I would like your opinion on this realtor situation.. (work, offer) - Phoenix area - Arizona (AZ) - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

rjrcm · 09-25-2010, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Honestly, this is why everyone should get their own real estate license. Realtors want you to think they are unique and doing something rare but the reality is they just click boxes on an MLS search and drive to the houses. Anyone can do that. Just because they make a lot of money and wear suits, don't think they possess some extraordinary knowledge or skill

Realtors, like all salesman, want to close deals. The amount matters little to them. All salesman are about volume. The realtor doesn't want to waste his time offering a cheap price knowing he won't get an offer. Also realtors care about their reputation among other realtors. If they offer a low ball price, it ruins their credibility with other realtors.

My rule to dealing with salesman is to establish that you are the boss and in control. Salesman are trained to assume control. But the truth is you are in control because if you don't like your realtor, you can always get a new one whereas it's not so easy to replace you with another willing buyer so quickly. If the realtor won't allow you to control the process, get another one.

Also, I've had better success with young realtors who are establishing their reputations. The established ones tend to be more pompous and provide less service since they don't have to provide great service all the time.

Rather than spending time yet again rebutting uninformed comments like this and distracting more from the OP's topic, I suggest anyone interested do some reading in the Real Estate forum for counter arguments. BTW, I don't wear a suit.

annie7 · 09-25-2010, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skywayy2001

I'm going to disagree with most people here, but ultimately we don't know your wish list. Having looked for a home for over a year before buying last December, there was one thing abundantly clear. If you want a move in ready upgraded home at a foreclosure bargain in a centrally located area of town...good luck..there will be lots of interest and usually multiple bids. The real bargains are on fixer uppers. The market here is misleading. Yes, there are great deals in suburbs way out and great deals on fixer uppers but if you want a highly upgraded home that is not trashed at a really low price...get ready to start bidding.

Thanks for this, my gut tells me you're right!

annie7 · 09-25-2010, 10:55 AM

Buying a home, for us, is a huge thing...this is where we'll stay for the rest of our lives. If this realtor even hinted that he cared for our situation I would feel differently and perhaps our communication would be better. Life can be difficult in this economy and I respect his position, but I also wanted to feel as if we were a tiny bit important to him, and I don't. This thread has really helped me quite a bit. Has it taken the guilt away for sort of 'dropping' him? No not really. But I'm sure he'll get over it and possibly be happy that he doesn't have to spend time with us. I want to find something that we (my husband and myself) truly love, AND be debt free. (We will be paying cash for a home.) Which if buying something that 'needs work', so be it. That is something we're used to and have done well with. Although I'm not so keen on it anymore. I truly appreciate all perspectives and all the time people take to type out their responses!

QERose · 09-25-2010, 01:01 PM

He was probably trying to get you to drop him because you weren't worth his time. Passive-Aggressive. I had a "friend" do that to me recently. Started a fight, caused a big scene, then dropped out of a major project instead of having the courage to just say they didn't want to do it. I think it's highly likely the guy was glad to be rid of you. He put it on you so he didn't look bad. Treated you just badly enough to where you would want to stop having him be your realtor. You did yourself a favor. Don't feel even one tiny bit guilty. He hasn't given you a second thought, never did actually except to wish he wasn't stuck with a lower commission client. Nice people need to realize that many many people out there are not nice at all.

dacubz · 09-25-2010, 01:32 PM

Take a look at ziprealty.com for a good search engine that will show foreclosures and short sales as well. We've seen dozens of homes that we'd love to buy, but we're stuck in Chicago until we can put our home on the market. It will probably be a few years, and we hope that Arizona will still be as affordable at that time.

Once we sell, employment will be my main concern in Phoenix, but with a mortgage payment around 1/3 of what I'm paying now, I can be flexible with a lower salary. Anybody need hydraulic and pneumatic sales experience? I know that there are alot of distributors in my field in the Phoenix area. I want to move there soon!

annie7 · 09-26-2010, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QERose

He was probably trying to get you to drop him because you weren't worth his time. Passive-Aggressive. I had a "friend" do that to me recently. Started a fight, caused a big scene, then dropped out of a major project instead of having the courage to just say they didn't want to do it. I think it's highly likely the guy was glad to be rid of you. He put it on you so he didn't look bad. Treated you just badly enough to where you would want to stop having him be your realtor. You did yourself a favor. Don't feel even one tiny bit guilty. He hasn't given you a second thought, never did actually except to wish he wasn't stuck with a lower commission client. Nice people need to realize that many many people out there are not nice at all.

thanks soooo much!

DSNYLD · 09-26-2010, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by annie7

We are almost ready to move to Phoenix..This site has been so incredibly valuable to me as to my move for basic things that I need to know. Okay, here's my problem. We have a realtor in Phoenix who phoned me after I signed into his site to view homes in the area. That was in March. We have been to Phoenix 5 times to look at areas and find out a feel as to where we would like to settle. Ahwatukee is our decision.We would love to keep it at 200k or below. Lately, I sort of feel we're just a pain in the ass to him. My husband just came home last night and he looked with our realtor yesterday. He found a home we both loved for 230k. When I asked our realtor to please send comps he did so right away but basically said that he knew this house was a flip, gave me exact numbers as to why if we offered any lower than 220k it would be a waste of our time.

I know he is being realistic, but when I wrote to him when our home was on the market and told him I was discouraged it hadn't sold (after 55 days with viewings at least once a day..) he told me we should drop the price about 12k more. The next day we had a full price offer and it's sold..(yay!!!) Also, about a week ago we told him our wish list of what we wanted in a home and he said there would be "conflict" as to what we want and what we wanted to spend. To me this is negative and unimaginative.

NOW here is my question; am I being unfair to him when I think he is being negative and unimaginative? He's probably right but it would be nice if he would just say, "hey, let's write up an offer, it's a starting point"

All opinions will be appreciated...I can take it if you think I'm the one being negative. Thanks in advance!

NO drop him and get someone else, we stayed with a Realtor like that when we bought your first house and although i loved my little house i know we could have found something better. If you did not like your server at a restaurant would you leave them a big tip? NO so why give a realtor that you don't feel comfortable with a large commission?

AZgonen · 09-26-2010, 09:00 PM

I have been a real estate broker in the Phoenix area for over 17 years. The best advice I can give you...find an agent you LIKE and TRUST....it will make your upcoming move so much easier and the whole process much more enoyable. Good luck, Dan Gonen

Bummer · 09-26-2010, 10:40 PM

You are being anything but unfair or unreasonable, Annie.

Considering the present market conditions and using your figures, if the suggested offer of $220k was accepted, you would never know if you could have paid 10 to 20% less. If your agent is unwilling to work for the best price for you, he really doesn't deserve to be your agent.

My suggestion . . . find an agent that is willing to work for you.

Good Luck

apexin · 09-26-2010, 10:54 PM

It may seem like a buyers market, but it isn't. Its a Bankers/Investors market. Believe me, the only people saying its easy to buy a house in Phoenix, are the people not buying. It took me 8 months of looking before we finally found a home. Its almost impossible to do from out of town.

Here is how it worked for us. We were very picky about bedrooms, lot size and especially schools. We had a price range we were looking in and if something came up in our range and was in decent shape, it sold in a day or two. This is why you almost need to be here to look at homes as soon as they come on the MLS. Now yes, there are fixer uppers out there, but good luck on that one. You can make the offer and have as many inspections as you like, but when the place has no pipes, cabinets or fixtures, who knows what else is wrong. This is fine if its an investment property, but if you plan to live in this home, not a fun time. How long will it take to fix it up? How much will it cost? Where will you stay till its fixed? Do you know a good contractor for plumbing, electric, HVAC and so on?? Sounds like your having a hard time picking a Realtor, so Im not sure how you are going to find all this help not knowing contractors in Phoenix. Maybe after all is said and done, your great deal fixer upper is not such a great deal.

Maybe you should get a new Agent, maybe not, but him telling you his opinion on an offer is not being lazy. Our Realtor would call the selling agent and let them know what we were thinking about offering. Sometimes we were told to not waste our time and we submitted the offer anyway. Guess what?? We were wasting our time!

Hang in there and you will find what you are looking for, but dont expect it to be easy or slanted in your favor. You will get a good deal compared to what prices were a few years ago, but dont expect to steal something.