Starting in the 1990s, the United States experienced a period of unbelievable prosperity through investment in real estate, followed by an equally dramatic decline and loss in values during the past decade. As in most bull times, a group of less-than-scrupulous real estate licensees emerged that took advantage of unsuspecting buyers and sellers. Unlike licensed REALTORS®, these shady characters didn’t adhere to the Realtor Code of Ethics. Northern California REALTOR® Mark Schweller shares some red flags that can identify whether the agent you are working with is a “Shady McGrady.” “During the good times, the money was flowing into the industry like water over the Niagara Falls. Basically, if you were a warm body, banks were lining up to loan you money through stated income loans, adjustable rate mortgages or even negative amortization loans (where the balance that you owe the bank could grow beyond the value of your home). This rainbow time in real estate was great for the short run, but not necessarily reality [...]