This is why houses aren't selling... (Atlanta: for sale, foreclosures, daycare) - Georgia (GA) - City-Data Forum

TwoFuzzyPony · 10-03-2011, 04:16 PM

My first trip to the Atlanta area was wonderful. However, my house-hunting experience was, let's say, very interesting (not so much in a bad way, but frustrating). I was looking at homes all over the suburban area (except the northern burbs - this forum seems to be pretty firm on the idea of commuting from the north to some place south of the city is NOT a good idea!).

They say it's a buyer's market...well here are some reasons why houses aren't selling: When my realtor calls yours to set up an appointment to look at your house days in advance, it helps if your realtor calls back. And, if you're lucky enough for your realtor to call back, it helps if they are aware that they are the listing agent! If I can't look at your house, I can't consider buying it. If you can't leave your house for 1/2 hour because you didn't get much sleep last night, because your girlfriend is at the house and has a headache or because you have the flu, then you must not really want to sell your house. Just saying....LOL!

MarketingGuy · 10-03-2011, 08:54 PM

I hear you. No different anywhere else unfortunately. This economy has just given the weaker few some excuses to use.

Vlajos · 10-04-2011, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarketingGuy

I hear you. No different anywhere else unfortunately. This economy has just given the weaker few some excuses to use.

Not true, it may just be a southern thing. We have a great realtor. Sold our place and helped us get a great deal on our new place.

lorilove · 10-04-2011, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isellpower

I've been looking at 4-500K homes that have been sitting since 07-08. I can call at 2am and get an answer. I had one agent tell me he was at his grammy's funeral and would call back asap. Those short sellers don't really want to sell. Also, stay away from foreclosures. People always think they are some great deal. It's actually the opposite. Banks can afford to hold the property until they get what they want. A person with some equity that has to sell can't hold on as long as the banks. Plus, foreclosures are usually a mess.

I agree that foreclosures are a mess but most banks are not in a position to sit until they get the price they want.

JPD · 10-04-2011, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwoFuzzyPony

They say it's a buyer's market...well here are some reasons why houses aren't selling: When my realtor calls yours to set up an appointment to look at your house days in advance, it helps if your realtor calls back. And, if you're lucky enough for your realtor to call back, it helps if they are aware that they are the listing agent! If I can't look at your house, I can't consider buying it. If you can't leave your house for 1/2 hour because you didn't get much sleep last night, because your girlfriend is at the house and has a headache or because you have the flu, then you must not really want to sell your house. Just saying....LOL!

"When my realtor calls yours." Now that's funny.

My house is currently on the market. We've had seven or eight showings, but not once has the buyer's agent called my agent. They call ME, and completely bypass my agent. I had to turn one away because they called the day they wanted to show the house. I don't have a maid or a housewife, so I need to know the day before in order to make sure the house is presentable and the dog is at daycare.

WestsideATLCindy · 10-04-2011, 01:22 PM

They are calling you because your realtor has YOUR number in the showing instructions. Have your realtor change it to their number. I have never, ever, ever put my client's number in the showing instructions. I have agents and interested lookers call ME. EVERY TIME. It will take your realtor less than 5 minutes to make this change in the FMLS.

However, I have to say that in this day and age, if someone wants to see your house, make it work. It does not matter if the house is perfect, or the dog is there or not, do what you have to do. Keep your house show -ready, every day, and just take the dog for a short walk once the lookers arrive, and come back at the end of the walk. The lookers will be gone already. Showings do not usually take long. Never, ever put off a showing for any reason in these times!

JPD · 10-04-2011, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhittierMillVillage

However, I have to say that in this day and age, if someone wants to see your house, make it work. It does not matter if the house is perfect, or the dog is there or not, do what you have to do. Keep your house show -ready, every day, and just take the dog for a short walk once the lookers arrive, and come back at the end of the walk. The lookers will be gone already. Showings do not usually take long. Never, ever put off a showing for any reason in these times!

I'm at work 12 miles away from home. I can't take the dog for a walk on one hours notice.

Huckleberry3911948 · 10-04-2011, 01:46 PM

good post the banks are sitting on the houses. releasing them for sale a few at a time.
they are trying to keep the prices up by not flooding the market. we taxpayers allowed them to do this with the AIG bailout. its not about bush or obama its about the influence banks have over DC.

IntownHomes247 · 10-04-2011, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPD

"When my realtor calls yours." Now that's funny.

My house is currently on the market. We've had seven or eight showings, but not once has the buyer's agent called my agent. They call ME, and completely bypass my agent. I had to turn one away because they called the day they wanted to show the house. I don't have a maid or a housewife, so I need to know the day before in order to make sure the house is presentable and the dog is at daycare.

WMV is right about the agent having put your contact information in the FMLS listing. If you don't want buyers agents calling you directly, just tell your agent to change it. Some buyers prefer to be called directly so they can be sure they always know what's going on and to just be more efficient (whenever a 3rd person is involved in the communication there's always that much more potential for timing issues to cause a delay or a snafu). Of course, some agents also prefer not to have buyers call their sellers directly both because THEY want to always be the one who knows what's going on and also because they may be afraid the buyer and seller will try to go behind the agent's back and cut them out of the deal. A lot depends on how much you trust each other.

But if you don't want agents calling you directly, just let your agent know.

Still, even with that being the case, it's in your best interest to keep the house "presentable" at all times when it's on the market. If someone is calling without a day's notice, then you or your agent can explain if it's not immaculate, but it should be presentable. The dog is, of course, a problem. Many sellers crate their dogs while they are gone, but if your dog isn't used to it and you're away from home all day, that would certainly cause a problem. Is it possible to confine the dog to one room of the house during the day? For showings with less than a day's notice, you could have the dog in one area and make it clear that they can see the rest of the house but just stay out of that one room (which they could then see during a second showing with advance notice if they area really interested in the house).

Selling a house in this market is very difficult, but it's really incumbent upon the sellers, as much as their agents, to do everything they can to make it easy for buyers to see their home when it's convenient for the BUYER. There are so few serious buyers out there right now, you don't want them to fall in love with someone else's home because they weren't able to get into yours when they wanted to.

And yes, buyers can be very annoying if they don't give plenty of notice, but it's not always as easy as you might assume for buyers to do that. Out of town buyers, in particular, make a lot of last minute decisions. Also, people with busy careers and families tend to have difficulty juggling the scheduling of a house hunt. So the more flexible you can be the more likely you are to have a showing, and getting as many serious buyers through your house as possible is usually what it takes right now in order to be the next house sold in your neighborhood.

Good luck!

MisterNY · 10-04-2011, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

good post the banks are sitting on the houses. releasing them for sale a few at a time.
they are trying to keep the prices up by not flooding the market. we taxpayers allowed them to do this with the AIG bailout. its not about bush or obama its about the influence banks have over DC.

Well said!! I couldn't agree more! Repped you on it!