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Please forgive my ignorance about the practicalities, but do you use services like TTY? I'm trying to see if there's another way to work around the form auto-request issue. Is there a way to indicate that as part of your entry in the form's phone number window? Referencing the 711 code as part of the number? It might clue a realtor in that another communication method will work better for you. If you don't use those services on a daily basis but will be heavily involved during your daughter's house hunt, maybe it would be worth doing so, or getting a text or captions phone temporarily.
I have a text/caption phone - it's a cell phone and I do not answer phone calls, I use it for email and text. But they won't TEXT, they will call so I do not give out my cell#. As for caption phone, it requires a landline - and the landline service where I live is unreliable at best and we don't have a landline any longer.
I have no TTY or TDD, nor do I use relay. I had doctors offices hang up because of the delay. Not just once. Aside from that, I want it in writing so it's text or email when it's business.
I am obviously ignorant as I do not understand why the form demands a phone number in order to submit a request for info. I would think it would be so much easier to provide the requested info and offer services without having to have a voice "meeting".
And yet, no one has answered my question: Do any of the realtors on this forum read the info in the forms? or do you just look at the address and try to make an appt? Why not answer the question and THEN try to meet? If it was just this one realtor, I wouldn't be asking. It's been several realtors. And I will not use them for the purchase because of the refusal to respond to my request of TEXT with the information requested.
Regardless of MY hearing disability, wouldn't it make sense to respond to the question?
And for someone who suggested I contact a realtor - I will when it's time and when I find one who is not so rude as to ignore my request for text only. Part of sending out requests is to determine how well someone will work with my hearing impairment. I also do a lot of my own research and the response to that request is a way to interview who will work with me and not expect ME to cater to them.
I bought from overseas... Same issues.. It wouldn't let me enter my phone number.. Different number of digits.. And I told them specifically to email me. One agent, who ignored me for three tries pointed out that I had emailed him at 3 or 4 in the morning.. Which was 3-4 in the afternoon locally. He was terminated before ever starting. The house I bought, I looked up the owner and wrote on her Facebook page... after doing the same to the listing agent.
So, the question still stands - do most/all/some of you actually read the auto-request for info or do you just call the number?
And, how many of you have a form that demands a phone number in order to send the request?
BTW, I was responding to the agency that listed the property - I don't use zillow or other secondary listing services.
I read the information on the form. Sometimes people fill out a lot of information on it. I do respond the way people ask and email only is common.
They want your phone number because it is easier to establish a relationship over the phone so a lot of the websites are set up to capture a phone number. Agents are trained to call the number first.
My forms don't require a phone number but most people write one in. I've had hard of hearing people contact me via forms and such and they always let me know.
I bought from overseas... Same issues.. It wouldn't let me enter my phone number.. Different number of digits.. And I told them specifically to email me. One agent, who ignored me for three tries pointed out that I had emailed him at 3 or 4 in the morning.. Which was 3-4 in the afternoon locally. He was terminated before ever starting. The house I bought, I looked up the owner and wrote on her Facebook page... after doing the same to the listing agent.
That's the beauty of email/text- both parties don't have to be there at the same moment.
I bought the house we live in (TN) from NYC and did it all via email. I had a great realtor and she worked wonderfully with me - this was over 10 years ago and sadly she has moved away. We bought a house 5 years ago (and sold it 2years ago) and used a local realtor. He was great to work with and I'd use him again except he does not use the MLS or deal with properties outside of our county.
I ALWAYS put somewhere in the notes "NO CALLS, TEXT or EMAIL ONLY"
It doesn't matter whether it's a realtor or whatever, NO CALLS is ignored. The cancer clinic I go to still calls to remind me of my appt. Every month, I go in and ask them to delete my phone number. 2 years, the number is still there. .
Are you ranting or looking for a solution?
Ranting is fine, sometimes even necessary for getting things out of your system.
BUT ultimately solutions remove the problem, which elimates the need to rant. The solution here is quite simple: put in the notes "I am hard of hearing. Please no phone calls. Text or email only."
(I hope things improve for your stepdaughter. It sounds like she's had a rough go. You're kind to give her some assistance.)
I am beginning a search for a home for my stepdaughter and son. I am profoundly hearing impaired and do not use a phone - UNLESS I know the person and the person knows me well enough to speak so I can understand but most who know me wouldn't even waste their time or mine with a phone call.
I found a house I'm interested in - IF there is heat. The listing said "AC unit" but did not list heating or HVAC.
Where we live, many of the old homes do not have a heating system - it might be a fireplace, stove, or none. They are moving down here from upstate NY and will NEED heat. Because the house is only 40 years old, I would expect it to have either HVAC or a heating system but some do not.
So, it isn't worth my time to do anything unless it has something for heat. On the listing is one of those "ask for more info" and the form demands a phone number. It also has a place for comments/question. I provided a no good out of state former phone number but in the comments, I asked about the heat and said NO CALLS, reply via email.
So I got what I expected - ignored my comment, ignored my request, said we'll call you but if you're in a hurry, call us at x number and we can arrange a showing. What is the point of filling out the info if it isn't read? What is the point of seeing the house, wasting my time and theirs, if there is no heat system?
How do all of you handle those requests?
Does anyone read the request for info and reply with info?
My reaction is - if I contact you online, respond in kind. If I call on the phone, return the call. Am I the one who is bonkers?
I am not a realtor, but I have made two long-distance moves. As soon as I suspected I'd be moving, I started searching online to get an idea of what was out there. When the move became a sure thing and was getting close, I started looking for a realtor.
I wanted a realtor who . . .
-would be responsive to emails
-would be willing to research questions like yours
-would be able to reserve a good chunk of two days to show us houses when we made our house-hunting trip
One test of whether a realtor is good at communicating via your preferred method is . . . contact them through that method. See how they respond. (Don't ask a realtor to do a bunch of stuff for you if you're not serious.) I selected a few realtors I thought might be good ones. Then I sent them emails explaining what we would be needing - but not asking them to do anything right then. Our house-hunting trip was still a little ways out, and for one of those moves depended on when we got our house under contract, and we were upfront with the realtors about that. Anyone who didn't respond to an email was not someone who would be able to help us.
If the move is close enough that you're asking questions about specific properties, maybe it's time to get your own agent. If you're not that close, then you don't really need to know. (If your kids are the ones who are paying, they should be the ones to contact the agent.)
And for someone who suggested I contact a realtor - I will when it's time and when I find one who is not so rude as to ignore my request for text only. Part of sending out requests is to determine how well someone will work with my hearing impairment. I also do a lot of my own research and the response to that request is a way to interview who will work with me and not expect ME to cater to them.
Yes. This.
But if it isn't time yet, do you really need to know about that house's heating system?
Yes. This.
But if it isn't time yet, do you really need to know about that house's heating system?
Which reminds me of how a large chunk of the communications could be eliminated, if the listing agents provided correct and complete information on the listing in the first place. Anyone with rudimentary experience knows what they frequently omit or get wrong.
Which reminds me of how a large chunk of the communications could be eliminated, if the listing agents provided correct and complete information on the listing in the first place. Anyone with rudimentary experience knows what they frequently omit or get wrong.
I've no idea if all MLS listings are formatted the same way, but the ones I've looked at (multiple states, multiple cities) all have a maximum number of characters allowed in the description space. But they also have more information by category below the description and photos called "property details". Which usually includes details about HVAC system and TONS of other stuff.
I am not a realtor, but I have made two long-distance moves. As soon as I suspected I'd be moving, I started searching online to get an idea of what was out there. When the move became a sure thing and was getting close, I started looking for a realtor.
I wanted a realtor who . . .
-would be responsive to emails
-would be willing to research questions like yours
-would be able to reserve a good chunk of two days to show us houses when we made our house-hunting trip
One test of whether a realtor is good at communicating via your preferred method is . . . contact them through that method. See how they respond. (Don't ask a realtor to do a bunch of stuff for you if you're not serious.) I selected a few realtors I thought might be good ones. Then I sent them emails explaining what we would be needing - but not asking them to do anything right then. Our house-hunting trip was still a little ways out, and for one of those moves depended on when we got our house under contract, and we were upfront with the realtors about that. Anyone who didn't respond to an email was not someone who would be able to help us.
If the move is close enough that you're asking questions about specific properties, maybe it's time to get your own agent. If you're not that close, then you don't really need to know. (If your kids are the ones who are paying, they should be the ones to contact the agent.)
I did it this way with our move from NYC to TN. It took me a while, but I found a realtor willing to work with me via email only. She was fantastic. Sadly, has moved on.
I stated above that WE/husband and I are buying the house, so it will be my final judgment with her opinion taken into consideration.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sll3454
Yes. This.
But if it isn't time yet, do you really need to know about that house's heating system?
Yes, I need to know about the heating system because if it does not, I can rule it out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jkgourmet
Are you ranting or looking for a solution?
Ranting is fine, sometimes even necessary for getting things out of your system.
BUT ultimately solutions remove the problem, which elimates the need to rant. The solution here is quite simple: put in the notes "I am hard of hearing. Please no phone calls. Text or email only."
(I hope things improve for your stepdaughter. It sounds like she's had a rough go. You're kind to give her some assistance.)
I am ranting now because only 1 or 2 of you have answered whether you use the forms that will not accept the inquiry without a phone number. I already stated, I did say "TEXT ONLY" ​and my request for information was 1 sentence. The rant part is not accepting an inquiry without a phone number.
As for giving assistance, it's what family does.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jkgourmet
I've no idea if all MLS listings are formatted the same way, but the ones I've looked at (multiple states, multiple cities) all have a maximum number of characters allowed in the description space. But they also have more information by category below the description and photos called "property details". Which usually includes details about HVAC system and TONS of other stuff.
As you said, "usually". I've helped friends research properties and I'm well aware of checking out "property details" and even what many of the initials mean. It specifically said "AC" and did not say "HVAC", "heat exchanger" or "furnace" or, common to this area, "wall-heaters" (which are visible when looking at a picture of a wall) but are usually mentioned in descriptions. Also common to this area are various stoves used for heat. It is not uncommon to find a home that has no heating system at all, other than portable electric heaters although that is generally in the older homes.
This "turned into a rant" was initially trying to find out whether most of the realtors in this forum use the "forced phone number" in their initial contact.
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