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Thank you. You're right -she is a bully. Unfortunately she works on her own from home and there is no one above her - she is solo. I'll try your suggestions for the MLS.
Thanks everyone! Here's a little more info. I don't have a buyer in my pocket and I really need a realtor to sell my Florida home quickly - it will be my retirement money. My house is empty in Florida since I just moved out west. This realtor listed my house on May 16th and then took off to Europe on an extended vacation without telling me (she's due back 6/14). I had no idea she was away and only discovered it when I couldn't reach her by phone. She does not work for a big company and is operating out of her home without a receptionist or assistant. There has been only one showing on the 17th, no flyers at the house, no open houses or broker opens planned (she doesn't believe in them), lots of mistakes on the MLS listing which she still hasn't corrected, to name just a few issues. She did do a virtual tour and pictures which were mediocre. For all the reasons above, and the fact that she has many more vacations planned this summer, I feel she is just not the right realtor who will sell my house. The contract was for a year (my oversight - I was in moving chaos and she never discussed this with me). I thought these contracts were 6 months. And I am still waiting for the invoice charging me for her "time" and expenses. PS: Although I verbally cancelled the contract with her on 6/2, she told me she couldn't cancel the listing while on vacation and that it had to wait until she returned on 6/14. Or she offered to hire someone at my expense to cancel the listing sooner. Does this seem right? Will I need a lawyer? Do I have any leverage against her potential big bill? Help!!!
First of all, you need to learn to read and understand all contracts before signing them. Let this be a lesson. And you need to bear some responsibility for selecting this realtor.
While I normally feel that you should be free to cancel your listing if you're not satisfied--and I think it's ridiculous for her to try to charge for time--I do have some questions about the whole scenario you describe.
The listing has only been for 3 weeks so far. You say she took your listing on May 16 and then went to Europe for an "extended vacation". But she apparently showed it on May 17 so she didn't leave immediately. When did she leave?
You said you couldn't reach her by phone, but yet you verbally cancelled the contract on June 2--earlier this week. If so, you probably reached her on her cell phone...so why weren't you able to talk to her earlier? Sorry, I'm just not clear about the timing.
And how do you know that she has "many more vacations" planned for this summer? I really can't tell if you've embellished your tale or if you have legitimate complaints. But read your contract to determine your rights and responsibilities. If you don't understand it, seek legal advice (which might be a good idea anyway).
Thanks for your posting. Let me be more clear. I am not embellishing at all. She didn't show the house on the 17th - a buyers agent did. I found several mistakes on MLS listing so I tried to reach her by phone several times the week of 5/20 to discuss and could only get her voicemail and left messages which she did not return. I then sent an email requesting a time to speak by phone which she finally replied in a few days saying "She was in Italy and had limited access to phone." (This is all she said!) It took me 4 additional emails over 5 days to finally get her to schedule a time on 6/2 to speak. I know that she has many more vacations because she told me. (She doesn't feel this is a problem.) The bottom line is that she failed to disclose that she would be away on vacation and, in fact, tried to hide it from me.
Call her Broker TODAY and tell them you want them to assign another Agent from that office because your agent is (say all of the above you have written) and in addition to THAT...how could she possibly negotiate an offer if you did get one??? How horrible. She should have not taken that listing before going on vacation unless she had someone at her office who would take matters over until her return as needed.
Call her Broker TODAY and tell them you want them to assign another Agent from that office because your agent is (say all of the above you have written) and in addition to THAT...how could she possibly negotiate an offer if you did get one??? How horrible. She should have not taken that listing before going on vacation unless she had someone at her office who would take matters over until her return as needed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by audreylynn
Thank you. You're right -she is a bully. Unfortunately she works on her own from home and there is no one above her - she is solo. ...
OP, before getting too cranked up over costs you haven't heard yet, just talk to the agent and find out what, if anything, she actually has in mind.
Don't assume it will be too terrible until you know it is too terrible for sure. Then you have something to discuss with her.
Thanks everyone! As of today - I am still waiting for the bill for her direct expenses. (Two weeks ago she said she would cancel the listing only after I paid her expenses.) Looks like she is pushing me to go the lawyer/file a complaint route.
Thanks everyone! As of today - I am still waiting for the bill for her direct expenses. (Two weeks ago she said she would cancel the listing only after I paid her expenses.) Looks like she is pushing me to go the lawyer/file a complaint route.
I would definitely call the local MLS and let them know that you've asked your broker to cancel your listing multiple times and they have failed to do so. I'm sure they'll cancel it for you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by audreylynn
Thanks for your posting. Let me be more clear. I am not embellishing at all. She didn't show the house on the 17th - a buyers agent did. I found several mistakes on MLS listing so I tried to reach her by phone several times the week of 5/20 to discuss and could only get her voicemail and left messages which she did not return. I then sent an email requesting a time to speak by phone which she finally replied in a few days saying "She was in Italy and had limited access to phone." (This is all she said!) It took me 4 additional emails over 5 days to finally get her to schedule a time on 6/2 to speak. I know that she has many more vacations because she told me. (She doesn't feel this is a problem.) The bottom line is that she failed to disclose that she would be away on vacation and, in fact, tried to hide it from me.
Never EVER hire a one man show. I think it's unbelievably irresponsible for this agent to go away on multiple vacations during what is the busiest time of year in real estate throughout much of the country. Forgetting that, what would happen if they were sick. Perhaps, they broke their leg? Where would you be then? Who would help you? Hire someone in a real office next time. Also, be sure to read and understand the contract before signing it.
I would definitely call the local MLS and let them know that you've asked your broker to cancel your listing multiple times and they have failed to do so. I'm sure they'll cancel it for you.
Never EVER hire a one man show. I think it's unbelievably irresponsible for this agent to go away on multiple vacations during what is the busiest time of year in real estate throughout much of the country. Forgetting that, what would happen if they were sick. Perhaps, they broke their leg? Where would you be then? Who would help you? Hire someone in a real office next time. Also, be sure to read and understand the contract before signing it.
Thanks everyone! Here's a little more info. I don't have a buyer in my pocket and I really need a realtor to sell my Florida home quickly - it will be my retirement money. My house is empty in Florida since I just moved out west. This realtor listed my house on May 16th and then took off to Europe on an extended vacation without telling me (she's due back 6/14). I had no idea she was away and only discovered it when I couldn't reach her by phone. She does not work for a big company and is operating out of her home without a receptionist or assistant. There has been only one showing on the 17th, no flyers at the house, no open houses or broker opens planned (she doesn't believe in them), lots of mistakes on the MLS listing which she still hasn't corrected, to name just a few issues. She did do a virtual tour and pictures which were mediocre. For all the reasons above, and the fact that she has many more vacations planned this summer, I feel she is just not the right realtor who will sell my house. The contract was for a year (my oversight - I was in moving chaos and she never discussed this with me). I thought these contracts were 6 months. And I am still waiting for the invoice charging me for her "time" and expenses. PS: Although I verbally cancelled the contract with her on 6/2, she told me she couldn't cancel the listing while on vacation and that it had to wait until she returned on 6/14. Or she offered to hire someone at my expense to cancel the listing sooner. Does this seem right? Will I need a lawyer? Do I have any leverage against her potential big bill? Help!!!
In my opinion it is important to go with a bigger office/franchise which has National and World Wide advertisement powers since we get a lot of foreign investors and also major companies who are buying in Florida right now.
A small office doen't have the possibilities to cover the same areas to advertise and you have experienced (unfortunately) what happens if they tak off for vacation, weekends away, etc. and don't even inform you or have someone to cover for you.
This is again a sad example of how not to perform real estate.
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