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License Of Leading Local Real Estate Agent Suspended, Listings Pulled

Amy Clancy KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Posted: 4:45 pm PDT September 8, 2010Updated: 6:23 pm PDT September 8, 2010 Stunning action has been taken against a leading local real estate agent that the national TV networks often turn to for housing market expertise. His license was suddenly suspended and hundreds of his listings pulled. Michael Hellickson claims online that he’s the worldwide authority on short sales. He’s been interviewed on national TV. But earlier Wednesday a source told KIRO 7 Consumer Investigator Amy Clancy the bottom of Hellickson’s real estate world is falling out. And if the allegations in documents proved to be true, that source is right. Before Michael and Tara Hellickson's web site was suddenly pulled down, it boasted that the Pierce County couple are the #1 real estate agents in Washington, Oregon and Hawaii. But according to Department of Licensing documents obtained Wednesday by KIRO 7, neither Hellickson has ever been licensed to sell real estate in Oregon or Hawaii. However, here in Washington, according to the DOL, the agents have been very busy in recent years with short sales. Short sales state investigators allege are illegal despite Michael Hellickson's claims in cable interviews that he's a short sale expert. According to the documents, there have been 27 complaints of misconduct filed against the Hellicksons in the past two years. The state alleges the Bonney Lake couple has engaged in at least nine patterns of practice that "harm or pose a risk to the public,” including: --Misrepresenting and advertising that they would purchase a home listed with them if it did not sell within 90 days. --- Encouraging homeowners to stop making payments on their home loans --- Listing homes at artificially reduced prices --- Listing homes at prices not authorized by the homeowners --- And telling homeowners they must vacate their homes before they were legally required to do so As a result, the real estate licenses of both Michael and Tara Hellickson have been suspended. Their successful business, at least for now shut down. Clancy called Michael Hellickson Wednesday for his side of the story. After their conversation, his attorney sent a statement which reads, in part, that they “dispute the allegations” and “have done nothing wrong.” He says the Hellicksons are “helping homeowners in distress” and claims what the state is doing will ultimately hurt consumers.

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