracking outside. The corner appeared to be settling and still moving. Instead of selling the dream, the concerns were pointed out in real time: “Look here. This isn’t good.” That kind of candid, buyer-first guidance is the mark of someone you can trust.

The same holds for lenders and contractors. The best lenders sometimes say, “This loan isn’t my lane—here’s someone better.” The best contractors don’t push the priciest package by default; they talk through right-sized options for this house in this neighborhood with this budget.

Trust signal: They volunteer advice that benefits you—even when it could mean less business for them. 

Red flag: Every recommendation happens to maximize their paycheck.

2) Do they admit uncertainty—or pretend to know everything?

Confidence is nice. False certainty is dangerous. Real estate has a way of punishing people who never say, “I’m not sure—let me check.”

A trustworthy person will give a provisional answer and label it as such. For example: a contractor who says, “My off-the-cuff guess is $8–10k, but I’ll confirm after I pull the relevant code and numbers.” Or a Realtor who won’t price a home from the hip: market conditions change weekly, comps shift, and active inventory matters alongside solds. A fast number might feel helpful, but the honest response is: “I need to dig into the data before I give you a price I’ll stand behind.”

Trust signal: They distinguish between a guesstimate and a researched answer—and follow up.

Red flag: Instant answers to everything, no qualifiers, no callbacks, no corrections.

3) Do they back claims with data—or just make claims?

“This is the nicest house in the neighborhood.” “Your home is worth $X.” “You’ll need a full rewire.” Maybe! But where’s the proof?

In trustworthy hands, claims come paired with evidence: comparative sales, active competition, condition notes, code references, and written opinions from licensed subs. Even “residual knowledge” (the kind pros earn through repetition) is anchored in something verifiable when asked.

By contrast, “My neighbor sold for $275k, and my home’s nicer, so mine is $300k” isn’t analysis—it’s wishful arithmetic. Likewise, “We have to do the most expensive fix” should trigger follow-up questions: according to whom, and why? Ask for the inspection excerpt, the appraiser language, the electrician’s letter, or the code citation—whatever fits the claim.

Trust signal: They bring comps, context, photos, letters, code, or current listings to the table.

Red flag: Big statements, no supporting documentation, and irritation when you ask for it.

4) Do they offer multiple solutions—with pros and cons?

Real problems rarely have only one solution. When a professional can walk through options—and talk frankly about trade-offs—you’re likely in good hands.

An example from the episode: accent siding on a small front porch gable. Supply chains are tight; the exact material isn’t readily available. A contractor proposes a smart workaround: custom-built wood board-and-batten for that small area, then paint. It meets the design goal, reduces delays, and makes color changes easy later. That’s creative, right-sized problem-solving—no drama, no upsell, no corner-cutting.

The same thinking showed up in an electrical discussion about replacing two-prong outlets: outline legal options, consequences for safety and function, and the realistic “good-better-best” paths. The point isn’t to push the most expensive line item; it’s to make sure the client understands the ladder of choices and outcomes.

Trust signal: Plan A, B, C—with pricing, implications, and context.

Red flag: “There’s only one way,” especially if it’s conveniently the priciest.

5) Do they have time for you—especially when something goes wrong?

When everything’s smooth, lots of people answer the phone. When something’s messy, fewer do. That’s why responsiveness is a trust test—most of all under pressure.

The episode recounts a “local lender” who was responsive in messages but evasive about meeting. Every attempt to set a face-to-face turned into a non-answer (“Okay.”) with no commitment. Later, reports surfaced from multiple investors warning others away. The early tell wasn’t a headline—it was time. If someone can’t carve out time to answer questions, talk through concerns, or meet when needed, what happens at the first sign of friction in your deal?

Trust signal: They pick up (or call back), meet when it matters, and don’t ghost hard conversations.

Red flag: Chronic evasiveness, especially pre-engagement—or radio silence when stakes rise.

Putting it together: patterns over hunches

Any one red flag may be fixable with a good question. But when patterns stack—self-benefiting advice, airtight “answers,” data-free claims, single-solution thinking, and no time for you—it’s not just vibes. It’s a profile. And profiles are what help you decide whether to negotiate harder, add safeguards, bring in a second opinion, or simply move on.

It’s also worth noting the flip side: when a pro points out deal-killers unprompted, labels guesses as guesses, shows their homework, surfaces options with trade-offs, and stands in the pocket when conversations get tough—that’s the profile of someone you can trust with real decisions.

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Bottom Line

Trust isn’t a feeling—it’s a pattern you can read. The clearest markers are consistent: advice that helps you even when it costs them; clear lines between guesses and facts; claims backed by data; multiple solutions with pros and cons; and the willingness to take your call—especially when it’s a tough one. Use those five questions to sort the noise from the signal. You’ll make better decisions, dodge preventable headaches, and surround yourself with people who deserve to be in your corner.

Ien Araneta

Journal & Podcast Editor | Selling Greenville