It All Started With a Random Phone Call.

A woman I'd never spoken to before called me out of the blue. Her tone was sharp, and her question was blunt: "Who authorized you to put my house on sale?"

Now, I manage thousands of online property listings across the country through the Real Estate Database (RED), marketing properties on behalf of countless brokers, realtors, developers, agents and agencies, and therefore, without any context, her question was incomplete. There was no mention of a property name, location, or property code, just a vague accusation.

Naturally, I replied, "Which house are you talking about?"

But instead of answering my question, she repeated her previous question, this time in a more threatening tone. I calmly explained that I wouldn't know which property she meant unless she provided the property code, especially considering the volume of listings I handle. Eventually, after a tense back-and-forth, she gave me the property code.

What the Photos Revealed.

Once I looked up the listing, it didn't take long to realize that the property had been photographed professionally. The images included detailed shots of the interior, even including the bedroom. That level of access doesn't happen by accident. A photographer can't walk into someone's bedroom without consent. It was obvious that whoever took the photos had been granted permission to do so.

Digging Deeper.

To be sure, I reached out to the listing agents to understand the situation. What I discovered put the entire call into perspective.

The agents told me that she had already made several intimidating calls to them too. According to their records, the property had been handed over by a money lending organization for a "forced sale, also known as a quick sale or foreclosure" due to loan default. In other words, she had failed to pay her mortgage, and the money lender had taken steps to recover the funds by selling the property.

Rather than come to terms with that, she appeared to be buying time by threatening all the listing agents and thus delaying the process while she secretly searched for a buyer who could offer her a better price than the lender's valuation. She resorted to pressuring the agents involved, as though doing so could halt the inevitable.

A Painful Truth.

This wasn't just a house to her. It was a dream home, one she had cherished, customized, and poured time and money into. But the emotional attachment couldn't change the financial reality. She was unwilling to accept defeat. She was resisting the sale not because it was illegal or unauthorized, but because it hurt to let go. Her frustration was understandable. But her approach, threatening professionals doing their jobs, was not.

My Word of Advice.

If you're in a similar situation, struggling with home loan payments, my advice is this: Don't wait until the money lender steps in. If you want to have any control over the sale, start looking for a buyer early. Once a lender declares a forced sale, time is no longer on your side. The chances of getting a good deal drop significantly, and the home may end up in auction, often selling below market value.

And above all, don't threaten or blame the agents who are simply following instructions from the lender. They didn't put you in this situation, and they can't stop it. What they can do, however, is help you navigate it with some dignity, if you let them.