How do mortgage brokers and realtor's take advantage of home buyers? Are they similar to car salesmen or are they on...

As with any business that requires a portion of trust from one party to another, you have a tendency to end up with some bad fruit in the basket. I believe that this is true in the housing industry today and might be one of the major contributors to the housing market crisis.

About 15 years ago there was this thing called the "Refi Boom" and everyone and their mother became a mortgage specialist. Problem with that is, training got diluted and people started shaving corners. Money was being made left and right and people just did not care. They were willing to pay for their sins later by exiting the market and leaving the clean up for the honest people.

About 10 years ago, the Realtors caught on to the point of the "Refi Boom" and decided to bring it over to the purchase world where it could better there business. And all of a sudden, everyone and their mother became a Realtor. Or at least tried to become a Realtor. And, as with the mortgage side, it got diluted and became an issue. Exit strategy was once again used and people were left holding the broom and dust pan to clean up the mess.

Now, with that said, it still goes on today were customers are taken for a ride by a Realtor or a mortgage professional who just does not care. With being in this industry for the length of time I have been in it and seen the kinds of treatment that I saw come out of it, it can scare a newbie away.