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mgshores

bad client or bad realtor

19 years ago

Hi, I'm kinda new but have read alot of posts. I have a question about expectations from realtors.

My house has been on market for 4+ mo and no offers. My dh and I are not happy with the marketing efforts of our realtor and we have dropped our price 2 times. I have to suggest things for the realtor to do or he doesn't seem to do much, for instance I requested that he contact the buyers agent personally after a showing to get feedback. He uses a website homefeedback.com, which at first I thought was pretty cool but then I realized he is not having a productive conversation with other realtors that could clear up any potential concerns the buyer may have or bring future business from that particular realtor. He has done 2 open houses and he is one not to believe that an open house will sell a house. I agree somewhat but then what does sell a house. Of course the house is on the MLS and his webpage but he is with a new firm and only has 4 realtors in his group. In heinsight I wonder if I should have went with a big name like Remax because they are big in our town and have 200+ realtors in thier group to market to. I heard a rumor that his firm was trying to get as many listings as possible just to get thier signs out there but they have no marketing budget, and that they will list a house at the price the seller wants just to get the sign in the yard.

One of his strategies was to take out the flyers from the for sale sign to force potential buyers to call into his office, I actually had to ask him to put them back in after 2 weeks with no calls, then he said he wanted to give it another week. I understood his strategy but if no one called after 2 weeks what was another week going to do. All the houses in our area have those flyers and I think people will just drive by and not give the house a second thought if they are not out there. After he talks us into dropping the price he doesn't even update the price on his own website.

I finally got desperate because of 2 mortgages and decided to rent the house. I do not feel I have been a bad client but he really seems quiet around me, I sense something that he is not wanting to share and he almost seemed relieved when I told him I was considering renting.

When I was at the house today the neighbors told me that 6 different families have been by in the last 2 weeks to look at the house yet my realtor just told me that no one has looked in over a month. How can he not know the house was shown? If I had known so many people were recently looking at it I may have waited a couple more weeks before placing the ad to rent it.

The rental market in my town has the same problem, way to much inventor because of so many sellers in same boat as me. I found a renter on the first advertised day and the potential renter commented many times that they couldn't believe our house did not sell. My contract with the realtor isn't up for 2 more months but we are just taking it off the market. I feel bad because he did the pictures and virtual tour, but don't know what else to do. My renters are going to sign an 18 mo lease so I hope the market will be a bit better in spring 09.

I have not told the realtor how I really feel because he is in a business group and we are friends. It makes me wonder if it is equally as hard for realtors to do business with other business associates for fear of not selling and letting a client down.

Just need some direction to prevent future mistakes. Please let me know what you think.

Comments (18)

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Can you give us a link to the listing?

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    sorry I should have done that

    Here is a link that might be useful: my house

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I am having trouble with that link. This is to my realtor website. My house is the featured home

    Here is a link that might be useful: My house

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Brand new vinyl flooring as a selling point? Awful picture too. Sorry I am sure it is a very nice house

    I might be inclined to mention the showings and ask what he thought the problem with the house was

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I am not sure why he mentioned Brand New Vinyl flooring. The entire lower level is ceramic tile and it was only in the laundry room we put the new floor.
    thanks for the sugestion. I plan on calling him today and asking him.

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Ok, front yard, back yard, kitchen - where's the bathroom picture?

    Your front yard definitely doesn't have curb appeal. It is very.... green.

    A quick look at realtor.com puts you at a higher cost per square foot than many other homes in your area. Have you looked at an of your competition via Open Houses? I didn't view your virtual tour because it needed a plug-in different then other virtual tours. I doubt I'll be alone.

    As far as Keller Williams Realty not being large - that would only be the local office. Nationally, they are a big company.

    I have not told the realtor how I really feel because he is in a business group and we are friends. It makes me wonder if it is equally as hard for realtors to do business with other business associates for fear of not selling and letting a client down.

    Oh boy - never hire a realtor "friend" or relative to sell your home. Sometimes, the friendship is lost, the ability to express disappointment is lost, etc., etc.

    Apparently you are stuck for a six month listing? Next time, three months max. Review your contract to see what marketing he guaranteed. Tell him how disappointed you are in his marketing and list what you'd like him to do to market. Be as pro-active as you can be. No fliers in the box and he's not replacing them? You replace them. No OH and you'd like one? Get him on-board or contact his broker. At this point, you need to get out from underneath the mortgages. BTW, what type of lock-box do you have that he is unaware of viewings? And, don't you return to the house periodically to clean? Leaving a card is not something realtors do in your area?

    What are current DOM in your area? Have you run current comps? You may have had two price drops, but if you are chasing your market down you'd have to cut to below what comps and your competition is selling for.

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    You definitely need photos of the interior, and this "great backyard" that the realtor's description mentions. You also need a better photo of the front of the house. I agree with others--too much green! Your house has no curb appeal, and the photo is taken from too far back. You need a close up of the front of the house. There really is nothing in the ad that piques my interest and makes me want to tour your house. Updated cosmetics are nice, but what are the features of the home?

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    terrig_2007 there are interior pictures. Click the picture on the featured home page listing. A new page opens up. Now click the camera (7). That brings you to the interior pics.

    Maybe this is too many hoops to jump through to see pictures of this house?

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    "One of his strategies was to take out the flyers from the for sale sign to force potential buyers to call into his office"

    If everyone else in your area has flyer's in front of their house, then you should have them as well. I am a buyer. These types of realtor games just make me angry. If I have to call this guy to find out what should have been on a flyer, I'm very likely to play a few games with him myself. It is his JOB to keep your flyer box full, or at least call and ask if you need any extra.

    "When I was at the house today the neighbors told me that 6 different families have been by in the last 2 weeks to look at the house yet my realtor just told me that no one has looked in over a month."

    OMG. You had SIX prospective buyer's come by and he didn't tell you about a SINGLE one? You hired this idiot to SELL your house, not hide potential buyer's. He sounds like he is trying to do everything but this. FIRE HIM.

    "My contract with the realtor isn't up for 2 more months but we are just taking it off the market. I feel bad because he did the pictures and virtual tour, but don't know what else to do."

    Don't feel bad for him. He is trying to keep your listing alive for the sole purpose of padding his real estate portfolio while you are stuck with the costs of paying for two mortgages. He should feel bad for lying to you and expecting to be paid for this. Glad you were able to rent it. It might be wishful thinking, but I think the market is going to improve by 2009. Maybe your renter might be interested in buying the house on a land contract?

    "I have not told the realtor how I really feel because he is in a business group and we are friends."

    He sure isn't acting like a friend. Otherwise, he would have told you about all the people who expressed an interest in your house. I'd go with ReMax next time, and follow xamsx's suggestions for only listing with an agent for three months instead of six. If you want to ask him about the six prospective buyer's, you might ask in a way that doesn't rat on the neighbor, but lets him know you have other eyes watching.


  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    From what you've said, I have to agree it was the agent. The errors of your listing should have been dealt with asap, one can see that the flooring does not look like vinyl.

    I don't care for his page at Keller Williams. How does someone know how to find information when viewing the main ad and then having to figure out that VT means virtual tour and the small camera means pictures?

    How set in stone are you with renting? Do you think the renter will understand if you say that you've thought about this and would like to try relisting with another agent?

    Is it possible for you to cancel the sale, relist with Re/Max; see how a 3 month listing goes, then think about renting? Maybe if you speak to the tenant, you can have the best of both by having him rent the house while it's listed.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Realtor.com link

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Regarding flyers. When I see a box that is constantly out of flyers it tells me the sellers are not serious about selling or have other things going on that are more important to them, then selling their house. Nothing is worse then dealing with an unmotivated seller.

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I can't get the virtual tour to work.

    Is it possible the six groups who came by were there to check it out at a rental? It is just too hard to imagine that even the worst agent in the world would be unaware of six groups viewing one of his listings.

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    "When I was at the house today the neighbors told me that 6 different families have been by in the last 2 weeks to look at the house"

    But what does that mean?

    Was the house shown 6 times, or did 6 cars pull into the driveway & write down phone numbers & such?

    Although a house that's priced higher than comparable listings will often sit unsold (in fact doing the other homeowners a favor by making their homes look like better bargains), your agent should have shared that information with you.

    I wish you the best.

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Thank you so much for all the feedback. It has been very helpful

    Regarding flyers. When I see a box that is constantly out of flyers it tells me the sellers are not serious about selling or have other things going on that are more important to them, then selling their house. Nothing is worse then dealing with an unmotivated seller.

    --I agree, we have been very motivated sellers, that is why we put new carpet in and painted every surface including the ceilings, trim and every interior door. I was uncomfortable with that idea but did not speak up because I thought he was an expert. Next time I will go with my gut.

    I had a couple of comments about curbappeal. What is a good way to create some. Is it mostly colorful flowers or more detailed than that.

    I am ok with renting it. I have other rental properties and the amount of rent I am getting is 300 over my current mortgage. Our taxes and insurance are escrowed.

    I feel fortunate to have found a renter so quickly. We have alot of empty rentals right now. I do not have a signed lease yet so if that falls through I am going to go straight to Remax.

    Has anyone heard of new RE offices in town trying to get listing for the exposure of all the yard signs? This is what I heard about my realtor and also that they have no budget for marketing. My dh and I did not want to sign with him but the pressure from this business group was weighing on us. NEVER AGAIN.. we learned our lesson the hard way.

  • 19 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Business and pleasure do not mix. I learned the hard way not to hire a RE friend. She did nothing for me but I lost sales because of her. Never again!!!!

  • 18 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    OMG! Your situation sounds EXACTLY the same as mine! PLEASE do NOT go to Remax!!! That is who I am going through and it is an absolute NIGHTMARE!!!

  • 18 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    "Your front yard definitely doesn't have curb appeal. It is very.... green."

    The green grass looks fine to me, but all the leaves on it do not. I'd make use of a rake or leaf blower before taking photos next time. It says something about deferered maintainence...

  • 18 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Veryannoyedseller - Every ReMax office is independently owned and operated. There are actually 2 different ReMax brokerages in my area. One I don't trust, the other is fine. Please don't assume that your experience is typical of ALL ReMax offices.