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Hm....if I talk to them and want to look at it I can still use my own representation?
I'm not an expert so my suggestion may not be sufficient so take it with a grain of salt - when you first speak to the listing agent, tell them you have a buyer's agent but you're doing your own research on this property. You can't go wrong with stating that up front.
The Realtors on this board can offer better insight on this question.
Hm....if I talk to them and want to look at it I can still use my own representation? I really don't need a whole nother level between me and trying to get questions answered at this phase. Its easier to email. But I will call as an experiment how is that?
I suspect they are not getting hundreds or thousands of emails. This is the Upper Peninsula, not Atlanta.
Email is easier. But, it is not getting it done, is it?
Fact: In a twitter/snapchat/mobile device world, no one is reading your long emails. ONE question in an email is about 20% more than most people read.
So, call the listing agent.
"To be clear and up front, I will be using a buyers' agent to represent me.
Now, can you tell me, please,
yadda
yadda
yadda yadda yadda...."
It is the listing agent's job to sell the property, and if they won't talk to you, they may be doing a disservice to their client.
This is the busy season for many realtors. If you aren't on a particular time table, you might get more answers after June, and definitely in late fall/winter.
Having said that, are there realtors who have ads that talk about nature (or who make a point of noting it in their listing)? That might be a better choice for you, since it's a strong interest. If you really feel you have to beg for information, another (less busy) realtor might be the way to go. Someone just getting started, for example.
All the listings have potential for various wildlife. It is usually not discussed outside of hunting or fishing which is what most people are interested in. Once in a while a realtor will mention it but that doesn't mean the other listings don't have it. So why limit myself the the very few its mentioned? In an not particularly dense area that really does mean limit.
If there are any internet forums, neighborhood watch sites, local news sites or facebook pages for the neighborhood, they might be able to answer your questions. And, you might make some friends to hook up with after you move there.
There is a reddit forum for the UP that has 1000 readers. Thats for an area the size of Maryland with a total population a little over 300,000 total. Most towns are smaller than most neighborhoods. I hate to keep peppering the few there with questions considering the place is so big and many may not be familar with the areas I'm asking about.
Haven't found anything specific on facebook but will keep digging.
200 inches of snow is common. That is 16 feet. 4 season access is no joke.
Really I just want basic answers to what I consider basic questions before I start calling. I get that many won't know the answer to my loon question.
But a little more info on plowing and internet is not asking for much nor is I think the basic type of lake it is. Quiet nature type or lots of people happily jet skiing. The reason I post this isn't based on one email. Its a couple. Of course there are a couple non responses.
I am extremely sensitive to using someone's time. Answering an email on ones own schedule I would think its far better than phone tag, especially for initial stop/go information.
Not sure why I posted. In the realtor world its always the buyers fault.
Giesela, you asked a lot of questions, and got pretty good general answers to most of them. If you want more detail, just ask follow up questions that are more detailed. We can't read your mind for what you mean on every question. So ask again about those questions you want better answers on. Good luck
Sorry, but I thought that the agent's response was appropriate. He answered most of your questions in a way in which most people would. You could easily follow up if you needed more specifics.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Giesela
And yes Loons is a deal breaker.
As for the loons, I first thought that you were looking in the Traverse City area (I think you've posted about looking there before). There are vey few lakes in the Lower Peninsula where there are nesting loons on lakes which allow motors. Water sports--jet skis and water skiing--are much more prevalent in the Lower Peninsula than the Upper Peninsula, so the fact that motors are allowed may not be as conclusive. It will also depend upon the size of the lake. There are some larger lakes in the U.P. (and fishing is a primary activity on those lakes, so I can see why he mentioned it) where motors are allowed, yet there are secluded areas which support nesting loons.
Unfortunately, Common Loons aren't so common anymore. Below is a link to the Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas which shows generalized locations of nesting loons. The primary caveat is that the Atlas sometimes makes it appear that a bird is more prevalent than it actually is. That's because it was compiled over several years and each nest location over each year is documented--making it appear that there are multiple occurrences when there simply is movement among locations.
Common Loons will be seen on many lakes in the U.P. as they migrate through, but far fewer lakes will have nesting loons which will be around throughout the season. Your best chance of seeing them will be at the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. I can appreciate your passion for loons. They were some of my favorite companions during my canoeing days in Canada.
I am extremely sensitive to using someone's time. Answering an email on ones own schedule I would think its far better than phone tag, especially for initial stop/go information.
Not sure why I posted. In the realtor world its always the buyers fault.
I'm sorry that you felt you were attacked. I thought we gave you decent advice on how best to get the answers you are seeking. FWIW, I'm not a realtor.
See I don't call that reply about 4 season access an answer. I suppose I could word
an email: "how many feet off the nearest plowed county road is the cabin" "Who plows it" "If not the county, how much does it cost" "how much time after it snows till they get to this road". I'm not expecting that level of detail but I'm expecting more than yes there is access. There is access everywhere if you have a snowmobile. That is not an answer.
Internet is pretty important these days. How could they not answer?
And yes Loons is a deal breaker..
Uh, I get the desire to have loons nearby, but honestly this kind of info is a bit unrealistic for an agent to know off the top of the head. They certainly could ASK the owner or neighbors about it, but a better resource for YOU would be to contact an Audubon Society or other conservation group near the property.
I'm not a Realtor. I thought Falcon head and Mike Janquish gave good, fair and accurate advice that, as a consumer, sounds spot on.
Furthermore, I thought the response you received from the listing agent was polite and reasonably thorough. She/he did miss the boat on the Internet question. If I had read your initial email, I would have assumed that you were a looky-loo.
If you're a serious buyer, I'd strongly suggest you get your own representation now from the local area. If you pick wisely, they can probably answer all your questions themselves, eliminating the need to contact the listing agent until the appropriate time.
Since you want to use your own representation, hire that buyer agent now. An experienced buyer agent will be able to answer some of those questions on their own. Others they can look up for you, and then they can get that information directly from the listing agent.
The UP is made up of a bunch of small towns, and while you think the listing agent might have the answers to your questions, they likely don't. They cover a huge swath of area. So get a buyer agent. They will then know what kinds of questions you need answers to and can rule properties in or out for you based on your criteria.
And no it isn't always the buyer's fault, but I don't think you realize how generic your questions are. When I read your question and the agents response, it seemed like they answered your question (minus internet access). The problem is that in your mind, you wanted a more specific and detailed answer, but you didn't make it clear that is what you wanted. So you need to ASK specific and detailed questions. Agents aren't mind readers.
Last edited by Silverfall; 04-25-2017 at 10:02 AM..
Reason: typo
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I thought we gave you decent advice on how best to get the answers you are seeking. FWIW, I'm not a realtor.
