Do Real Estate Agents Lie? The Truth About Trust in Real Estate
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Let’s be straight. Real estate agents don’t exactly have the world’s best reputation. You’ve probably heard it before: “They’re all the same.” Or “You can’t trust them.”
But here’s the thing. Lying doesn’t work in real estate. It’s short-term, lazy, and completely against how the industry operates in Western Australia.
So, do real estate agents lie? Some might. But the ones who last, the ones who build real careers on repeat business and reputation, don’t need to.
Buying or selling a home is emotional. It’s your biggest asset and there’s a lot on the line. When someone hears “there’s another offer coming in” or “we’ve had lots of interest,” it’s easy to think you’re being played.
The truth is, those lines can mean different things. Sometimes there really is another offer. Sometimes it’s just an enquiry or someone waiting on finance. But if an agent isn’t clear, it sounds like spin.
Agent: I’ve got multiple offers coming in, so you’ll need to be quick.
Buyer 1: How many are we talking?
Agent: Seven strong ones. Marcella’s bringing one in this afternoon and a few more tomorrow.
Buyer 2: That’s odd. You told me yesterday there was only one other offer.
Agent: Things move fast. We’re just encouraging everyone to bring their best.
Buyer 1: So there aren’t really seven offers?
Agent: Not written yet.
Buyer 2: So you don’t have any offers at all, just people thinking about it?
Agent: Technically, yes.
Buyer 1: Then why say there were seven?
Agent: To get everyone moving.
This kind of talk is dangerous. It creates doubt and ruins trust. It also breaches the Code of Conduct for Agents and Sales Representatives under the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS).
There’s a big difference between selling creatively and misleading. Good agents know how to highlight the best parts of a home, how to frame its potential, and how to help buyers see the value. That’s sales. It’s what we’re paid to do.
Just like any salesperson in any industry, our job is to promote the positives. To make the property shine. But here’s the line: we can never invent positives that don’t exist or hide negatives that do.
Take 5 Vivian Crescent for example. It’s one of my recent wins and a perfect case study in transparent competition done right. We listed the property through Openn Offers, which lets every buyer see the current offer level in real time. A clear deadline was set, all terms were visible, and every qualified buyer was kept fully informed. By closing day, we had eight serious buyers in the mix.
Each one knew exactly where they stood. There were no secret deals, no hidden prices, no smoke and mirrors. The process built trust, not tension. The seller was thrilled, and even the top buyer said they would have paid more if they could. That’s what transparency creates: confidence.
Good agents back their words with written evidence, timelines, and feedback. If your agent provides copies of offers and keeps you updated without pressure, that’s honesty. Silence and inconsistency are red flags.
No. Claiming there are offers that don’t exist is misleading under the Australian Consumer Law and DMIRS. Every offer must be genuine, written, and recorded.
Not at all. Selling means promoting a property’s strengths, not inventing new ones. Highlighting the positives is our job; hiding the negatives is misconduct.
Transparency, communication, and respect. A good agent explains the process, provides honest feedback, keeps accurate records, and never cuts corners.
It’s serious. In Western Australia, an agent who lies can face heavy penalties. A buyer or seller can lodge a complaint with DMIRS. Cases can escalate to fines, licence suspension, or permanent bans. Agents can also face civil court action and compensation claims if their dishonesty causes loss.