Comments on: A CRE Scam for Brokers

By: Robin Tu

Robin Tu — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 07:54:11 +0000

Thanks Howard Mathews aka "Motelmat" for posting your experience with this CREOBA company.
I am a residential real estate broker who is trying to not deplet my hard earning income to get into the REO sector and it has been very hard. I often hit walls one after another and really don't know what to do next. I do go on as many forums and blogs as possible to read other opinions and inputs as to how thing is going in the market. Nothing reliable yet, but that won't stop me. I will keep on trying.

Again thank you for your input.

Robin Tu 408-334-5597

By: Howard Mathews

Howard Mathews — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:36:46 +0000

Note to everyone on this site. I just received an email from CREOBA that they are now refunding all of my original application fees as well as the 3 months of dues so at least they are acting ethically.

Howard Mathews "Motelmat"

By: Howard Mathews

Howard Mathews — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:35:14 +0000

Mark, I have not looked on here for a few weeks and I se you are slandering me now. I am Howard Mathews, a very successful hotel broker in Discovery Bay, CA. Minor thing but you are wrong about the meeting I attended it was at the Hyatt in Burlingame CA in the San Mateo Area, not San Francisco and it was halibut, not salmon so it shows you were not there. I am stil being charged monthly on my credit card even though I have cancelled my membership three times now and I have discussed it with you on the phone. From what I see CREOBA is collecting dues every month from all of its membres, but has not given out one successful or beneficial property lead on a distressed property to any member yet, but is stil charging monthly fees to everyone.

Looks like CREOBA is a new type of Ponzi scheme to me, get members, collect fees and then monthly dues, don't produce anything worthwhile and make as much as you can and then go out of business.

Howard Mathews 925 634 2299

By: Chris Rodriguez

Chris Rodriguez — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 07:38:07 +0000

Mark – I don't consider myself a watchdog. I am just calling it like I see it. I don't need to look any further into your organization to see if it has merit. You just need to show results. Membership numbers are not results. Membership numbers are good for you and Ray but don't mean anything to your members. If anything, the more members you have the more watered down the designation – not that it isn't watered down anyway, since payment is all that is needed for qualification. You can't just sign up and write a check to be a CCIM (I know you guys may not know what CCIM is because it is a CRE based organization and you guys are rooted in residential real estate).

As of today, how many of your 250 members have generated business as a direct result of membership in CREOBA? Let me answer that for you: Zero. Enough said.

You guys may have the best intentions in the world but intention and results are two very different things.

Chris

By: Keith Confidential

Keith Confidential — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:39:37 +0000

Mark – You have an uphill battle ahead of you. The deck is stacked. Eerie recruiting approach, low barriers to entry in an industry with a notoriously low bar. Your Experts or "Masters," or "Product Heads," are weak and are not leaders in their verticals. President way over his head, has little presence, can't present and as a first impression, set's the stage for a poor experience. The growth will continue but Chris is correct, results have to be quickly posted or your organization will crumble like a house of cards.

That said, you are courageous and have a vision, which I admire and respect.

By: Mark Barker

Mark Barker — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 18:31:33 +0000

Chris, I admire that you consider yourself a watchdog for the commercial brokers out there. If you really do profess to have an honest and objective perspective, why not truly investigate our intentions and goals instead of speculating and posting. Why not authenticate whether or not we are a scam or whether by working together as a team of trained professionals we can turn this association into a powerful force to promote and help our members survive the worst downturn of our lives. Almost 250 national members and rapidly growing.

Not a lot of risk in making a phone call. You can even call me collect to reduce your exposure.

I invite you to call me at (818) 483-1597 X 103.

Sincerely,

Mark Barker
CREOBA

By: RetailChatr » Blog Archive » Update On The Commercial REO Brokers Association (CREOBA)

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:11:12 +0000

[...] just what the CREOBA organization is and whether or not they have any credibility whatsoever. Since I found out about CREOBA I have been scratching my head wondering how these guys think they can start an organization that [...]

By: Mark Barker

Mark Barker — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:18:18 +0000

The text commencing with After 15 years and ending with spooky email chain letters was sent to me and others by one of our members (not myself) who incidently, in addition to her vast experience, is a PHD. Just wanted to clairfy.

Mark

By: Mark Barker

Mark Barker — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:03:45 +0000

Hi Chris: I think just the opposite. The standards in residential certainly do not apply to commercial transactions. Possibly you misread the comments from one of our esteemed members. We currently are setting new standards in conjuntion with input from the commercial financial community, holders of these toxic assets.

In the end, it is a partnership!

Thank you for your comments.

By: Mark Barker

Mark Barker — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:48:35 +0000

This is Mark Barker. I am the Executive V.P. of the Commercial REO Brokers Assocaition (http://www.creoba.com). I have been observing the anonymous comments for a while and now have decided that I need to respond.

Please see my comments below. If anyone would like to contact me to discuss membership or the goals and objectives of this association, please contact either Herman Neuman, Membership Director or myself at (818) 483-1597