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Location: Danbury CT covering all of Fairfield County
2,636 posts, read 7,433,232 times
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I don't use scare tactics. I just want to see what is out on the market, and if I see a home that I really think a buyer client of mine would be interested in seeing, I call to see if I can check it out for a client. I just listed a former for sale by owner because the owner said 'of the dozens of agents that contact us when we went fsbo, you were the only one that was nice to us' by giving some very easy tips in their ad and some generic information on what is for sale in their neighborhood.
I don't use scare tactics. I just want to see what is out on the market, and if I see a home that I really think a buyer client of mine would be interested in seeing, I call to see if I can check it out for a client. I just listed a former for sale by owner because the owner said 'of the dozens of agents that contact us when we went fsbo, you were the only one that was nice to us' by giving some very easy tips in their ad and some generic information on what is for sale in their neighborhood.
My neighborhood needs more realtors like you. We actually do have one picked out that we'll use if we can't find enough of the buyers out there we know exist who prefer to deal directly with the owner. Many people have come to see our home and tell us exactly that - they'd rather not go through a realtor. We also got a call from a buyer's agent and he will be stopping by to see if our home fits the description his clients have given to him of what they want - they are relocating. The one agent we like has done as you describe; she's given helpful hints and did this very professionally. She's not demeaning or condescending, nor does she make us feel we are idiots and do not know what we are doing.
I agree with all you've mentioned here. There are agents in my neighborhood that do nothing BUT use scare tactics. Quite frankly, this and some other reasons are why we are selling FSBO. Also, I know they are boycotting our home; I'm sure they have lots of homes in the area which makes it easier for them to NOT show ours to their clients. I had one stand right on my front porch and tell me IF I list with an agent - ANY agent - she'd show my home. Actually, I consider myself my OWN agent - what's wrong with that?
There's nothing wrong at all with marketing your own home.
Annoying as it may be, "Boycotting" isn't the word I'd use to describe what may be happening: (agents with buyers not showing your home - agents without buyers wanting you to list.)
It may just be more difficult for agents to interest people in your home. If that's the case, it may simply be that data/information about your home isn't as easy for agents to put thier hands on. But I can offer an idea which should help...
In the 19 years I've been working with buyer clients, I've shown many homes which were "FSBO" - (offered by unrepresented sellers). I've sold a few too. Here's one thing I've never seen: a pile of documents available for my clients to take away. Buyers have questions. The more answers we can hold in our hands when we walk out of your house the first time, the more likely you are to see an offer. Photos and a description of what's great about the property are essential, but not nearly sufficient, in my experience.
Here's one of the things a good listing agent will do that sellers can do for themselves: Collect documents. Then make bundles, consisting of copies of each of the documents, so you can give them to Realtors and prospective buyers. The list of documents will be different in your state, but I include a Deed, a Seller Property Information Report, Various Disclosures, (including a Lead disclosure if the house meets the legal criteria), yearly tax figure, utility cost sheet, a list of what's included, info on misc. costs (private road association? condo fees? water and sewer?) and the like. I'll also have a local mortgage lender prepare a page which shows PITI, downpayment, and so on, for 2 or 3 mortgage programs which a buyer might use for that particular property.
When I show a fsbo property, If the buyer is interested, I'm going to begin due diligence, but if I can't answer a lot of questions pretty quickly, before spending a day at the town clerk's office and another day on the phone...I'm not even likely to get to that point.
I really dont agree with this post. First of all if they are living in it then they are not loosing money due to the mortgage. Second they have not said that they are looking to sell and then only rent a place later, therefore, any decline in value of their home will be returned when they go to buy a new home. Third not all markets are declining and in many of the declining markets there are still neighborhoods appreciating.
As an agent reading this post it sounds a little bit like a scare tactic to get people to list. And I really dont like sales tactics like this it causes me to be embarrased. I think our responsibility is to work as a marketing and financial advisor not as sales people just hocking a product. If you did not intend this to be a scare tactic I am sorry for jumping on you. And would like to remind you to be a little bit more careful of the wording of your posts.
Thank you from a concerned agent.
Sorry if you feel it's a scare tactic, that is not the way I practice real estate, I'm simply stating the facts in a depreciating market - one where there is more inventory coming on than going off. You can't assume what might happen with their second transaction. I'm not quite sure how you would like me to more "carefully word this." I'd rather be the agent that tells customers and clients the truth rather than what they want to hear - if you look at the over-priced inventory that is just sitting on the market you'll understand what I mean. I'm not a sales person hocking a product, I'm a professional who gets the job done.
I agree with all you've mentioned here. There are agents in my neighborhood that do nothing BUT use scare tactics. Quite frankly, this and some other reasons are why we are selling FSBO. Also, I know they are boycotting our home; I'm sure they have lots of homes in the area which makes it easier for them to NOT show ours to their clients. I had one stand right on my front porch and tell me IF I list with an agent - ANY agent - she'd show my home. Actually, I consider myself my OWN agent - what's wrong with that?
I wouldn't boycott your home, but I might have a hard time knowing about it. As some have mentioned, it's a lot more work for an agent to work with an unrepresented seller than one with an agent, but if it's in our client's best interest we will happily do it.
I agree with all you've mentioned here. There are agents in my neighborhood that do nothing BUT use scare tactics. Quite frankly, this and some other reasons are why we are selling FSBO. Also, I know they are boycotting our home; I'm sure they have lots of homes in the area which makes it easier for them to NOT show ours to their clients. I had one stand right on my front porch and tell me IF I list with an agent - ANY agent - she'd show my home. Actually, I consider myself my OWN agent - what's wrong with that?
I don't think anyone is intentionally "boycotting" your home. It is just much easier for realtors to show listed properties and get the information the buyer desires. Also, you are not a professional realtor and I would just rather deal with another realtor that is knowledgeable about the process. There is so much inventory right now, unless your home is unique, realtors can find something listed for their buyers and not have to negotiate getting paid with you.
I don't think anyone is intentionally "boycotting" your home. It is just much easier for realtors to show listed properties and get the information the buyer desires. Also, you are not a professional realtor and I would just rather deal with another realtor that is knowledgeable about the process. There is so much inventory right now, unless your home is unique, realtors can find something listed for their buyers and not have to negotiate getting paid with you.
I don't agree with this post at all. I think it's simply that we don't know the home is for sale. It's not advertised in mediums where can find it easily with searches. Personally, I have shown and sold houses that were marketed by the seller and I usually get as good or better than common compensation from them.
I don't agree with this post at all. I think it's simply that we don't know the home is for sale. It's not advertised in mediums where can find it easily with searches. Personally, I have shown and sold houses that were marketed by the seller and I usually get as good or better than common compensation from them.
That is what I meant about it being easier to show listed properties since I know they are for sale. Unless a FSBO meets criteria that I can't find in a listed property or the buyer requests seeing it, I don't seek them out. It is just a matter of preference.
My husband insists on going FSBO, even though I think in this market it will be impossible to sell that way. We are in Northern Virginia. Has anyone managed to go sell their house FSBO in the last 6 months?
The realtors might not be selling AS MUCH.. but they are selling.. and they have a better chance of selling your home than you do..
If a professional with a vast array of networking, resources, advertising etc.. is having difficulty moving homes than you WITHOUT those resources, will have a snowballs chance..
and.. how long can you keep doing the advertising you are doing without actually going broke? it's not cheap.. but Realtors do it in ... well to simplify it "bulk".
List it with a Realtor.. then listen to his/her advice carefully ..
yes.. I'm a former Realtor (stopped working when I had my son 2 years ago)..
And.. I've listed my home with my former office.. because a) it's difficult to sell your own home and as good as I am at selling/marketing.. I'd probably mess mine up.. and b) I KNOW that I wouldn't get the same exposure on my own.. btw.. I have 2 offers into the bank (short sale.. yes.. bought wrong time and self employed so trapped in an ARM that I can't refi out of .. long story.. to long for this post) and i get a TON of showings!!
In other threads people remind others that all markets are very local, and not just by geographical locality but also price. All you say about your locality is there is a lot of competition. Is it direct competition in terms of house size and condition?
So one, what is your market. And can you afford and/or are willing to price according to market?
Are you on a fairly busy street? Most successful FSBO's I've seen are those who can put a sign out and a lot of people see it. Otherwise you have to pay a discount broker to put it on the MLS.
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