The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-07
The CURBSTONE BROKER
CIRCULARS" OUT TO GET HIM
Complaint Made of His Shady Meth
DDS to Gobble or Split
Commit IS iOns.

Agitation against the curbstone broker
IN real estate is again rampant. From
the regular dealers side Of the case. 1t
appears that any movement against the
class-concerted or individuals justi-
fed: II it is not true it is up to the
broker to make a defense
In the mind of the regular" a curb
stone broker is man who has met with
no success in other lines of work, He
mas taken up the real estate business be-
cause at present there is activity in this
line and more. He is in it for what he
can make, regardless of public opinion
or OF ethics. He has no office; never ad-
vertlses; has not single expense except
occasional car fare; has no permanence
OF location. He is the man who finds
advertised in the Saturday evening or
sunday morning paper a house for sale.
lie goes at once to the street and number
and camps When, as a result Of the
advertisement, some one comes to inves-
tlgate, he shows them about as one hav-
ing authority, explains the beauties of
the property and finds out whether a sale
is possible. He is the first one on hand
when the agents Office is opened and
states that he has a customer for the ad-
Vertlscd mouse, and in an insinuating way
asks snare in the commission. In many
cases he gets it, in others he receives
scant courtesy.
This is only one method of the curb
stone man. A slight suggestion that one
wants a house or may buy is handle
Wnlch ne never lets go until some one is
bled for commission. Perhaps the most
aggravating method of attacking the real
estate man is to hang outside the office
door and tackle in or outgoing customers
and in some way use information of their
Intentions thus acquired to accomplish
an end. -: -,.. -. z. e. .-- - .l7t.g ~
is that the real estate men are not united
as to their treatment. The warm blooded
members of the board believe in forcible
election. Many of the regulars" now re-
fuse to have any truck with the class,
regardless of the possibility of mourning
enmity. t-..l
The real estae men are awakening to
the necessity of united action along an
other line. The appended letter issued
by a real estate man in the city will ex-
plain itself. Everyone who has been
troubled by the irregular trader, or the
customer who wants to make the commits
sion, will appreciate the following:
We have been advertising your property
considerably in the papers, and we think we
can sell all OF it shortly = - -
There are a good many real estate agents
III minneapolis who. cannot get listings of
their own, and who get their prices for prop
erty from the daily papers, and when they get
customer for the property they write to the
owner instead of going to the agent who ad-
vertised the property.
We write to ask If any Of these men write
to you in reference to your property, that you
refer them to us. We have had several lots
sold: over our heads recently in this way,
when we have abeen the means OF calling
peoples, attention to the property. These
sidewalk brokers always deal directly with
the owner, SO as to get full commission.
| : This is where the difficulty. les When
an agent advertises certain property for
sale ne matter how cautiously the ad-
vertisement is worded, in some manner
the would-be buyer or the curbstone man
or sometimes another agent will find
out the location and through the regis
ter of deeds office learn the name of the
owner. This obtained, business negotia-
tons are opened, direct, ignoring entire
ly the agent who has advertised the prop
erty, erected signs on it, and in various
ways attempted to move 1t. - 4
The object is to get the full commits
sion or to reduce by that amount the
price of the property. The above letter
will probably make plain to. the property
owner that all inquiries should be turned
over to the authorized agent. III
It is probable that many do not stop to
think Of the injustice Of allowing the cost
Of advertising and the effort to sell the
property to 60 unrecompensed.