TaiMelWillHaden.com: Avoid Beach Realty in Garden City, South Carolina

Avoid Beach Realty in Garden City, South Carolina

June 8, 2011

On June 7, 2011, my family and I were renting a beach house in Garden City. We were looking for another house to rent for our next trip, and five of us walked up to a property offered by Beach Realty.

One of us went into Beach Realty's office (which is across the street from the property we were interested in) and obtained a key from an agent inside to look around. I knew others in my family would like to see the house, so I called them over. I took the elevator to the ground level to meet them.

Seven more members of my family walked up from the beach and rinsed the sand off of their feet like normal, courteous people would do. I attempted to open the elevator door (which I just left), but it appeared to be stuck, so I pulled forcefully on the door several times. When I realized it was magnetically locked, I stopped.

The next moment, an agent from Beach Realty walked across the street to us rapidly and belligerently firing off successive questions without attempting to give us a chance to answer.

Here is how the nearly one-sided encounter went:

"What are you doing?"
"What are you doing to my house?"
"What are you doing to my house?"
"What are you doing to my house?"
"How would you like it if I came to your house and jerked on the door?"
"How would you like it if I came to your house and jerked on the door?"
"How would you like it?"
"How would you like it if I came to your house and jerked on the door?"
"You're up here using my water, yanking on my door..."

I was finally able to talk over him loudly enough to let him know we had the key, and were viewing the house. During our entire encounter, he maintained a belligerent tone. He said, "That was one guy, I wasn't expecting a herd of people."

Condescendingly being described as a herd is derogatory. In Beach Realty's own brochure, the house is listed as "accommodates 26". At this point, there were 12 of us at the house. So, the agent's derogatory use of the word "herd" is indefensible.

The agent walked away unapologetically.

I completely understand the agent's concern for the property, but belligerence towards customers is a no-no. Aside from the fact that we were potential renters, you just don't talk to people like that, especially if they are in your city spending money and your business revolves around tourism. In a matter of 30 seconds, our level of interest in the house went from probable to being proponents of an all-out boycott of the entire Beach Realty company.

The agent's belligerent attitude cost Beach Realty money--bottom line. Avoid this company.