RE/MAX Benchmark Realty Group

Thank you so much for helping us find our dream home. Chris is the best. So glad we went with Remax. Made the home buying experience wonderful despite problems with the mortgage broker

I would like to begin by saying that I typically do not write reviews as they, in my opinion, are preempted by extreme elation for a particular venue, or, in my case, a situation in which I was left speechless.
My wife and I currently relocated to the Hudson Valley on short notice and we needed to find temporary housing rather quickly. We had two requirements: a 6 month lease and a house that accepted our two dogs (a Australian Sheppard and a Husky). We skimmed the internet for various places and our first call was to RE/​MAX Benchmark Realty agent Sheila Selvage. We explained to her our requirements and as we discussed the property that we had found, Sheila stated that she had a property that would better ft our needs. Sheila explained that this particular property was in a beautiful neighborhood that was safe and, above all, had a nice fenced in yard for our two dogs.
I will say that my wife and I did not have the opportunity to actually view the property as we lived six hours away and could not find the time (so, we are partly to blame for the results).
Move-​in day: My wife and I were particularly excited to see our new property until we actually saw the property. I will describe it like this: It is not a place that you would want your daughter to live.
We were supposed to meet Sheila at 2:30pm; she was 30 minutes late and the first thing that came out of her mouth when we met here was this: «Hi! How are you? You do have my check, right?»
I should have known then. We have now been in this home for roughly six weeks and we have had nothing but issues. We have no fenced in yard for the dogs which has led to neighbor complaints. We do not have heat in the majority of the home. The majority of the home is covered in mold, dust, and grime. The windows do not close properly so we have a nice breeze throughout the home (remember, its been snowing for three days now). For the first month, we did not have a washer as the pump was broken by the previous tenant.
Anyway, Sheila did not disclose any of this to us prior to us moving in. I am not a Realtor, but I do know that Realtors do have a fiduciary responsibility to those whom they represent. In my opinion, Sheila failed to meet her fiduciary responsibilities in our case.
Heres the kicker: I called Sheila to voice my concerns and Sheila went straight into defensive mode, defending herself and her actions. As the discussion becomes more intense, and I ask Sheila where the fence was and she says «it used to be there, maybe someone took it», I questions here integrity. Then she proceeds to hang up on me right after stating that she has nothing more to say.
Point of the story: I would not refer anyone to Sheila Selvage. I am positive that the overall Benchmark Realty group are wonderful, Sheila is not. Sheila took us for a nice ride and told us exactly what we needed to hear. It worked. We handed over $ 1550 to Sheila and she went her merry way regardless of whether she did right for someone who put their trust in her.
In conclusion, I would like to be known that I hold myself partly responsible as I did not make the trip to see the home. Time did not allow for this. So, yes, I am partly to blame. But I put my trust in a local professional and trusted that she would do right by her newest client. I was terribly wrong.