So, the big news in our neck of the woods from Rain City Guide is Russ Cofano has taken a position with John L. Scott Real Estate as Vice President and General Counsel.

Russ was the long time counsel to the Washington Associationof REALTORS and played a crucial role in significant events impacting the Washington real estate industry. He wrote for Rain City Guide and was also a contributor to the real estate blog that I moderate for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

One of the most interesting things about this announcement is where Russ is going and who he is replacing.

It’s old news here, but for those who haven’t seen it, “Real Estate Alert”
Fraudulant Concealment Verdict Against John L. Scott Upheld by Washington Suprene Court makes for interesting reading.

Can you afford to do business with John L. Scott Real Estate?
If you are entitled to your earnest money back will John L. Scott Real Estate give it back?

If there is a known defect on the property listed or sold by a John L. Scott agent will they tell you about it?

The details of the case are interesting, but so is the result and the way this embittered home buyer took on a formidable company and a more formidable real estate attorney with a reputation for never settling a case.

Haven’t we all fantasized about taking revenge on a company in this way? Who hasn’t imagined the letters we’re going to write to the president of the airlines, as soon as we get off the flight? But instead of just daydreaming, this guy went the whole 9 yards.

The buyer not only took John L Scott to court and won, he also created websites, wrote letters to the editor, picketed outside their offices and handed out flyers at John L. Scott open houses on Sunday. And after he won, he just kept on rattling their cage, trying to list his property on the local MLS, but trying to get his broker to agree to boycott John L. Scott and refuse to let them show his property and pay them a commission.

For years, John L. Scott had an attorney with a reputation of never settling if they could go to court instead.

For an amazing character study of the company and their General Councel, read

Buyer Beware:
For a real estate company as successful as John L. Scott, it sure gets sued a lot

Russ Cofano has some pretty big shoes to fill, but I imagine he’s no push-over himself.

Good luck, Russ!

Home buyer wins suit against John L. Scott
Supreme Court awards him punitive damages and attorneys’ fees

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