false advertised open house

about 25% of the listings are a scam; most are for non-existant properties particularly from: ArdorNY, Domain Properties, SHVO, and LOFT Industries. SHVO is especially desipcable as they are supposed to be "top tier". Beware.

Shvo has been doing that for years. I went to a rental listing years ago, that he tried to sell me. Wasnt available for rent

I noticed Domain Properties and LOFT Industries, but did not know SHVO is like that... shame on them

Good point. I think the only listings worth paying attention to are Corcoran, Prudential, KVNY, and a few other established ones. I mean, if you were a seller using a broker, would YOU use Domain??

Pretty much all the listings by Domain, Shvo, etc. are just brokers with no units to sell, re-posting FSBOs so they can insert themselves in the transaction.

masterq-- Those comapnies are the only listings worth paying attention to??? Don't be foolish.
KVNY? I won't comment...
I agree about those bad companies, but you will quickly find out who is reputable and not.
If the address is there, just give the broker a call and find out more details. Don't let a good listing pass you by because you are having doubts.

Not to defend Shvo, but the listings I've seen with them were real. Thats really messed up if theres misleading open house info, but don't just knock the whole company because of someones dumb error.

shvo was working for elliman at the time...this was 3-4 years ago.

I went to a unit on eastside as a rental, and he danced arround its availibility and tried to feel me out if I was a buyer. He clearly represented somebody, who wanted to sell not to rent and he got me there on an add that represented it was for rent. I ended up renting another unit in the same building, if the listing had been available I would be living in that unit still. I am not sure how he operates now, that he is a big shot....but I know what he did back then.

JamesA -- I don't mean to diss all the other brokers, but when you look through the listings on NYTimes or Craigslist for houses for sale, the only brokers who actually have houses for sale (i.e. are actually seller's broker) tend to be the ones from Prudential, Corcoran, and the other big houses (I don't remember the names). The others are just trying to insert themselves as by cutting and pasting someone else's listing.

When I was in the market it was all about Soho/West Village, hence inclusion of KVNY. If I was discussing rental market I'd include Bapple for that 'hood too.

ps - JamesA is right about following up a listing you like the smell of though. Just don't get coralled into paying an extra 3% if you don't have to!!

paying an extra 3%? I don't follow and probably don't want to get into wherever that will lead.

I agree that there are many bad companies out there using teh bait and switch method. I'm just saying there are many small companies that do not do that...And lets not be naive here, big companies that you mentioned do the same thing sometimes (just not as frequent). Try and stick with a broker you trust that knows the area you want to live in. Craigslist is not the best source.
If it doesn't have an exact address, I would be weary.