Question for Spartanburg Realtors (Greenville, Boiling Springs: for sale, real estate, brokers)

[Eldemila]

Can anyone explain why it's so hard to find real estate listings in the Spartanburg area that contain the vital information on a home for sale? Vital information on listings is basically non-existent!

It's very frustrating when I search for a home and venture over to the Spartanburg area to look and not to be able to find the information to determine whether a home would be something I would be interested in because there's no information on it.

When I search the Greenville listings I can see all the important information to help me determine whether I want to go see a house - square footage, room sizes, most with lots of pictures. When I go to Spartanburg, there's basically nothing - it's so vague the information given, it makes me go right back to the Greenville areas.

The only way you can seem to get more info is if you contact the listing agent - no way do I want a slew of realtors contacting me only to find out the house I saw is only 1200 sq ft when I"m looking for 1800 sq ft.

If anyone has a good site to search MLS for Spartanburg county real estate, in particular Boiling Springs, please post it - and realtors of that area, why pray tell are the listings on MLS so bad compared to the ones in Greenville????? I would not be happy if I were trying to sell my home thru a realtor if I lived in that area - I think by not providing the information freely via MLS search and trying to make people contact a realtor is doing people who list their properties a dis-service. Just my 2 cents, but as a potential homebuyer for that area, you're missing out on my business.

[jazzyk298]

We've found trulia.com to be quite helpful. Also liked Allentate.com which lets you pull up a map and choose homes that way (and also a real cool satellite feature that lets you virtually drive down the street to see adjacent property)

[ruvidu]

I am not a Sppartanburg Realtor but I just wonder, why don't you sign a contract with a Realtor to find you the home you want? It probably will not cost you a dime since Sellers pay the commissions.

[stroupek]

I am a realtor in Tryon, NC but a member of the Spartanburg MLS and sell mostly in the Landrum, Campobello areas. How are you trying to look at Spartanburg listings--on realtor.com? I have never heard anyone say there is a problem. I am not a "pressure" realtor and will be happy to email you listings on anything you need more information on with no expectations or phone calls or anything. I know some people think they are better off going through the listing agents about properties but that is not usually the case. A buyer's agent would represent you and be looking out for your best interest in any real estate dealings. The cost is paid by the seller so why wouldn't you want your own agent? It doesn't change the price of the house. You just have to find a good realtor who works at getting all your questions answered, who knows the value of properties in the area and runs comps before you make an offer, and who knows how to negotiate a good deal for you. I am sorry you are having such a frustrating experience with Spartanburg.

[Eldemila]

Thanks for the replies/suggestions.

The site I use (won't mention names, have no affiliation with this realtor, just like using his website to search) I can put in what I'm looking for, price range, size of home, bedrooms, bathrooms, remarks and/or features and more

When I go to the Spartanburg realtors site, this is what you get:

http://www.spartanburgrealtors.com/search2idx.asp

This is not what you get at the first look of the website, you have to go on and find their search parameters. You may ask, what's wrong with this? I'm looking for a single story ranch type home - I have to weed through all these listings and look at the homes to find a ranch, but some some homes that are two story, I would consider if the master is on the main level. No to mention, you can only view homes of a certain square footage at one time, meaning if you are looking for a home between 1700sq ft and 2400 sq feet, you have to search through listings 5 different times just to look at those parameters.

So, if you find a home, then you have to try and decipher information - first, there are no room sizes listed at all. Second, it doesn't say if the master is on the main or second level when looking at a 2 story home. And, unlike Greenville MLS there's no map to show you where the house is located. Just not a consumer friendly way to look. Go to the listing agents website to find more info, they ask for all your personal info before they'll let you see the listing - I don't want everyone and their mother contacting me.

Ruvidu, why sign a contract to be exclusive to one realtor? What would be the advantage of doing that vs just working with a realtor without a contract? Sorry, but it's not something I would do.

Stroupek, thanks for the offer. I'm trying to facilitate in helping a realtor help me find the right properties. I hate wasting my time and a realtors time if the property won't work for me. I want to see the room measurements, that alone will save me a lot of time. I don't think a realtor wants to sift through listings looking for the right size bedroom for me. I can help, if the information is there. I am looking for something specific and my time is limited, so why not help where I can, if I could? The Greenville MLS listings allow me to do just this. The Spartanburg MLS listings do not. I'll probably be sticking to looking at the Greenville MLS listings, but thought I'd give myself a few more options and look in the Boiling Springs area too, which is my 3rd choice when it comes to an area.

Thanks!

[ruvidu]

That Realtor would be yours. He would work for your best interest. He would be obligated to you. He could provide you all of the information you say you want with no stress on your part. The Sellers Realtors are working for the Sellers. They are hoping you do not bring your own Realtor to the table.
Good Luck.

[jbar1]

You should have a realtor do all that for you. They are professionals and can find all the information you need. Then they can e-mail you listings which from you can see all the info you are looking for. You will not be wasting their time this is what they do! When you buy a home they will get paid by the seller. If you don't use a realtor the sellers realtor will get about 6%, if you bring your realtor they will split the 6% commission. So why wouldn't you want someone working on your behalf.
Also I just looked at realtor.com. They list room sizes and some have pictures of the interior of the home as well. Another website I liked using was C. Dan Joyner's website

[ShaneWolcansek]

I don't think a realtor wants to sift through listings looking for the right size bedroom for me. I can help, if the information is there. I am looking for something specific and my time is limited

This is precisely why you should hire a Realtor to work FOR you! This is what a buyer's agent does. It is part of their job description. As others have pointed out, a real estate professional has access to all of the information you are requesting. We can speak with you to learn what type of home you are looking for and create a custom search matching those parameters. As more properties hit the market matching your criteria you can automatically be alerted to them. When you find something you want we are there to guide you through the process with YOUR best interest in mind.

If you are not being represented by an agent in writing then whomever you work with is representing the sellers. A professional Realtor can not represent you without a signed agency agreement to do so. Their fiduciary obligations are not to you, but to the owners of the home you are interested in unless explicitly stated in writing that they are representing you and only you in the transaction.

If you haven't met someone you trust to represent and fight for your interest I would suggest taking a little more time to find the right person. Hiring a good Realtor will cost you nothing! Let them spend all their time and resources on the search for the right properties so you can focus your energy on deciding which of the homes matching your needs is the best fit for you. A good agent does more than find homes for you. They keep your information and motivations confidential, make sure your rights are protected, and help ensure a smooth and trouble free transaction. We are brokers to ensuring everything goes the way it should. A good agent is a consultant, not a pushy salesperson. When you find the right person you will know it and you won't regret hiring them to take some of the work out of the process of finding your next home.

Feel free to look up homes using my site:

[URL="http://shanesrealty.com/home/spartanburgmls.html"]Shane's Realty - Search Spartanburg MLS for Free![/URL]

I would be happy to answer any and all questions or concerns you may have about working with an agent. I believe the Spartanburg MLS website is one of the worst I have ever seen. It is worthless and I think they do that to encourage the use of an agent as you pointed out yourself. Without agents supporting the MLS, the MLS doesn't exist. Real Estate agents are their customers so it wouldn't seem to be in their best interest to be the best source for free information on Spartanburg listings.

Good Luck in your search! I highly recommend the Boiling Springs area. I live there myself and we love it here.