A Chicago property owner says his West Side house was listed for sale without his consent by a realtor he’s never met — a move he believes could have led to a fraudulent sale if he hadn’t caught it in time.
Frank Diaz, a real estate investor known for renovating rundown homes, says he was stunned when he discovered that his vacant property on Taylor Street in the Tri-Taylor neighborhood had been advertised online. The listing, which appeared on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and social media, promoted the home for $200,000 in an off-market, cash-only deal — despite Diaz never intending to sell it.
“I recognized the property. I recognized the front door,” Diaz said. “I was not their client, and I am not their client.”
The property, a boarded-up brick workers cottage, has long sat abandoned, but Diaz had plans to renovate it into a three-unit rental. He described it as a classic fixer-upper project — something he specializes in.
“That’s what I do. I fix them up and then rent or sell them,” Diaz explained. “A lot of work to do, a lot of manpower, but we’ve done it before, and I will continue to do it.”
Those plans were nearly derailed in late May when Diaz noticed the unauthorized listing in a marketing video posted to a realtor’s social media page. The agent identified was Anthony Kirkland, a licensed realtor affiliated with Coldwell Banker who brands himself as “The Ace Broker.”
“I have never met him before,” Diaz said of Kirkland. “I’ve never spoken with him, never done a deal with him, and I had no idea he was trying to list my property.”
What made the situation more alarming was that some of the videos promoting the property showed its interior — suggesting that someone had entered the home without permission. Diaz accuses whoever took the videos of trespassing and claims the locks had been changed without his knowledge. A realtor lockbox was also found attached to the front door.
“In my mind, that’s breaking,” Diaz said. “That’s not just unethical — that’s criminal.”
When questioned by the media, Kirkland responded briefly, stating that someone had impersonated the homeowner and that the listing was removed as soon as he learned the truth. He ended the call when asked who permitted him to post the listing in the first place.
“Somebody was posing as the owner,” Kirkland said. “Once I was informed he wasn’t the owner, we took it down. That was it.”
Coldwell Banker stated in response to the incident: “Coldwell Banker Realty expects all its affiliated agents to act with the utmost integrity and in compliance with all applicable laws. We have canceled the listing out of an abundance of caution as we investigate this matter.”
Diaz, unsatisfied with the response, filed an ethics complaint against Kirkland with the Chicago Association of Realtors. According to the association, complaints like these trigger a formal due process, including a hearing, and penalties for violations can include fines of up to $15,000, suspension, or expulsion from membership. In serious cases, complaints may also be referred to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Jessica Kern, the association’s chief communications officer, stated, “While we cannot comment on any specific case, we take all allegations of ethical misconduct very seriously. We have clear standards in place.”
For Diaz, the biggest concern isn’t just what happened — it’s how easily it almost succeeded.
“I’m just surprised they even attempted to do anything like this,” he said. “I was more concerned that this could have worked out.”
He believes the incident should serve as a warning to other property owners, especially those who own vacant or unlisted homes. “You do your job as a realtor and you reach out,” Diaz said. “If they had done enough digging, they would have found my number.”
Diaz continues to renovate the property, but the experience has left him wary. He hopes the investigation will lead to stricter enforcement of verification practices in the real estate industry, so that what happened to him doesn’t happen to anyone else.
