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Old 07-15-2016, 09:58 AM
 
Location: Connecticut
34,801 posts, read 56,687,351 times
Reputation: 11194

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I recently sold an investment property. The agent I used was horrible. Despite the fact that she had sold several properties in the vicinity of mine, she did not seem to know the selling process and what needed to be done to complete the closing. My attorney had to handhold her through the process. She never followed up on the deposits the buyers were suppose to have made. My attorney had to call her agency for the first one and the buyers attorney for the second one (over $20,000).

The agent did not tell me that I had to order papers, a Resale Package, from the property's association even though I specifically asked her and her co-agent what else I needed to do (they said "nothing"). That paperwork delay meant the closing was delayed and that the buyers attorney could not handle the closing (other commitments conflicted with the new date, so they needed to have a new attorney for the closing) and that the buyers financing had to be reapproved. These resulted in a two week delay in the closing.

Even more infuriating to me is that during the negotiations process I always felt that the agent and her partner were not on my side. She never gave or offered to give me a comparative market analysis for the property before the listing. I was shocked at how wonderful the information a report like that can be when I saw the one given for another property I am selling in a different area. I priced the property based on my own exhaustive research. She never gave me an opinion on what the property should be listed at or should sell for even though I specifically asked several times. I priced it based on the sale price of a very similar property nearby and do not feel I was acting unreasonably at all.

The photos she took for the listing were not great (DW took much better ones with her phone) and when you went to it on their website, the photos were coming up in different directions. She had no idea when I texted her that they were off. Also when I gave her the listing, I gave her a write-up of key features of the property that I felt should be emphasized. The write-up was based on what I saw in similar listings online. I did not expect that she would use my exact wording but she did miss several key features that I think a buyer would be interested in since the property had just been remodeled.

When we received a very "lowball" offer on the property (14% under asking) two days after listing, she fully expected me to just accept it or counter halfway. When I only dropped the price 3% to what I thought was reasonable based on other recent sales, she was appalled and made it clear she was not happy. The buyer then came back with 10% below asking. At the urging of DW I dropped to 5% below. The agent's partner, who up until that point I never even knew existed, was so rude to me about the price that I seriously considered hanging up on her when she called me out of the blue. She basically demanded that I meet the seller halfway but when I refused she said "That just won't do" and hung up. The buyer then came up to my counteroffer.

During the period between when all the paperwork was complete and the closing, I heard from the agent on occasion asking about the closing but since the closing, I have heard nothing. I thought that the least she would do is send me a thank you email or something. I am wondering if she knows she did not do a good job and does not want anymore contact with me. Is it customary for an agent to thank their client? In my line of work, I ALWAYS thank my client when the work is done and let them know I appreciated working with them.

I should also note that my attorney is thinking about writing a letter to the agency about the failure of the agent and agency to properly obtain and handle the deposits but I am also considering if I should send a letter to the agency manager with all of the above. What else can I or should I do? I will say that I might have considered not doing anything but the fact that she did not even acknowledge the sale by a simple thank you makes me think I should do something to warn people about this agency and these two agents. Suggestions would be appreciated. Jay
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Old 07-15-2016, 10:13 AM
 
Location: Georgia
4,578 posts, read 5,642,410 times
Reputation: 15968
So . . . tell me again why you even used this agent, if she couldn't even be bothered to give you a CMA?

Not excusing the actions, but I'm really curious as to why you continued with the agent, with all the red flags that were being thrown around so early in the process.

If you are unhappy with her performance, you could certainly write a letter to her broker-in-charge. But a measured, matter-of-fact and factual review on Zillow, Trulia, Yelp, and other websites that allow agent ratings may be a better route.
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Old 07-15-2016, 10:15 AM
 
Location: Salem, OR
15,539 posts, read 40,308,808 times
Reputation: 17422
Other than the deposits issue, the other stuff is just poor quality service. It likely doesn't violate any laws or administrative rules. So, you can file a complaint with the state licensing board over their failure to handle the deposits properly. Unless your state is different, I don't see anything else that would violate licensing laws.

You can also leave online reviews.
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Old 07-15-2016, 06:11 PM
 
Location: Connecticut
34,801 posts, read 56,687,351 times
Reputation: 11194
Quote:
Originally Posted by dblackga View Post
So . . . tell me again why you even used this agent, if she couldn't even be bothered to give you a CMA?

Not excusing the actions, but I'm really curious as to why you continued with the agent, with all the red flags that were being thrown around so early in the process.

If you are unhappy with her performance, you could certainly write a letter to her broker-in-charge. But a measured, matter-of-fact and factual review on Zillow, Trulia, Yelp, and other websites that allow agent ratings may be a better route.
Like I said she sold other properties in the area so I thought she had experience. I signed the listing, it went on the market and had an offer in a few days so there was no point to drop her. At first I just brushed off the errors as little mistakes but they kept happening. During the period of the negotiations she disappeared for a couple of days without word. That is when I got a call from her "co-agent", a woman I never heard of before. I did not know who she was or why my agent did not tell me she had a partner. That agent was so rude I honestly thought she was the buyers agent. I texted my agent asking her who this person was and she finally texted back that they worked together.

As for the CMA, she gave me a list of sales but it contained little information on the properties. The one I received for the other property contained a lot of information so I could understand the differences between the properties sold. I will check out those websites you recommend to give a rating for both of them. I may write to their broker like suggested. Thanks Jay.
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Old 07-15-2016, 06:15 PM
 
Location: Connecticut
34,801 posts, read 56,687,351 times
Reputation: 11194
Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverfall View Post
Other than the deposits issue, the other stuff is just poor quality service. It likely doesn't violate any laws or administrative rules. So, you can file a complaint with the state licensing board over their failure to handle the deposits properly. Unless your state is different, I don't see anything else that would violate licensing laws.

You can also leave online reviews.
I know that the law was not necessarily broken but I would not want someone else to go through what I did. Thanks. Jay
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Old 07-17-2016, 11:40 AM
 
Location: Columbia, SC
10,940 posts, read 21,914,344 times
Reputation: 10571
Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverfall View Post
Other than the deposits issue, the other stuff is just poor quality service. It likely doesn't violate any laws or administrative rules. So, you can file a complaint with the state licensing board over their failure to handle the deposits properly. Unless your state is different, I don't see anything else that would violate licensing laws.

You can also leave online reviews.
This, and I don't even see that a law was broken on the deposit. If they were made and deposited within contract guidelines it's fine. Nothing says the agent has to tell you when the deposit is made.

Write reviews on Yelp and Zillow and move on with your life. Next time interview a few agents. If you make a hire and realize the service is subpar fire the agent and get a new one.
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Old 07-17-2016, 01:15 PM
 
Location: Connecticut
34,801 posts, read 56,687,351 times
Reputation: 11194
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon Hoffman View Post
This, and I don't even see that a law was broken on the deposit. If they were made and deposited within contract guidelines it's fine. Nothing says the agent has to tell you when the deposit is made.

Write reviews on Yelp and Zillow and move on with your life. Next time interview a few agents. If you make a hire and realize the service is subpar fire the agent and get a new one.
I did interview three agents. The one I wanted was getting out of the business so she recommended this one. The other agent I interviewed was not very responsive. It almost felt like he did not want the listing. And again this all happened very fast so there was no time to change agents. Thanks, Jay
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Old 07-17-2016, 03:18 PM
 
Location: Columbia, SC
10,940 posts, read 21,914,344 times
Reputation: 10571
Quote:
Originally Posted by JayCT View Post
I did interview three agents. The one I wanted was getting out of the business so she recommended this one. The other agent I interviewed was not very responsive. It almost felt like he did not want the listing. And again this all happened very fast so there was no time to change agents. Thanks, Jay
Well I regret that you had a bad experience. If they agent led you to believe you that you were getting Filet Mignon and then served a bologna sandwich that is certainly unacceptable. Legally there may be no repercussions for bad service but at least complete a review on zillow and yelp so that you can possibly spare others.
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