Low inventory? (Boston: buying, live, to move)

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by 495neighbor

The MetroWest ones as a group are the worst. I've been to so many open houses where the agent just stands and stares at the people coming through the door and acts annoyed if anyone asks them a question.

That's because houses practically sell themselves in Metrowest. Most of the state's top school districts are in this region and along with location are the top 2 criteria for most homebuyers.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by 495neighbor

The MetroWest ones as a group are the worst. I've been to so many open houses where the agent just stands and stares at the people coming through the door and acts annoyed if anyone asks them a question.

Hey! Don't paint with such a broad brush.

In all honesty, when you have 400 people fighting to get in the front door it's not so easy to chat with each and every person. Although, I'm always happy to answer questions at an open house.

[REtoday]

Agree 495.
Saloms, the flyer business is too indirect for me. I'd drive around my desired neighborhood, find the house/s I wanted and then send the owner a handwritten letter asking if they'd like to sell. Perhaps your Broker can help you with the wording of the letter.

I've helped many of my buyers do this exercise. You'd be surprised by the favorable results.
No competition, No multiple offers and the process just seems to go much smoother than the cattle call that is our traditional real estate market.

Sellers love it because they feel a connection to the buyer and there is no need for the Open House clown car show.

Also, as mentioned in another post, a good broker is well connected. At any given time they have a stable of sellers/buyers and investors that can connect.

Good Luck !

[495neighbor]

Originally Posted by MikePRU

Hey! Don't paint with such a broad brush.

In all honesty, when you have 400 people fighting to get in the front door it's not so easy to chat with each and every person. Although, I'm always happy to answer questions at an open house.

Sorry Mike, definitely was not pointing this at you or at Needham.

Other good ones I've met were in Canton, Dedham, West Roxbury, Franklin, Norwood, Walpole.

And closer into town Arlington, Watertown.

[3cents]

Originally Posted by peachto4

Waiting for a home to come on the market in Westford, for 800 k or less, for almost 10 days now. Really?! Not even one house.

You've probably missed these 2 houses that came up these 2 days?: 9 Old Takmuck Road and 38 Forge Village Road

[3cents]

Originally Posted by 495neighbor

The MetroWest ones as a group are the worst. I've been to so many open houses where the agent just stands and stares at the people coming through the door and acts annoyed if anyone asks them a question.

I've seen listings by agents (who hold senior management positions in their RE firms) who put up very few and poorly taken photos of the house. Description of the house is also bare minimum. Then when you go to the open house, that agent is not there, but instead arranged a junior staff to be present at the OH. I wonder why the sellers approach these agents to sell their house?? Of course, the house sold itself, since it's in a desirable town.

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by REtoday

Sellers love it because they feel a connection to the buyer and there is no need for the Open House clown car show.

Also, as mentioned in another post, a good broker is well connected. At any given time they have a stable of sellers/buyers and investors that can connect.

Good Luck !

Agreed. The agent I used to sell my house in Natick told me during my initial consultation that he already had a buyer for my house. They offered above asking price the day it was listed, along with a hand written letter with family photos, etc. I received other comparable offers after my open house, but ended up taking the first offer because I already felt a connection. And to think I went through all that cleaning and staging for the open house for nothing!

[mmyk72]

Originally Posted by 3cents

I've seen listings by agents (who hold senior management positions in their RE firms) who put up very few and poorly taken photos of the house. Description of the house is also bare minimum. Then when you go to the open house, that agent is not there, but instead arranged a junior staff to be present at the OH. I wonder why the sellers approach these agents to sell their house?? Of course, the house sold itself, since it's in a desirable town.

When houses practically sell themselves, I question why don't more people do "For Sale by Owner"? My neighbor had 2 offers within a day of putting it on the market recently. So it seems just having the place de-cluttered, clean looking, and have it listed on the MLS is all that's needed. I'm always curious in this type of a market, what does the listing agent do to deserve 2% or whatever the commission is that a homeowner couldn't do?

[495neighbor]

Originally Posted by mmyk72

When houses practically sell themselves, I question why don't more people do "For Sale by Owner"? My neighbor had 2 offers within a day of putting it on the market recently. So it seems just having the place de-cluttered, clean looking, and have it listed on the MLS is all that's needed. I'm always curious in this type of a market, what does the listing agent do to deserve 2% or whatever the commission is that a homeowner couldn't do?

MMYK, more rep to you.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by 3cents

I've seen listings by agents (who hold senior management positions in their RE firms) who put up very few and poorly taken photos of the house. Description of the house is also bare minimum. Then when you go to the open house, that agent is not there, but instead arranged a junior staff to be present at the OH. I wonder why the sellers approach these agents to sell their house?? Of course, the house sold itself, since it's in a desirable town.

This is one of the great mysteries of our industry. Some of the most successful agents are the ones who put in the least effort. I guess what they're really great at is selling themselves but not so great at actually selling the house.

Originally Posted by Parsec

Agreed. The agent I used to sell my house in Natick told me during my initial consultation that he already had a buyer for my house.

I hear that line a lot. More often than not it turns out to be a ploy to get the listing. You give that agent the listing and then magically the buyer disappears for one reason or another and is never heard from again. I'm glad in your case this actually turned out to be the truth.

Originally Posted by mmyk72

When houses practically sell themselves, I question why don't more people do "For Sale by Owner"? My neighbor had 2 offers within a day of putting it on the market recently. So it seems just having the place de-cluttered, clean looking, and have it listed on the MLS is all that's needed. I'm always curious in this type of a market, what does the listing agent do to deserve 2% or whatever the commission is that a homeowner couldn't do?

I could train a monkey to get offers on a house these days. However, getting offers is not the entirety of what we do as real estate agents. I could rattle off a long list of what I do to help my clients but the one thing no homeowner seems ever to be able to do is be an emotionally unattached third party. Too many times deals are scuttled by hot heads and flared tempers, hurt feelings and irrational exuberance are not your friends either when it comes to real estate. Some people are certainly better at treating this as a business transaction than others but widely I find this to be a very useful function an agent performs. You can't quantify it in dollars and cents but it often is the difference between a successful and a failed transaction.

I once had a client who kept saying to me "it's the principal!" and I would turn to wife and say that he really just said "I'm about to bite off my nose to spite my face." If not for me standing in the middle, there's little doubt that he would not be living in his current home which he and his family absolutely love.