Response from Misty Sattler on 10/21/2024

Dear Burt and Tiffany, I appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to clarify my role as your real estate agent during this complex transaction. My primary responsibility was to represent your interests and guide you through the sale of your home, ensuring a smooth process and a fair outcome. However, much of the work you requested went beyond the scope of my fiduciary duties, which focus on managing the transaction itself, not handling property maintenance or cleanup. Despite this, I did my best to assist where I could. I provided my personal dump trailer, hauled and paid for the disposal out of my own pocket, as you didn’t have a vehicle capable of hauling. Additionally, I covered the costs for trash disposal, gas, and paid a crew to pressure wash the deck and house to prepare it for painting. I also lent you my paint sprayer, which, unfortunately, was left outside in the heat and damaged beyond repair. Furthermore, I opened my home to you while you worked on the property, saving you accommodation costs. I am also grateful that you both took the time to come out from Montana to work on the home, which wasn’t necessary but helped enhance its marketability. Burt did an amazing job, and I believe this contributed to securing a buyer who waived inspections and was eager to purchase the home in its condition. Many homeowners don’t put in the extra effort and end up taking losses, but your hard work paid off. I even loaned you money to cover travel expenses, as I wanted to support you through this challenging process. Managing the sale during a divorce and transitioning 9 tenants was difficult and required careful coordination, but I remained committed to making this transaction as smooth as possible. As much as I would love to provide services at a reduced cost, I also have my own family and responsibilities to take care of. Real estate is my profession, and while I strive to offer as much support as I can at no cost, it is important to recognize that my time and efforts are part of my livelihood. The countless hours that go into a successful transaction like this may not always be visible, but I worked diligently to get your home sold, ultimately netting you more than we had anticipated. It saddens me that you don’t see the full value of the work I provided and the positive outcome we achieved. Before closing, I also returned to the property to clean it after the tenants left it in less-than-ideal condition. I hauled away additional garbage and leftover furniture, and mowed the overgrown lawn to protect you from any potential issues with the new owners. This was not part of my duties, but I did it to ensure your peace of mind. In terms of compensation, the commission structure of 6% was thoroughly discussed, and the agreement was signed by both the ex-wife and the husband—not once, but twice. Of this, 2.5% went to the buyer’s agent, and 3.5% went to me to cover the extra work I did, including managing the tenants and maintaining peace throughout the transaction. I care deeply for both of you and never intended to cause any harm. I truly wish you the best moving forward, and if you would like to discuss any concerns further, I am happy to have a conversation to address them over the phone, or even meeting for coffee on me. My goal has always been to provide excellent service, and I’m sorry if there was any misunderstanding, and sense of disconnect. Moving forward I will take your feedback learn & grow from it. My goal is to always provide transparency, but we all have our own unique ways of comprehending and understanding. I will make sure to explain in more details, my specific role and duties in my profession. Sincerely, Misty Sattler Latham Realty Unlimited