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The Broke Agent is a media brand that creates entertainment for real estate professionals. But the beauty of it is that you don't have to be in the industry to enjoy its content. Sure, that would unlock a deeper level of understanding and appreciation but it's not necessary.

Just look at its project Real Estate Fails, for example. Full of ridiculous architectural and interior design hiccups, it shares pictures from the ridiculous side of the housing market, proving that some agents don't have everything under control. Whether it's due to their own fault, the owners, or unfortunate circumstances, there are plenty of things that might deter potential buyers.

More info: thebrokeagent.com | Facebook | Instagram

#1

Notice

Notice

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Kankan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is fair game, city people do love to bitch about those things

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We managed to get in touch with Eric Simon, founder of The Broke Agent, and he was kind enough to have a little chat with us.

"Just over six years ago, I started posting as The Broke Agent on Instagram, producing content that focused on the 'inner monologue' of a struggling realtor in Los Angeles. As a licensed realtor, I basically started making fun of everything that was happening to me and put it online in blog form, YouTube Videos, and short-form content like memes, tweets, and Facebook posts. It blew up really quickly and now has well over half a million followers across all platforms."

Even if we were to talk solely about its target audience, there's still room for The Broke Agent to grow as there are over 2 million active real estate agents in the U.S.

#2

Who Needs Inspections?

Who Needs Inspections?

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Falcon
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We had a good example here at work. Dude owned a camping site with houses. The firefighters did a surprise inspection. Dude got fined for not having any fire alarms or smoke detectors. He then proceeds to glue smoke detectors to ceilings without connecting them to anything. The firefighters came back, opened the detectors and found his little scam. Dude got fined AGAIN and then called us to install things properly. 😂

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#3

Apparently The Description Read “Stainless Steel Appliances”

Apparently The Description Read “Stainless Steel Appliances”

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Simon started Real Estate Fails to grow The Broke Agent brand and to reach people who aren't necessarily just real estate agents but he quickly realized that it's just a really fun account to manage.

"Everyone likes looking at housing pics, especially luxury or real estate 'fails,' so it resonated with an audience outside of the real estate industry as well as real estate agents."

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"Real estate agents love the account because it exposes marketing blunders, property description errors, and other mistakes agents make when uploading their marketing online. It also gives them a platform to submit all the crazy stuff they see in the field and out on showings. The account also casts a wider net on the industry, attracting contractors, appraisers, inspectors, handymen, etc."

#4

This Might Be The Worst One Yet

This Might Be The Worst One Yet

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According to Simon, curating the account is pretty straightforward because by now the community around it has gotten big enough for him to receive a steady stream of content.

"Most of my posts come from other realtors in my DMs, but I also get submissions in my Discord, through The Broke Agent and in our real estate Facebook pages and groups," he explained. "Like I said above, most of the photos come from agents actually spotting these crazy fails in the field on showings, inspections, or open houses. We also have a series called #ThingsWeSeeAtShowings on The Broke Agent stories."

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#7

Nah Nobody Will Notice

Nah Nobody Will Notice

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#8

My Worst Nightmare

My Worst Nightmare

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#9

When Your Stager Goes A Little Nuts With House Plants

When Your Stager Goes A Little Nuts With House Plants

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You couldn't find another person more suited to run the project. "Because I am a licensed realtor, I have developed a good eye for what is 'out of the ordinary' and what will perform well as a post," Simon said. "Also, I've been looking at and posting real estate content every day for 6 plus years so that helps with my judgment for what to post."

"The best performing content on Real Estate Fails is toilet content and anything that's sexual. If it looks like a penis or is provocative in any way, the audience goes crazy for it."

Another successful ongoing theme is staging fails where people try to cover up eye sores or contracting issues. The keyword here is 'try'.

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#12

The Most Insane Apartment Complex Of All Time?

The Most Insane Apartment Complex Of All Time?

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Simon constantly searches for ways to engage his followers. "The best way to [do it] on these posts is to say something in the caption like 'describe this like it's in a property description.' That way, agents can put their humorous twist on a housing feature and highlight it in a positive light like a realtor would do in their marketing."

The man behind the show also highlighted that The Broke Agent has much more to offer; it's a full-on real estate media company with Podcasts (The Over Ask Podcast), blogs, YouTube videos, contributors, and more. "Our goal is to make real estate professionals laugh through the daily stress of the industry and also help improve their business with our marketing, consulting, and content platform."

#13

Light Mold

Light Mold

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margaretlaw929_1 avatar
i put the pan in panic
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

congratulations! you just got yourself a free houseplant! or dinner, if you’re feeling lucky

jamesuthmann avatar
Khavrinen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"I'm sorry, tenant, we're going to have to raise your rent, now that you're living in a 'garden' apartment."

kathrynbaylis_1 avatar
Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

1 of 2: Back in the nineties, I work for a real estate agency that handled vacation condo rentals at the beach. They condos we’re all privately owned, and our company took care of all the work that goes into renting them, took our fair cut. and sent the rest to the owners. Since it’s the East Coast and it gets cold in winter—-especially at the beach—-most owners stopped renting shortly after the school year started (so September). Owners could also opt to have us look after winterizing and checking on the condos in the off season, for an additional cost. Once decided to hire their own guy to look after their very expensive beachfront 3 bedroom townhouse all winter, instead of paying us. We would inspect every unit stating in early spring, to make recommendations to owners about work to do/updates to make. Well, when we went to the townhouse of the person who had their own guy looking after it, we discovered he obviously hadn’t put foot in since October….

kathrynbaylis_1 avatar
Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

…because the pipes had frozen and burst at some point in winter, and leaked everywhere. The dampness had provided a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew—-and mushrooms like the ones on the picture. Lots of them growing in the damp carpet, all over the place. Needless to say, the owners never hired their own guy again—-who they had paid (and lost because he disappeared) a lot of money—-and had our company look after their condo year round, after that fiasco.

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lontri avatar
Pena Perkele
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember my elementary school English teacher telling us a story about a time she went to the UK and visited some students there, and they had mushrooms growing off one wall and they had named it lol

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V Bingham
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My bathroom ceiling caved in last year and just behind the board there were mushrooms growing out of the side of a pipe..lol,. We were stunned...

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Paula Steiner
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We rented this place in Vidalia, LA (not GA) and little brownie cap mushrooms sprouted in the corners of the bathtub stall. That's what those probably are.

ac_9 avatar
A C
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love looking at these cause it reminds me my shitty House isn't the worst.

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Kxttykoo
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

'Uhh boss we've detected you might have some light mold'

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Kiah Madison
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have had this in a rental property The floor was rotten under the shower because of a leak.

tylerschommer avatar
Tyler Schommer
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tried to figure out the type of mushroom. That was a deeper rabbit hole than expected

anthony_cook avatar
Anthony Cook
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To rid this problem... Buy a different place. Or spend money, buy some cement, pour in corner and create a water run off. Stays dry, mold goes away

jace_mail avatar
Jace
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That’s a rare kind of mushroom. Get David Attenborough in there right away.

vgrey713 avatar
Veronica Grey
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I lived in a large old flat that acquired a mushroom under the window when the gutter got blocked.

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Kim Pratt
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"For the foodie in your family, gourmet mushrooms grown on premises!"

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Joyce Deering
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ewww.... Wonderin' what else comes in from that open area... =/

nobletruths4 avatar
Sue Sanders
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did that pass inspection? I mean, I don't think it's a decor piece.

blurdavis avatar
Blur Davis
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like how the wall is even staring in shock of this shaninigans

joodith227 avatar
Mumof1
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In these trying times it's good to grow your own food

lusiecarter avatar
Lusie Carter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Hey man look! This place is so it. It comes with shrooms!" "TOTALLY 😎🤘!"

manticore1163 avatar
finn
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love mushrooms. When they are outside or drawn in my sketchbook.

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Mazer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I found the same type of thing at my friends rented home, thankfully she was moving out. Turns out the house was built on drained bog but the ground water resurfaced during big storms. I showed the shrooms. She said she wasn’t surprised.

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#14

The Things We See At Showings…

The Things We See At Showings…

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#15

You Keeping This Or Updating?

You Keeping This Or Updating?

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May
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never know whether to up or downvote when something on these lists of bad stuff is actually cool.

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#16

Thoughts On Photoshopping A Ferrari Into Your Listing Pics?

Thoughts On Photoshopping A Ferrari Into Your Listing Pics?

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#18

What The Hell Is This A Pyramid?

What The Hell Is This A Pyramid?

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Angelar
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So, to leave this building you have to jump gracefully to your left?

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#19

"Beautiful Balcony Looking Over The Palatial Entertaining Area"

"Beautiful Balcony Looking Over The Palatial Entertaining Area"

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#25

Whoops

Whoops

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Al Christensen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe this is the bathroom from the story a few days ago about the anti-masturbation family.

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#26

What In The Fresh Hell Is This?

What In The Fresh Hell Is This?

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Carena Thompson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ah yes, the sideways toilet. Sometimes you make it in the bowl, sometimes you hit the TP.

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#27

“4th Bedroom”

“4th Bedroom”

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Julia Atkinson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a room. There's a bed in it. The car's been repossessed anyway, so what the heck

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#28

Staging In Tampa...

Staging In Tampa...

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M O'Connell
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I faked a bed in an empty bedroom with cardboard boxes and a couple of blankets. It's pretty common when occupants have already moved.

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#30

Nothing To See Here

Nothing To See Here

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KatHat
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a stupid inclusion. It wasn't a real estate listing; it was the Texas freeze in February 2021, which caused catastrophic damage due to two main reasons: 1. TX houses are not built for such weather (including water pipe insulation) and 2. MOST OF THE STATE WAS DUMPED OFF THE POWER GRID SO THAT IT WOULDN'T FAIL WHICH WAS COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE IF THE TX LEADERSHIP HAD WINTERIZED THE GRID AS THEY WERE TOLD TO DO A FULL TEN YEARS BEFORE BECAUSE EXPERTS KNEW SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD HAPPEN EVENTUALLY.

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Note: this post originally had 110 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.