Is it us or the Realtor? (agents, commission, Realtors, listing) - Real Estate Professionals - City-Data Forum

nomoresnow · 04-01-2007, 10:50 AM

We live in Northern NY and bought our house 8 years ago. We're moving to FL in 5 or 6 months and are trying to sell it. We contacted the realtor who sold it to us 8 years ago as we were very pleased with her.

She came to the house on March 19, well prepared with all sorts of analyses, etc., spent two hours with us, and came up with a suggested price, to which we agreed.

Since then, we've been following what she's done. The house was online in their website by the afternoon of 3/21. A CD friend who looked at our house notified me that she'd received a flyer of our house, so the realtor has sent out information to out of town prospects. Other than that, we can see nothing else that she has done. The house has not appeared in the paper, and the April realty books haven't come out yet (can't blame her for that one). We've not had a single call on the house. I emailed her that first Friday, but got no answer. Hubby called earlier this week and she did return his call. This past Friday (3/30), I called again and left a message. Still no answer.

When DH spoke with her, they scheduled an open house for 4/15, so that's a good thing. I just think it's time they put it in the paper to generate some interest. Am I being unreasonable here? Do you think we haven't given her enough time?

We had the luxury of a year before we put it on the market, so we put on a brand new roof last summer, we've painted all the bedrooms, cleaned the house from top to bottom, had 2-3 yard sales to get rid of a lot of jun..I mean stuff, and did everything she suggested to us last spring. We even put in a new garage door and opener last month because the old one gave up the ghost. I'm awfully tired of keeping the place spotless every day when it's for no reason. Is there something we're not doing right?

It's a nice house and in a nice neighborhood where houses usually move quickly, but it can't go anywhere if people don't know about it, right?

Thanks. I feel much better now.

Taboo · 04-01-2007, 12:45 PM

Hey, Nomoresnow..... all is good !! It may be taking awhile to get things rolling but remember... the market is just waking up. I know it is frustrating to wait after all you have done but the place looks GREAT and that is a VERY nice price. If you get too antsy, call up our guy, he will be happy to answer any questions about listings there and how long things SHOULD take. If nothing elae, he may be able to let you know that your agent is right on track and it is just you that is being apprehensive. I will call him and let him know that you may call. In the meantime, edge your walkway, trim a few bushes, put the laptop on a desk and not the tv table (haha) and consider taking down the wood clock in the stairwell. In the photos it detracts from the beautiful light. Look at the photos and imagine them with the clock not behind the light. Take a few breaths... it will work out and you will be on your way soon. Hugs to you and the nervous Hubby !!!

ElizaTeal · 04-01-2007, 01:03 PM

I would call the broker and let him/her know that the listing agent failed to return calls and answer emails. I'd ask to see how the house is listed in the MLS. I'd also ask for two open house showings. One showing for real estate agents and one showing for prospective buyers. Ask your agent what other type of marketing plans she has for you home. Good luck.

nomoresnow · 04-01-2007, 01:10 PM

Thanks, folks.

Taboo - Thanks for the encouragement. I think I'll pass on calling your guy, though. He's in the Lake Placid area - a whole different ballgame from Plattsburgh. LOL - I have to agree about the clock. Don't tell DH, but I really hate that thing.

Zonababe - She's given us a nice little booklet, all prepared with her marketing plan, which looks and sounds wonderful. I did fail to mention that she did hold an open house for other realtors that Thursday, but it appears that only realtors from her co. showed up. We did receive a copy of the listing, too.

I think my main gripe is I want to see it in the paper.

Maybe a Sunday afternoon Manhattan would help...couldn't hurt, right?

christina0001 · 04-01-2007, 01:24 PM

You listed your home less than a month ago. Do the houses in upstate NY typically sell that fast? To me it sounds like your realtor is doing a decent job, it is just going to take time. You might not want to call/email on Fridays. I am not a realtor, but I would imagine a realtor spends the bulk of her time doing showings and open houses on weekends, and is likely to be faster at returning calls/emails Monday through Thursday. Why not call Monday and ask about putting an ad in the paper for next weekend? Or maybe she is waiting to place an ad for the weekend of the open house?

nomoresnow · 04-01-2007, 01:30 PM

I hope she's not waiting a whole month to advertise it - the house, not the open house. I guess we're just a bit anxious. Plus, my job is customer service and I pride myself in getting back to my customers in a timely manner, so I don't understand the ignore the client attitude.

Also, it's kind of strange the way they advertise here. In my hometown, the realtors all put ads in Sunday's paper with tons of listings. Here, the "big" guys put in one ad/day with a photo of the "house of the day".

This neighborhood, the houses do typically sell fast. One house (a few years back, granted) sold the day it went on the market! A friend actually offered to call and request a showing just so my DH would feel better about it. I keep telling him she won't get her commission if she doesn't sell it.

This manhattan is making things look better, tho. :-D

MoMark · 04-01-2007, 01:30 PM

If your local MLS gives public access, see if it's listed. Has she also listed it on Realtor.com?

nomoresnow · 04-01-2007, 01:34 PM

It's on Realtor.com. Looks pretty good, too, I might add, IMO.

kates56 · 04-01-2007, 01:42 PM

Im assuming your Realtor has a cellphone and is easily reachable. Putting in the paper may be effective but online information is the fastest and the greatest asset to sell your home. It may not be priced right. The market has changed from last year. Location of course is very important. Any noise from cars et al? Any odors in the home? Animals?The listing should be placed in MLS which will then be placed in Realtor.com, nytimes.com, google.com etc. at least that's the way in works in Westchester,NY. There should be at least 5 or 6 very nice photos of your home. Buyers always want to check out the interior based on pictures. 75% of buyers buy their homes from online sites.And feedback is very important. We have a traffic report which generates how much online traffic we get on each listing. We put the ad into paper first week and the first day all online information hits for listing. We then send out market reports and feedback reports once a week. This way we know why the listing isnt generating interest.
Hope this helps.
Kate

Gretchen B · 04-01-2007, 01:53 PM

Believe it or not, you'll get a far greater response with great marketing on the Internet and MLS than you will in the newspapers and real estate magazines. It's always nice to see your home in "print", but at least in my part of the country it is extremely rare to get a call from a newspaper ad or magazine ad (even though most agents use that form of marketing "just in case" that elusive buyer is sitting at home perusing the print media for his next home:-)

Actually it sounds to me like your agent is really marketing your home in the way that will give your home the most exposure to the majority of potential buyers. The one thing that I think is inexcusable, though, is her not returning your phone calls. And, if you feel like having an ad in the newspaper would generate some more interest, then she should be willing to accommodate you on that one.

I wonder a little about the price. Might it be a little on the high side? I say that because an attractively priced home will usually generate some showings, even if the marketing isn't the greatest. What you really want to strive for is a combination of the two - a competitively priced home (but not priced so low that the bargain-hunters and investors fall all over it) that's being marketed to attract as many potential buyers as possible.

All the best to you on getting your home SOLD!