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I had an agent set up a showing for Friday, but that didn't fit well so she showed up on Saturday without rescheduling. I was in the shower when they rang the bell and entered.
I'd really prefer not to be receiving calls directly from agents because I have a nasty habit of saying too much and I'd hate to give away our leverage if the buyer agent asked me any questions. My agent did suggest changing the scheduling number to her mobile though. Since she has a bit more invested in making things go smoothly I think she'd do a better job of preventing this from happening.
Which is why I love the courtesy call and show. No need to have the middle man in there for reasons like this. Is that an option for y'all?
We have that out here, but I still require appointments. Easy to schedule, but still appointments. The reason I do this is three fold. 1) I find agents treat my clients like doormats, but they are much more cooperative with me setting appointments; 2) I don't want my clients saying something like "we're moving across the country and really have to sell!" and 3) most of my clients want to be texted for showings and many of the older agents have no idea how to text. It's just easier to go through me.
I am super easy to get a hold of and set appointments. It works well for everyone as long as my clients check their email, texts, or voice mail.
You should have let them in the house, plain and simple. In today's market, some sellers are lucky to have showings. If everyone who has seen it has liked it, where are your offers. You should have just excused the mess, let the buyer understand that you didn't receive notice, and invited them in.
Buyers don't like to be inconvenienced, and they probably won't be back.
We have that out here, but I still require appointments. Easy to schedule, but still appointments. The reason I do this is three fold. 1) I find agents treat my clients like doormats, but they are much more cooperative with me setting appointments; 2) I don't want my clients saying something like "we're moving across the country and really have to sell!" and 3) most of my clients want to be texted for showings and many of the older agents have no idea how to text. It's just easier to go through me.
I am super easy to get a hold of and set appointments. It works well for everyone as long as my clients check their email, texts, or voice mail.
Like you, I control the appointments, too. Too much can happen with middlemen and it turns into a he said/she said thing.
Those properties that are easy and ready to show, tend to get shown more often, no different than a business that is open when most consumers want to shop/buy.
I'm sorry this happened. From what you wrote it's hard to tell where the mistake was - It looks like the listing office didn't confirm the showing - or maybe - the selling agent (showing) didn't wait for confirmation. Nevertheless, it was a mess up.
It's difficult enough to have your home on the market and in picture perfect condition. It's very hard to live in a showroom! The inventory in our market has been reduced however I still find that buyers are not willing to wait or "consider" much. I am finding the buyers are more demanding ... they want to see what they want to see ... NOW or never. One little glich in a showing or one thing they don't find appealing and they are ready to cross the house off the list and move on the the next dozen houses! It's very difficult.
Hang in there!
I feel your pain. I have two little ones and my husband is already relocated out-of-state. I stayed behind to sell the house.
I had an opposite Realtor mistake happen and it was very frustrating and scary at the time. The office called to tell me I had a showing. I stayed up most of the night cleaning as I have two toddlers and had some laundry to finish. I got all the trash and recyclables over to a neighbors bins (with permission) and headed out the door that morning.
I realized I forgot something and called the office only to be told I was mistaken and there was no showing for my house. I drove back home with toddlers, diaper bag, toy bag and snack bag in tow only to find unknown vehicles on the property. I drove past and immediately called my Realtor, who insisted that NOBODY WAS IN MY HOUSE. I debated whether to call the police since I knew somebody was there. I didn't want to intrude on a potential buyer, but my Realtor insisted that there was no showing scheduled.
I returned home an hour later to check things out. There was no business card on the counter and the booties were all used. Again, my Realtor insisted nobody was there. I felt violated (because people were in my house) and insulted (because my Realtor thought I was mistaken about it).
I slept on the matter for several days and decided to terminate the contract. I could not work with someone who obviously did not trust that I am sane and rational. Why in the world would anybody go through all that trouble for an imagined showing, especially with two small children, one who is potty training? I even wondered if I locked all the doors. I have four access doors into my house and it's very possible one was left unlocked as I was racing out the door.
The Realtor called to apologize a week later, but I felt her non-responsive for the six days prior was indicative of her lack of professionalism or understanding of the issues involved. For almost two weeks I could not rest peacefully worried about who was actually in my house. The Broker Manager finally helped track down the information and, thankfully, it was a legitimate showing.
Only you can decide if you want to stay with your current contract. It seems a bit much for them not to have a way to accept showings or notify you after 5pm. After all, most people are working during the day and will have to see the house in the evening. Either they need an answering service, cell phone access after hours or some way to make sure this does not happen again.
I do not understand sellers who permit combo lock boxes to be installed.
There is no record of who actually used the combo to enter the property/when.
SUPRA, and even better, Sentrilock lockboxes require the showing agent to have a valid and activated contraption or card to obtain leys. Both devices records the agent ID and more, when the lock box is accessed. There is no doubt who was in the property/when.
I do not understand sellers who permit combo lock boxes to be installed.
There is no record of who actually used the combo to enter the property/when.
SUPRA, and even better, Sentrilock lockboxes require the showing agent to have a valid and activated contraption or card to obtain leys. Both devices records the agent ID and more, when the lock box is accessed. There is no doubt who was in the property/when.
You get what you pay for in this busienss.
I'm a stay at home mom with two kids (almost 4 and almost 2) plus 2 dogs. I have the lockbox in the house and set it out when a showing is scheduled. So far, we've had great luck with this plan. The agents call ME directly and I confirm the date/ time. When someone uses the box to enter, it e-mails my Realtor immediately. She was even able to tell me what time the people came in today.
When we were selling in FL, an agent made an appt to come that day at 2PM. Well, at 10AM, as I have the vacuum cleaner roaring, I think I hear a noise. I turn it off and people are in the living room, sneaking up on me! I also had a newborn baby at that time. I want to control the access from now on if I am home during the day.
I would be livid to leave the house and encounter people coming in. I go through A LOT to get this place ready for each showing. There are like 100 things to be done. With kids/dogs, things get messed up almost immediately.
We've been through this----trying to show a house while living in it. After being barged in on several times, we finally got the idea to install an inside chain on the door. That way we can at least lock it from inside so we're not surprised while in the shower, sleeping, eating dinner, all of which have happened.
My worst horror story was an agent who just dropped by, acted surprised we were actually in our own home, then all but demanded we leave so she could show the home, because the buyers like to look without the owners present. My daughter was one year old and sick with an ear infection. she said why don't you just take her for a ride? lady, I'm not taking my baby out in the pouring rain with a fever of 104+ so you can show the house. Why did she even come in such weather? Then the agent said the "smell of diapers" was a turnoff, and in the future, please have the house in better condition. How, by placing my child for adoption?
I've found it all but impossible to show a home while living there, especially with dualing agents who can't figure out a phone and a clock!
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