Royal LePage Integrity Realty, Brokerage | Ottawa Office — Local services in Ottawa

I hired Xiaoli (Lily) Hu and her husband Kyle Sun as my buyer's agents to help me buy a house a while ago. At first, Lily convinced me that the house was "extremely well maintained" and required no repairs at all. She specifically pointed out a water stain on the first floor ceiling and assured me it had been fixed. She described the neighbors on both sides as friendly and accommodating. She also told me the owners had no pets. Based on these claims, I agreed to proceed with the purchase.

Then, Lily informed me that another agent, Jasson Grant from RE/MAX, was also offering to buy the house. She first asked me to increase my offer by $1,500, then $5,000, then $500, and finally $100. I refused the last increase, emphasizing that honesty was crucial. I made it clear that I would walk away if there were any issues with the house, and that we could wait for other listings or find a more suitable property. Lily reassured me multiple times that there were no problems with the house, that it was indeed suitable for me, and that the sellers were extremely meticulous and honest. She also mentioned the closing date was flexible. However, after I signed all the documents, just a few weeks later, she backtracked and said the closing date could no longer be changed.

Once I moved in, the reality hit hard. The 'fixed' water stain on the ceiling turned out to be a lie. The leak had rotted the wood beneath the toilet, turning it a blackish-brown and leaving a moldy smell in the bathroom. The damage from the leak was still there and had never been repaired. What’s even worse is that the truth about the neighbors was completely different from what was initially described; the information I was given was entirely false. The house was covered in animal hair and extremely dirty, which contradicted Lily’s claim that the owners had no pets. Contractors I hired pointed out that the house had been poorly maintained, with many areas of the floor scratched up by pets and spots soaked in animal urine (which Kyle had claimed were 'wood patterns'). The roof, air conditioner, and furnace were all nearing the end of their life expectancy. There were leaks in the windows and doors, foundation cracks, and grading issues. Problems kept piling up, each repair costing thousands. It felt like one issue after another was waiting to be uncovered, and the problems seemed to never end. It’s hard to believe I bought a house based on such misinformation. I thought hiring a buyer's agent would protect me from all of this, but instead, I was left to face the nightmare on my own.

Two incidents stood out. Before closing, Lily dramatically cried in front of the house, claiming that I had falsely accused her regarding the water heater issue and pressured me to apologize via text, which I reluctantly did. However, I later found out that it was just one of her lies. Later, she threatened me, saying that she and Kyle could sue me until I 'shut up completely and stay quiet.' I reached out to Jasson Grant to inquire about the bidding process. He told me that Lily had claimed I was willing to pay much more for the house (which was completely false) and asked him to back off. He even complained to Lily’s manager about her conduct, but the manager supported Lily throughout the process. I filed a complaint with RECO, only to learn that they shifted the blame to the home inspector, who was a close friend of Lily’s, and RECO doesn’t regulate inspectors. Lily denies everything she told me during the transaction.

We’ve spent significant time and money repairing the house, and the process continues. Here’s what I’ve learned:

Spend a year or more interviewing and researching your buyer's agents and inspectors before hiring them; trust doesn't happen overnight.

Buyer's agents can deny verbal promises later; be sure to get everything in writing.

Use free online tools to check recent house listing histories before engaging with realtors; they can help reveal what’s true and what’s not.

Be sure to choose your buyer's agent...

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