Exploring attempts of undue influence from sellers or buyers in the everyday sales work of real estate agents: bribes and threats

Purpose This exploratory study examines two key forms of undue influence in the residential real estate market: bribery attempts and threats to real estate agents from buyers or sellers. It also identifies characteristics of real estate agents exposed to such pressures. While most earlier research focuses on agent malpractice, little attention has been paid to unethical pressure from clients. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods approach combined survey data with exploratory interviews. In January 2019, a survey was sent to all 7,260 registered real estate agents in Sweden, yielding a 20% response rate. Logistic regression analyses assessed the impact of 15 independent variables on the likelihood of agents experiencing bribery attempts or threats. A small number of interviews provided additional insights into agents’ experiences of undue influence. Findings Six attributes were significantly associated with the likelihood of being offered a bribe to close a deal before an auction: having colleagues who mislead sellers, working in a major city, being male, working excessive hours, having more experience and being younger. Several attributes were significantly associated with the likelihood of being threatened by a home buyer: having colleagues who mislead buyers or sellers, working in a major city, perceiving agent regulations as unclear, experiencing high workload and job-related worry and having more experience. Originality/value This study addresses an under explored aspect of real estate practice by shifting the focus from agent malpractice to client-driven unethical pressures. The findings highlight bribery and threats as systemic issues with regulatory, business and health implications and calls for more studies to better understand the width of this problem.