Migrating wonders: when Upper East Side was moved down to Soho

I wanted to wait until the end of our apartment-hunting to write a post about the different brokers I met and my experience with the queer, surreal Manhattan real estate market. I can't. There is this one dude that simply deserves a post of his own. Also, this story may answer questions raised by friends and family who are already all packed and ready to come visit and are now wondering about the worrisome never-ending character of our apt-hunting. Hope this will give a sense of the circus-type of environment made of psychos and chronical liars I am dealing with. True, I met also a few nice people who are on the level, but the majority of brokers have a screw loose. Period.
What follows is my unabridged exchange of emails with a broker about an apartment advertised on the New York Times. (List of abbreviations: UES = Upper East Side, UWS = Upper West Side. The broker uses also UPE and UPW)

email # 1
date: Monday, October 29th
from: silvia to broker G.
Property Information:
Location: W 80th st, Upper West Side, NY 10024
# of Bedrooms: 2

Hi g., I would be interested in this apt I saw on the NYT. Could you please let me know where exactly it is located Would it be possible to see it thanks

email # 2
Mon 10/29/2007 11:03 PM
Hi Silvia, My name is L. and I work with G. the person that you responded to a listing on NY times.
This property is still available. I will be happy to show it to you at your convenience. I have also other properties that I could show you with this property. What is your maximum budget?
Hope to hear from you soon.
L.

email # 3
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 11:23 AM
L., I would like to see also your listing id # 137043. Can we do it today around 1 or 1.30? Would it be possible to arrange a viewing on such short notice?
for the apt on UWS, I can see it tomorrow around 12.30
thanks for letting me know
s

email # 4
Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:51:29 -0400
Silvia,
I am sorry for getting back to you until now. The apartment that you did send me the ID for I am still waiting for a response from the landlord. This apartment is located in the SOHO area. Are you also interested in viewing apartments in Tribeca, SOHO, West Village , East Village , Chelsea & Uptown West?
Let me know because I will then able to set some appointments depending on the neighborhood that you would like to view apartments on?
Regards,

email # 5
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 3:12 PM
ok, to sum up:
-apt on UWS: waiting to hear from the landlord
-apt ID 137043 listed as triplex on E 77 and third, is actually in soho and not UES, correct? If so, I'm not interested in this one.
Let me know about UWS for tomorrow.
thanks
s

email # 6
Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:28:15 -0400
Silvia,
I am still waiting for an answer from the landlord in the UPW.
The other apartment is located in Soho not in the Upper Eastside .
L

email # 7
Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:25:51 -0400
Silvia, Here is a list of apartments that meets your criteria in the Upper Westside. Please let me know if you would like to view any of these apartments tomorrow.
Regards, L

(text followed by a list of some 20 apartments in UWS)

email # 8
Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:37:48 -0400
Silvia, Here is another list for the Upper Eastside area apartments that meet your criteria

(text followed by a list of some 20 apartments in UES)

email # 9
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 5:33 PM
thank you L., it's very kind of you but I haven't asked you to start a new search for me. As a matter of fact we never discussed starting a new search from scratch and indeed none of these listings meets my criteria and I'm truly sorry that you spent time in vain.
I contacted you about one specific apt on UWS. If it's no longer available, or if it's located in soho like the UES E77 apt of the other listing, please do not hesitate to say so.
best regards,
silvia

email # 10
Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:33:27 -0400
Silvia,
The apartment on the UES is located in SOHO , the apartment that you have enquired about I am still waiting to hear from the landlord what is the status.
I will let you know as soon as I know the status.
L

email # 11
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 5:43 PM
L., I perfectly understood that the apt on UES is in Soho . I got it the first time you told me but you can tell me once more if you want... this story is so hilarious that I love to listen to it over and over... I'll post it to my blog and send it to you :)
cheers

email # 12
Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:45:05 -0400
Silvia,
I am sorry if I did not specified that the apartment that you thought was in the UPE is actually in SOHO, just an error of neighborhoods when uploading the apartment unto the NY times
L

email # 13
Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:03:23 +0100 (CET)
sorry L but it's hard to believe it was just a typo as the description goes:

Penthouse 3-bedroom sun filled duplex, newly renovated with granite kitchen with dishwasher, marble bathroom, gleaming hardwood floors, in an amazing location, 77th and Third, on one of the Upper East Side's loveliest blocks! Steps from the subway and great restaurants and bars! Don't miss out on this beauty- call G. for an immediate appt

Now, I don't care about the UES apt but this goes to show that you guys are not serious nor reliable and as we approach the end of day two and you seem not to be hearing back from the landlord of the UWS apt I become more and more convinced that the UWS apt is a fake as well.

So, let's pretend I never contacted you.
have a nice week

s