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Yes, I know the housing market is horrible right now but our agent is not helping. We've been trying to sell our home in the North Davidson area since June. We have had only seven showings!!! I have to practically call and beg our agent to do anything. His idea of selling the house is just listing it in the MLS and that's it.
Anyways, I was wondering if anyone can recommend an agent who is willing to put forth a little effort to sell a house.
My husband and I are in the same situation as you! We relocated and have been trying to sell our house in North Davidson since January! Our realator has been horrible! She does not keep us updated on the prospects at all. She has only had 2 open houses since it was listed (the last one in May), and I am pretty sure she has pawned it off on some newer agent who doesn't know what they are doing.
We came back in July to do some work, and she hadn't bothered to inform us that our yard was being neglected. The grass was overgrown, weeds everywhere, and everything needed pruned! It looked horrible! Just a few weeks ago, we learned from a former neighbor that the price of another house in our neighborhood had been lowered--she never bothered to tell us!
We have dumped this agent, but now have to start all over again, and we really need the house to sell!
There are a couple of things for you guys to keep in mind.
1- Davidson County is dying- jobs are leaving, the market is terrible in general, and unless you can promote the house as close to jobs in Winston (like Dell) then folks just aren't interested.
2- open houses rarely, if ever, sell houses. I tell my sellers that I will do a minimum of one. They are perfect if you want to let your nosy neighbors in to snoop, let unqualified, non-serious buyers look around, and generally be inconvenienced.
Check on what your agent is doing ONLINE. 74% of buyers in 2005 started their home search with the internet- either finding a home, checking schools, finding a loan or finding an agent. Your home needs to be in front of buyers where they are looking- the internet.
Davidson County is where I grew up and it's a tough sell unless you are close to High Rock or close to Winston. I can find you an agent in the area if you need someone. Just let me know.
Yes, I know all too well the job situation in Davidson County. I haven't been living under a rock.
1) We live an exit away from Winston Salem. I could understand if we were in a more rural location in Davidson county but we are not.
2) I know open houses rarely sell houses. But it gets you house up front and center for people to notice. It's called advertising. I do not expect someone to walk in, love the house and give us an offer an hour later. We have sold houses before.
Like I said, all our agent has done is put our house in the MLS. Other than that very little has been done. I had to make up our own flyers because the agent neglected to refill the bin after I have asked repeatedly.
Our house is only 3 years old, in a great neighborhood, on a large lot, and we are asking a good price. I simply think we should be getting more viewings than we have.
Hmmm. Sympathies to you tippster. But methinks yourhometriad is right about where the buyers come from.
My home near Greensboro has been on the market for several months with only six showings and one open house. The open house was just my realtor hanging out with me, a symbolic gesture at best. But lots of internet hits, from both buyers and agents. It SEEMS like my agent isn't doing anything, doesn't respond to emails, etc., but there is follow-up when there needs to be.
Not sure you can make anything happen. If you've done your part in preparing the house for showing, and the agent is doing his-her part, then a buyer will come along eventually who will love your house. The key being "eventually." I've looked very carefully at the market here, and I understand why my house is slow ( there really aren't any comparables ). And that's okay. It just needs a good match, between property and buyer, and then it will sell. Hopefully your place is more what more people are looking for.
I have a friend in Kernersville. His place has been on the market the same length of time as mine. But he has had almost 100 showings, and no offers. Which suggests to me there is something wrong with the property. But I'd rather have fewer showings and more serious buyers, which I have had. When they come back for a second look, that's a good sign, means it's not overpriced and they are tempted. But you already know all this. We just need to be patient, and have faith that the property will sell when the right match is made.
And this is my fourth time selling a house. First one took three months. Second and third sold the first day they were on the market. This one hasn't sold right away, but I am not worried. But good luck to you, tippster. With what you have said about your home and location, it will sell.
Yes, I know the housing market is horrible right now but our agent is not helping. We've been trying to sell our home in the North Davidson area since June. We have had only seven showings!!! I have to practically call and beg our agent to do anything. His idea of selling the house is just listing it in the MLS and that's it.
Anyways, I was wondering if anyone can recommend an agent who is willing to put forth a little effort to sell a house.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
Thanks.
My thoughts are for you to try selling it yourself (if you are still around). There is no one better in my opinion being that once you get someone there you are the one who knows the house the best. Pay the money to get it on MLS and then use Craig's list and other online methods to advertise it. You have a serious disadvantage if the job market is the way it is especially being as close to the triangle/triad as you are but if you sell yourself you are not going to be paying realtor fees giving you some extra wiggle room if you need to lower the price. Just my opinion though.
Hmmm. Sympathies to you tippster. But methinks yourhometriad is right about where the buyers come from.
My home near Greensboro has been on the market for several months with only six showings and one open house. The open house was just my realtor hanging out with me, a symbolic gesture at best. But lots of internet hits, from both buyers and agents. It SEEMS like my agent isn't doing anything, doesn't respond to emails, etc., but there is follow-up when there needs to be.
Not sure you can make anything happen. If you've done your part in preparing the house for showing, and the agent is doing his-her part, then a buyer will come along eventually who will love your house. The key being "eventually." I've looked very carefully at the market here, and I understand why my house is slow ( there really aren't any comparables ). And that's okay. It just needs a good match, between property and buyer, and then it will sell. Hopefully your place is more what more people are looking for.
I have a friend in Kernersville. His place has been on the market the same length of time as mine. But he has had almost 100 showings, and no offers. Which suggests to me there is something wrong with the property. But I'd rather have fewer showings and more serious buyers, which I have had. When they come back for a second look, that's a good sign, means it's not overpriced and they are tempted. But you already know all this. We just need to be patient, and have faith that the property will sell when the right match is made.
And this is my fourth time selling a house. First one took three months. Second and third sold the first day they were on the market. This one hasn't sold right away, but I am not worried. But good luck to you, tippster. With what you have said about your home and location, it will sell.
Honestly, open houses don't sell homes- internet marketing does. Sounds like your agent has set you up with a listingbook account to show you all the people looking at your house- does that agent have a personal website to showcase homes? Is your house on Realtor.com? MSN? Yahoo? What about a virtual tour? Most people don't search homes online without a virtual tour or at least multiple photos.
Kernersville is a good market- always has been. People will look there from all three major cities because of its short commute. So there will definitely be more showings. But if they have had 100 showings and no offers, something is wrong. Either with the home or the price. Staging helps. Seriously. Open houses? feh.
Thanks for your comments yourhometriad. Yes, I have a listingbook account, and I have been able to find my listing on various websites like realtor.com, so I think they are doing all the right things even if they don't respond to my emails. There are multiple photos, but no virtual tour. It's a fairly unique property ( over $500K with acreage ) but not close enough to Greensboro to appeal to most upscale buyers. The "comps" are properties where the house is similar but closer to Greensboro and with no acreage. But someone will just love it here. And my asking price is about 10% below what I paid two years ago. I don't have to sell, but I want to. So I'm not worried.
Thanks for your comments yourhometriad. Yes, I have a listingbook account, and I have been able to find my listing on various websites like realtor.com, so I think they are doing all the right things even if they don't respond to my emails. There are multiple photos, but no virtual tour. It's a fairly unique property ( over $500K with acreage ) but not close enough to Greensboro to appeal to most upscale buyers. The "comps" are properties where the house is similar but closer to Greensboro and with no acreage. But someone will just love it here. And my asking price is about 10% below what I paid two years ago. I don't have to sell, but I want to. So I'm not worried.
oh I know exactly why it isn't selling. Nothing over $300k is really moving like it used to. Seriously. I have a fabulous house in Stokesdale that's $439,900 and I can't give it away. I mean it has a spring fed pond with fish, hardwood floors, a greenhouse, a garden, an amazing front porch... no lookers. Stuff in our price range isn't moving.
Good luck!
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Same situation!
