If you were searching for Stephanie Lovins realtor Zillow recently, you probably noticed a digital ghost town. One day a profile exists, full of listings and professional contact info, and the next, it’s just... gone. Or maybe you saw the remnants of a page littered with one-star reviews that seem to have nothing to do with floor plans or closing costs.
It’s a weird situation. Usually, when a real estate agent "goes viral," it's for a record-breaking sale or a funny TikTok about a haunted basement. This was different.
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Honestly, the story of Stephanie Lovins is a textbook example of how quickly a professional reputation can vanish in the age of social media. It wasn't a housing market crash that took her down. It was a restaurant receipt.
What Happened to Stephanie Lovins in Columbus?
Back in March 2025, a photo started circulating on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). It was a receipt from Cazuelas Mexican Cantina, a popular spot in Columbus, Ohio. The total was $87.84. But it was the handwritten notes that caught everyone's attention.
In the tip line? "Zero. You suck!"
In the signature line? "I hope Trump deports you!!!"
The name on the receipt was Stephanie R. Lovins.
It didn't take long for the internet to do its thing. Within hours, local residents and people across the country had tracked down her professional profiles. They found her at Century 21. They found her on Realtor.com. And, of course, they flooded the search for Stephanie Lovins realtor Zillow.
The Fallout with Century 21
Real estate is a relationship business. You're asking people to trust you with the biggest purchase of their lives. So, when your name is attached to a viral incident involving "racist notes" (as many news outlets, including The Mary Sue and Hindustan Times, described it), national brands move fast.
Century 21 didn't mess around. By March 5, 2025, the corporate office released a statement. They basically said hate has no place in their brand and confirmed that Lovins was no longer affiliated with them.
She tried to do some damage control, claiming her card was stolen or her profile was hacked. But the restaurant's CCTV footage told a different story. It showed her at the table. It showed the interaction.
The Zillow Effect: Reviews and Vanishing Profiles
When a professional faces this kind of public backlash, their Zillow profile becomes a battleground.
Zillow is built on trust. Their "Premier Agent" system depends on reviews. When the receipt went viral, people who had never even met Lovins began leaving reviews on her profile. This is what's known as "review bombing." While Zillow typically tries to filter out reviews from people who didn't actually use the agent's services, the sheer volume can be overwhelming.
Soon after the incident, the Stephanie Lovins realtor Zillow profile was deactivated.
If you search for her now, you might find a placeholder or a 404 error. This happens because:
- The brokerage (Century 21) removed her, which often triggers an automatic update to Zillow's feed.
- Zillow may have manually removed the profile due to a violation of their community standards.
- The agent themselves might have deleted the profile to stop the influx of negative comments.
Can She Still Practice Real Estate?
This is where things get technical. Being fired from a brokerage like Century 21 doesn't automatically mean you lose your real estate license.
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In Ohio, licenses are managed by the Department of Commerce. To lose a license, an agent usually has to violate specific license laws—things like stealing escrow money or misrepresenting a property. While "unprofessional behavior" is a broad category, losing a job is not the same as losing a state-issued license.
However, a realtor without a brokerage is like a car without an engine. In most states, you can't legally perform real estate activities unless your license is "active" under a supervising broker. If no broker in Columbus wants to touch the "receipt realtor," she effectively can't work.
Real-World Impact on the Waiter
While the internet was focused on the agent, the waiter at the center of this—a man named Ricardo—became a local hero. It turned out he was a U.S. citizen working two jobs to support his family. The community rallied, and a GoFundMe for him reportedly raised thousands of dollars. It was a rare "good ending" for the victim of a pretty ugly situation.
Lessons for the Real Estate World
The Stephanie Lovins realtor Zillow saga is a loud reminder that there is no longer a line between "private life" and "professional brand."
If you're an agent, your face is your business. Your name is your business.
- Everything is recorded. From receipts to Ring doorbells, the "I didn't do it" defense rarely works anymore.
- Brokerages are risk-averse. National brands like Century 21 or RE/MAX will cut ties in a heartbeat to protect their image.
- SEO is a double-edged sword. The same search terms that help you find clients—like "realtor Zillow"—can be used to track your downfalls.
If you are looking for a realtor in the Columbus area today, you're better off looking for agents with a consistent history of verified, local sales. The Zillow "Find an Agent" tool is still useful, but always look for "Verified Purchases" in the review section. That way, you know the feedback is coming from an actual homebuyer, not someone who saw a viral post on Reddit.
As of early 2026, Lovins remains a cautionary tale in the industry. Her digital footprint is now defined by those five words on a receipt rather than any homes she ever sold.
If you're moving to Ohio and need an agent, check the latest Zillow rankings for Columbus, but maybe skip the names that show up in the "News" tab for all the wrong reasons. Look for agents who have been active in the last 12 months with a high "closing" rate. That's the data that actually matters when you're trying to buy a house.