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A bit off the subject, but I don't want to start a new thread for it. How many of you use combo lock boxes? After something that happened to me I never will. It seems to be a common enough practice to see these on totally wrecked fixer type things. I listed something like this and had someone try to pose as a real estate agent and get combo codes from me. Fortunately I had an eye box on it. One thing about it that was a dead give away was that they were trying to set up a showing using email. No one does that. I told them it was an eye box and the emails stopped.
Our MLS spent many hundreds of thousands of dollars on SentriLock boxes, passed them out for free, and we have less than 40% in use.
So, LOTS of combo boxes in this "Technologically Advanced Area."
Our MLS spent many hundreds of thousands of dollars on SentriLock boxes, passed them out for free, and we have less than 40% in use.
So, LOTS of combo boxes in this "Technologically Advanced Area."
Ours are passed out for free also. That's why I don't understand the use of combo boxes that aren't as secure. Another thing. You pay for the eye boxes if you lose them. People leave them everywhere. Several times I've taken a listing that has someones eye box that has been hooked to a porch railing or something else for years.
Ours are passed out for free also. That's why I don't understand the use of combo boxes that aren't as secure. Another thing. You pay for the eye boxes if you lose them. People leave them everywhere. Several times I've taken a listing that has someones eye box that has been hooked to a porch railing or something else for years.
People want to be able to give out codes to third parties without being traced. Ergo, combo boxes.
Most boxes went to heavy listers, so newbies and occasional listers didn't get boxes.
People whined about them, and I offered to buy all the whiners' boxes for $50 each. (They cost the MLS $100 each.) No takers. They just sit and gather dust.
I think it should be done as a courtesy to let people that own it know that you have been in their house. Everything is online now and connected to opening the lockbox. The listing agent is notified of the activity that way.
I agree with your first sentence but it seems part of the argument by some is that because you can find out everything online, that's WHY there's no need to leave a card.
I agree with your first sentence but it seems part of the argument by some is that because you can find out everything online, that's WHY there's no need to leave a card.
Not exactly. It is a regional thing.
It is extremely uncommon here to have a request for cards.
I would never leave a card without specific instructions to do so.
Leaving cards here is considered solicitation of another agent's clients.
Heck, then if I have to run to the car in the rain, they don't get a card.
Well, I've been a buyer - and a Seller - many times. Unless I'm selling a home which is vacant (either I'm only there seasonally or have already moved to another location out of town) I get information from the cards left. They tell me: which agents are interested in selling the house, who has called my agent and followed through with a visit, how many times one particular agent has shown the house. I remove the cards every day and this also keeps me up to date on the house showings.
If the house I'm selling is vacant, I would hope the showing agent would know this and would not leave a card, since having dozens of cards piled up is not helpful. In that case, a follow-up call from the showing agent to my agent is very helpful, even if it's just to say, "I've shown it and they had no comments."
I also think followup conversations with the showing agents are most helpful. If the showing agent said, "I've shown it, and they died laughing when they saw that yellow leather sofa," and I'd had that comment before from someone, I'd know I needed to get rid of that yellow leather sofa. Most agents seem reluctant to make suggestions to sellers, even when something is blatantly wrong. Maybe I am not a typical seller. This market right now is different, but usually Sellers need all the help and suggestions they can get from their more experienced agents.
As a buyer, the cards give limited information, except merely to show that the home is getting showings. If the home is vacant and I'm there multiple times to view the home, it helps me keep track of what's happening on it.
I've bought and sold multiple homes in Texas, Illinois, New Jersey, Florida, Washington, Virginia, Maine, and Massachusetts. Needless to say, traditions are different wherever you go, and every MLS feels their way is best.
We have this little thing going on now, where 5 agents come through at the same time, or really, one after another.
No one knows who is really showing, and the lockboxes aren't closed and reopened. Just the key handed off to a next agent.
Some agents don't even ask for my name, etc.
And, cards are not expected or even allowed without direct request.
It's a bit nuts.
It's extremely common her to leave a card!!
Tell your agent to put in the remarks only one agent can show at a time and everyone must enter in their code. Otherwise, what if something happened in your house such as a theft? You would have no recourse of who was actually in your home! If they don't leave a card, fine but by them entering their code to get in it allows your realtor to track the activity.
As far as realtors not leaving cards, as a person who has bought and sold homes over the years I think it's really irritating when I'm selling a home and the showing agent doesn't leave a card! When they do, it lets me know they actually came. However, in Illinois and Indiana it's common for realtors to leave cards.
I think the instructions that you want people to follow (correct me if i'm wrong) are:
If you're a consumer select from Choice 1 and 2
If you're an agent, select one from choice 3 and 4 and one from 5 and 6.
I'm concerned that numbers don't add up and people are doing different things because they may not understand how the poll works.
Also, as a consumer, I have no idea what to expect with regard to business cards (I can't believe I'm even forced to think about such trivia but that's another point). There should be something like 'no expectation' or 'no opinion'. I didn't know what to choose and I had to just choose one of the two. I really don't have an opinion on it but it was stressful having to choose one of two options, neither of which I could relate to. Maybe I expect an autographed head shot after every showing.
And for the agents, choices 3 and 4 are pretty extreme - from not ever expected to expected at every showing. Maybe it's expected at some kind of showings or under some conditions as George describes.
Bad poll design will lead to compromised results and frustrated users.
It wouldn't be an MJ poll without some good feedback from me.
Seems like the consumers knew what to choose. 19-0 for expecting agents to leave a card right now.
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