Today a realtor came a knocking on my door here in N. Raleigh .... (Durham: for sale, real estate)

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

He was from a large RE firm in the area. He was very friendly and asked me if I knew of any neighbors on my street who have expressed an interest in selling their house. He said he had a client who wants very badly to buy a home that is served by Brassfield elementary school. FWIW, I live in a moderately priced neighborhood ($130K-$170K) in an otherwise more expensive area (27614) Bedford Area. Homes on my street are currently zoned for brassfield elementary and Wakefield middle and High School. I told him that two homes around the corner on a different street in my neighborhood were for sale and he said he knew about them but they are not zoned to go to Brassfield Elementary and that only the children in the homes on my street went to Brassfield.

I thought this was odd, but I found it even stranger that a realtor would go door to door in a specific neighborhood looking for somebody interested in selling their home to their 'client'.

Does this happen from time to time, or is it just a gimmick to try and get somebody to list their home? You know the old "I have a buyer who is interested in your home".

I'm not interested in selling so I just took his card and wished him well. I am just curious if this has ever happened to anybody else in the Raleigh area.

[sls76]

I got a letter on Friday from a realtor looking for a home in my neighborhood (90 homes) with a second floor master and a first floor guest suite. I might have thought it was a gimmick, but I live in Cary and the realtor was from Durham. When we lived in NoVa we frequently had signs on our mailbox from realtors who had a client looking to buy.

[NewUser]

When my wife and I were buying our first house in Dallas, my wife had picked out a particular subdivision (180 houses) that she wanted to live in. No other subdivision would do. We were basically waiting for homes to come on the market and would drive through it every week to check. Our realtor offered to distribute flyers to all the houses to see if anyone was interested in selling to us. We thought that seemed a little desparate, so declined. Funny though. . .. in the end it was us that found the house before she did. A foreclosure came on the market in the subdivision and we snapped it up.

[Jdatlas]

Originally Posted by NewUser

Our realtor offered to distribute flyers to all the houses to see if anyone was interested in selling to us. We thought that seemed a little desparate, so declined.

Our realtor offered to do that for us here in Chapel Hill too and we declined too as it does seems desperate.

[desertsun41]

It happens in normal markets but not this housing depression. Most people in most all citys will ask why not just look in the MLS book. Here there are 30,000 homes for sale in my city. No need to knock on doors. Chances are that the door you knocked on, his listing just expired after 13 months and he is just giving it a rest.

[VaNC]

Houses on my street don't go up for sale very often, so I get an inquiry about once every two months. It is a sad statement that the older people on our street get a couple a month from realtors and future owners...sometimes the calls/letters are straight out monetary offers and pretty high pressure. I hate to think badly of realtors, but it seems they are targeting them and trying to lowball. We often have people knock on our doors and ask. The woman across the street has had people that are interested in buying send her presents when her kids are born....guess she wants to get in good with her so she will keep them posted. Mostly she is offended. Speaking of offended, I have two women living on either side of me. Once a woman came to my door and asked about them and said "what is the story there"....I was incredibly offended, as I felt she was asking "so, when are they giong to die?"

[MikeJaquish]

I applaud him.

If he has a client who needs/wants to buy in a Brassfield node, I think the effort he is making is excellent.
If he finds them a suitable home by getting around, they will remember.
And if he bumps into someone who is considering selling or buying, that is gravy...

If anyone tells you we do not have many buyers and buyer pressure right now, you know they are not involved in real estate in the Raleigh area.

[SALUKI_LOVER]

It's just another marketing "tool"..haha..my husband and I were realtors in CA and I did all the prospecting...believe it or not one "door knock" in an area led to ultimately 8 lisitings in one year in that neighborhood...I really enjoyed door knocking although most realtors don't so that's why realtors should get out there and knock on doors...can you say CA-CHING?

If you can get just one sign up . . then you have the people driving by..the neighbors in their home tend to start thinking about it and before you know it..

I had people coming to the door 1/2 dressed...I'd chat with people that were in the bathrooms (on the toilet) while I was at their front door...one guy even came to the door covered in just a washcloth..never dull so realtors on this board KEEP DOOR KNOCKING!!

(I'll shut up now but those were some fun days)

[VickiR]

Moderator cut: soliciting I have sent out letters, asking if any of the sellers on a particular street are interested in selling. I realize it DOES sound like a gimmick but I do have buyers and no house for them! I recently went to this neighborhood and looked for FSBOs and any neighbors out and about who may be thinking of selling. I've only done this a few times in the past. It did pay off once. When I have clients that NEED something and its not currently available, this is what I do!

Vicki

[nclover]

We've had it happen several times. It makes perfect sense to me. If someone knows exactly where they want to live but no houses are for sale, why not try? You would kick yourself if you bought somewhere else and then a house went up in your dream neighborhood. Why not ask?