You found the perfect house. You are ready to make an offer. Then the listing agent drops the bomb: “Just so you know, we already have multiple offers on this one.” Your heart sinks. You start wondering if you need to go over asking price, waive your inspection, or move faster than you are comfortable with. But here is the question nobody wants to ask out loud: is the agent even telling the truth? As a licensed Realtor in Michigan who also works at one of the largest real estate law firms in the state a Chief Operation Officer, I have seen this play out dozens of times. And I can tell you from firsthand experience that yes, some realtors do lie about offers. I have personally caught agents fabricating competing offers to pressure my clients into overbidding, and it takes an experienced agent to spot it and call the other side out without blowing up the deal. In this guide, I am going to walk you through exactly how and why agents lie about offers, what the law says about it from a Realtors perspective, and most importantly how to protect yourself so you never overpay for a home based on a lie.

Why Would a Realtor Lie About Having Other Offers?

Before we get into how to catch a liar, you need to understand why an agent would risk their license and reputation in the first place. It almost always comes down to money and pressure. Listing agents represent the seller, not you. Their job is to get the highest price with the best terms for their client. And their commission is a percentage of the sale price, so a higher sale price means a bigger paycheck. Telling you there are multiple offers is one of the fastest ways to create a bidding war and drive up the price. Here are the most common reasons I have seen agents exaggerate or flat out lie about competing offers:

• They want to create urgency so you act fast and skip your due diligence.
• They are trying to push your offer above asking price, benefiting both the seller and their own commission.
• The property has been sitting on the market and they need to manufacture demand that does not actually exist.
• The seller is pressuring them to generate movement on a stale listing.

None of these reasons make it right. But understanding the motivation helps you stay clear-headed when you hear those words in the middle of a deal.

Can Realtors Legally Lie About Multiple Offers?

This is the part most people get wrong, so let me break it down clearly. There is actually a difference between a “real estate agent” and a “Realtor,” and the rules are not the same for both.

State Licensing Laws

Every licensed real estate agent is required by state law to deal honestly and in good faith. Lying about the existence of offers can be considered fraud or misrepresentation, which can result in fines, license suspension, or revocation. However, enforcement varies widely from state to state. In Michigan, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs handles complaints, but the reality is they have limited resources to investigate every case. Some dishonest agents do get away with it, at least for a while.

The NAR Code of Ethics

Agents who are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) are held to a higher standard. The NAR Code of Ethics, first adopted in 1913, includes specific articles that apply here. Article 1 requires Realtors to protect their client’s interests, while Article 2 prohibits exaggeration, misrepresentation, or concealment of facts related to a property or transaction. If a Realtor is caught fabricating offers, their local association can impose sanctions ranging from fines and mandatory ethics training to probation, suspension, or full expulsion from the association. Losing NAR membership can be career-ending in markets where MLS access depends on it. But here is the catch: only about 1.5 million of the roughly 3 million active licensees in the US are NAR members. The rest operate outside the Realtor Code of Ethics, though they are still bound by state law.

What Listing Agents Are Not Required to Disclose

Here is something that surprises most buyers: listing agents are generally not required to tell you anything about other offers unless the seller gives them permission. They do not have to share how many offers exist, what those offers look like, or whether any offers exist at all. So when an agent says “there is a lot of interest,” that could mean five written offers or three people who drove by the house on Sunday. The vagueness is intentional.

Common Lies and Half-Truths About Offers I Have Seen as an Agent

In my years working as a Realtor in Southeast Michigan, I have encountered just about every version of this game. Here are the most common tactics I have seen listing agents use:

• “We have had a lot of interest.” This is the classic vague statement. Interest and actual written offers are not the same thing, but the agent is banking on you not knowing the difference.
• “We already have multiple offers.” Sometimes true, sometimes completely made up. Without specifics, there is no way to verify it.
• “You will need to come in strong if you want a chance.” This might be honest advice in a competitive market, or it might be pure manipulation designed to get you to overbid.
• “Another offer just came in this morning.” I have seen this one used on properties that sat on the market for 200 plus days. Miraculously, the day my client wants to make an offer, competition appears out of nowhere.
• “The seller already has an offer at full asking.” I have seen agents who could not produce any documentation when pressed on this. That tells you everything you need to know.

The pattern is always the same: vague claims designed to rush you into paying more than you should. A good agent on your side can see right through it.

How to Tell if a Realtor Is Lying About Other Offers

You do not need to just take their word for it. Here are the strategies I use to protect my own clients when we hear about competing offers.

Ask Direct, Specific Questions

You have every right to ask the listing agent for details. When did the offer come in? Does it have contingencies? When is the seller making a decision? An agent with a real offer can answer these questions without hesitation. An agent who is bluffing will dodge, get vague, or change the subject. I have called agents out on this exact tactic, and more than once the “multiple offers” suddenly disappeared when I asked pointed questions.

Check the Days on Market

This is one of the biggest red flags. If a property has been listed for several months and suddenly has competing offers the same week you express interest, be skeptical. The highest probability for multiple offers is within the first one to two weeks of a listing. After that, the chances drop significantly with each passing week. A home sitting for 200 days that “just got an offer today” deserves serious scrutiny.

Read the Market Context

In a hot seller’s market like we see in parts of Michigan, multiple offers are genuinely common on well-priced homes. But in a slower market with rising inventory, claims of bidding wars are far less believable. Pay attention to months of supply data in your target area to gauge whether the market supports the claim.

Think About the Open House

Did you attend a packed open house with 30 groups walking through? Then yes, multiple offers are very likely. Was it just you and one other couple? Then claims of heavy competition do not add up.

Submit a Strategic Test Offer

If you suspect there are no other offers but you still want the home, submit a reasonable offer below asking. If there truly are competing offers, yours will be declined and you can move on. If there are no other offers, the seller will likely counter, which tells you everything. This is a move that many buyers in Michigan do not think to try, but it works.

Have an Experienced Agent in Your Corner

This is the single most important thing you can do. A seasoned buyer’s agent who knows the local market and the local agents can read between the lines in ways you cannot. I know which agents in my market operate with integrity and which ones play games. That kind of local knowledge is something you cannot Google. When I suspect an agent is lying about offers, I know how to press them on it without ruining the deal for my client.

What to Do if You Think a Realtor Lied to You

If you believe a listing agent fabricated or exaggerated offers to manipulate you, do not just let it go. Here is what you should do:

1. Talk to your own agent first. A good buyer’s agent can often dig deeper and get more honest answers from the listing side through professional channels.
2. Do not panic or abandon your budget. The worst outcome is overpaying by thousands because someone pressured you with a story that was not true. Stick to your numbers.
3. Ask for written proof. While the seller is not obligated to provide it, simply asking can call a bluff fast.
4. File a complaint with your state real estate commission. In Michigan, that means the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. They investigate and can take disciplinary action.
5. File an ethics complaint with the local Realtor association. If the agent is a NAR member, this can result in fines, suspension, or expulsion. These complaints are taken seriously.

Proving a lie about offers is difficult, but filing complaints creates a record. Agents who accumulate complaints eventually face real consequences.

Why Most Realtors Do Not Lie About Offers

I want to be fair here because this is my profession. The vast majority of real estate agents do not fabricate offers. The risk is simply not worth it. Real estate is a relationship business, especially in markets like Metro Detroit and Oakland County where finding a trustworthy Realtor can make or break your experience. Getting caught in a lie does not just cost you one deal. It destroys your reputation with other agents, generates negative reviews, and kills referral business. In a profession where word of mouth is everything, that is a death sentence. The commission math does not add up either. The difference between a $300,000 sale and a $310,000 sale at a 3 percent rate is about $300. No experienced agent is going to risk their career over $300. Most good agents also know that honest, transparent negotiations lead to smoother closings and happier clients who send referrals for years to come. The short-term gain of a manufactured bidding war is never worth the long-term damage.

How to Protect Yourself When Buying a Home

Whether you are buying your first home or your tenth, here is how to make sure you never get played by a dishonest agent:

1. Hire your own buyer’s agent. Never go into a transaction relying on the listing agent for information. They work for the seller, not you.
2. Do your own homework. Research comparable sales, days on market, and local market conditions before making any offer. Knowledge is your best defense.
3. Set a firm budget and do not budge. No house is worth putting yourself in financial trouble, no matter how many “other offers” supposedly exist.
4. Use an escalation clause when it makes sense. This automatically raises your offer up to a ceiling, but only when the listing agent provides proof of a higher competing bid.
5. Trust your gut. If the pressure feels manufactured and the urgency does not match what you are seeing in the market, step back. There will always be another house.

Final Thoughts From a Realtor Who Has Seen It All

Do realtors lie about offers? Some of them absolutely do. I have seen it happen, I have caught agents doing it, and I have protected my clients from it. But the majority of agents in this business operate honestly because their livelihood depends on it. The best protection you have is working with an experienced, honest agent who knows the local market and is not afraid to push back on the other side when something does not add up. That is exactly what I do for my clients across Southeast Michigan, Metro Detroit, and Oakland County every single day. If you are looking for a Realtor who will fight for you and never let another agent take advantage of you, contact me today. I will make sure you get the best deal possible without the games.

Firas Hanna | Licensed Realtor | MBA  248-703-1219 | firasrealestate.com