Unethical Real Estate agent

[Greg Sr.]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
Several years ago my father (78 years old) re-married. His new wife happens to be a Real Estate agent.

My father and I have been working out a small disagreement over a loan he gave my son (his grandson). My son has not been able to make his payments to his grandfather. My father thinks I should pay off my son's loan. I told him I don't have the funds right now.

His wife apparently dug into our mortgage history and "discovered" that my wife and I pulled some cash out of our house during a re-finance. My father is mad because he thinks we should have paid him off with some of the proceeds from the re-financing.

My father knew ALL the details of our re-financing. When I questioned where he got such detailed information, he simply replied that he did NOT find it in the public records.

I know my father's wife is eager to utilize her Real Estate license for such detective work. A few weeks ago she offered my sister some mortgage information on my sister's daughter (my niece).

Here's my question: Did my father's wife violate any legal or ethical standards by using her license and/or knowledge of Real Estate to gain specific detailed information on property that she is not involved with? All parties live in California.

 

[FarmerJ]

Greg when something is done to change title information on a home like a second mortgage or a refi or sale the information might not be easy to find but is still there some where in the recorders office. One property I had did have a abstract that listed EVERY single transaction and transfer that occured since the property had been first deeded out when it was part of a huge farm in the 1860s, it was very interesting reading thru the chain of names and title transfers , one could see each persons purchase price too when it had been sold as well as each transfer when it was left to someone in a will. Ill bet she just dug deeper into the property history and got the information that way which really is public information. Unfortunately I think she is of poor character to get the information and bring it up when it really is none of her concern. ( does it make you wonder if she researched your dads assets before marrying him ?) BTW did your son and his grandfather have a written agreement to cover the loan ?

 

[nextwife]

mortgages are a matter of public record - there is nothing unethical about researching any PUBLIC record.

How old is your son and why is he not making any attempt to repay his debt?

 

[PghREA]

You don't need a real estate license to research public records. All you need is time and patience to go to the county treasurer's office and research deeds and mortgages.