How Valuable are Credibility and Ethics in the Real Estate Business?
A Family recently moved into a new construction home. At their final walkthrough inspection, they found the microwave was not working due to a mismatched turn plate. Approximately 40 days after closing, the replacement dish ordered through the Builder’s warranty arrived. It was also not a match. The warranty representative admitted the part was incorrectly ordered. They informed the Buyers and their Realtor it would be reordered. The Realtor suggested the right thing to do is for the Builder or his Warranty Company to replace it with a locally available appliance within a few days, giving the Buyers use of a microwave without further delay. The Builder did not respond however the Warranty Representative responded as follows. “Having the wrong part ordered does not constitute replacing. Sorry, for the inconvenience but your request is not reasonable.” The Buyers had just paid almost $500,000 for the home. It would cost a few hundred dollars to replace the microwave to satisfy the Buyers and their Realtor, while the Builder maintains a reputation for acceptable standards of credibility and ethics.
Your thoughts?