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"Originally Posted by AmselJoey If she is working for my family shouldn't she be listening to what we say works or doesn't work in lieu of showings...without arguing?
Of course not. If you were going to second guess the person marketing the house, then you should do it yourself. You are hiring a presumed professional for their ability to make a sale. Don't interfere."
I meant...shouldn't she respect if I have to say "no" to a showing? We have certainly been following her advice as how to best market the house.
That being said, my mom and I just realized she may have photoshopped pictures taken of the inside of the house. The wood floor in the living room is dull, scratched, and old. However, in the pictures she took it is shiny, unscratched, and looks new.
"No, not unless the Realtor has clearly stated that they are not sellers agents. This Realtor is working for your family. NOT the buyers."
Thanks for clarifying. I was confused by other posts saying she would be looking out for the best interest of the buyers, which I did not fully understand. I agree that she should be working for my family.
AmselJoey
I guess photshopping is happening more often now a day... I just looked at a home with beautiful wood flooring and the outside looked great (nice paint color)....well when we saw it we thought that either the pictures were from the time the people had moved in (1993) or were photo shopped....What a waste of time...and I understand what you mean...some people won't take your time if the saw how it was and it isn't helping anyone to get there and seeing things so different than in the pic.
I am hoping someone here is able to help me. I am currently living as a caretaker at my grandpa's house while it is on the market. It is owned equally by my mom and her three other siblings.
The realtor selling the house is best described by one of my uncles as a "bulldog." He believes her aggressive tactics are our best bet at selling the house.
Who picked the agent? How long is the contract for and are you (not you but thew sibs) able to cancel if they aren't happy?
I don't believe in working with someone you know. I think it is asking for trouble.
What is the agent doing to market the house? Apparently they are doing something right but from your post, it sounds like they've doctored photos, for what ever reason. IMO, if this is being done, new pictures need to be taken, pictures that show what the house is really like.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmselJoey
Since moving in at the end of last month there has been 1 open house and 20 showings. I have said no to only three requests for showings. One of these requests was for an 10:30 AM showing that same day and this was at 9:00 AM. I tried to work with her and said I could do 11:00 or 11:15 AM that same day, which she did not accept.
Each time I have been unable to accomodate a showing she pressures me heavily and refuses to work with me to find a more acceptable time. For example, this week she insisted on a 9:45 AM showing Monday morning. This is the only morning next week that time does not work for me and I told her any other morning Tuesday through next Sunday it would be acceptable. She kept pushing the time and my family eventually had to intercede.
Can you post why these times are not good for you? I don't understand.
IMO, and I just sold my house in a very bad market, is that if you want to sell the house, you have to be able to let buyers in with no notice. Since you are a "caretaker" the house should be ready for showings on a moments notice.
I was also a buyer in this market and I can tell you that there is a lot of inventory and that if I couldn't get into a house when I needed to, I did not go back. I ran into this 2 or 3 times when buying.
You have no clue if someone is here for a few days looking at houses, they may not have found your house with their initial search but found it last minute and need to see it at a certain time. If this is the case, you've possibly lost a buyer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmselJoey
Before moving into my grandpa's I was living in an in-law apartment of another home on the market. The requests I recieved for showings were always optional and I was never pressured to say yes to a certain time. I worked together with the realtor to find times that worked for both me and her. She was both pleasant and accomodating.
Every market is different. The houses you are living in are probably different as well. If the last one was in better shape a buyer may be more willing to work with you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmselJoey
First question: Is the behavior of the realtor selling my grandpa's unethical or unprofessional?
No, they were hired to sell the house. IMO, it is you as a house guest that is being unreasonable.
If they photo shopped pictures then yes they are unethical for that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmselJoey
Second question: What can I do about this?
What exactly do you do to "care take" the house?
Do you pay rent?
If I had to guess, you are there to make sure it stays clean for showings and you are a body so that no one breaks into a house that is vacant.
I think either moving out or you adjusting your life to allow for showings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmselJoey
PS-The twenty showings have been over a period of two weeks. I was wrong about it being a month. Maybe it just felt that way to me! My mother believes this is way too many, asking way too much of anyone living in a home, and thinks the large amount is because she is misrepresenting (possibly lying) about the true condition of the house. Any opinions?
Ask your mother if you are allowed to post your listing here so that we can give you feedback.
I don't consider 20 showings too many. You've mentioned your mother wanted to buy the house, does she still want to buy it? It sounds to me like your mother doesn't want the house sold.
You hired the agent to sell the house. 20 showings in a dead market is good.
FWIW, if the house is over priced and a buyer feels that way they may low ball.
Sounds like a family meeting is in order between the sibs to decide if the house price needs to be lowered. This is pretty easy to do, go to realtor.com, put in your area, how many beds/baths, you then said $180k, I would start at $125-$150k up to the price you are listed at, which is probably going to be $225-$250. Next find houses similar to what you are living in.
Did the agent pull sold comps when pricing the house?
Is she working part time? Maybe she has another job she has to be or needs to be with her kids....I have seen this happening to others. Most buyers have more than one option to see a home and are willing to work with the person living there....Specially when you give them so many other times you are available. It isn't like in '05 when it was a sellers market and realtors were so busy that they didn't have much time and even when it is a buyers market...most buyers are very flexible. I have more experience with realtors who have an issue with the time frame and I guess it is because there isn't full time work for all realtors.
That's a lot of hooey. First, I'm sure all 20 showings didn't come with the selling agent. So if she works part time, it really has nothing to do with her getting a call from another agent who wants to show the house to their own buyer. Second, it has been repeatedly said here, it's a BUYER'S market, sellers have to accomodate the buyers, blah blah. So, this is the case here. If the seller wants to to sell the house, they should accomodate any potential buyers. If they are not in a rush and willing to maybe lose a sale because a potential buyer can only view the house at a particular time (and has that holier than thou buyer syndrome), then they shouldn't worry about missing showings.
The seller should be upfront with the realtor when the listing agreement is made. I need X hours notice for showings. Sometimes I won't be able to make them. If the OP's schedule is going to get worse, whoever signed the agreement should sit down with the realtor and discuss options. The OP didn't sign the contract, perhaps the aunt who seems to have arranged things, gave the realtor other instructions that the realtor is abiding by.
It sounds as if you and your mom (and maybe others in your family) don't really want this home to be sold. If that is the case, I think your family should have further discussions and make a firm decision.
The realtor is also investing time, money, and energy into selling this home so you can understand her frustrations at not being able to show the home when she has a potential buyer lined up to view it, especially in the condition you describe.
Of course you can turn down showings, but I would think that isn't happening a whole lot around the country in this market right now. Maybe the realtor also senses that you don't really want this home to sell and her frustrations are coming across as being rude?
If you decide that you truly want this home to sell, I think you should expect showings any time between 9 AM and 7 PM. Some people like to look at homes in the morning, some during their lunch break, and others after work. We have 2 little kids, so it takes us some time to prep too. Since listing our home, we have been picking up every evening, so that we can be ready and out of the house in 30-45 minutes. It is extra work but worth it to get the house sold.
As a fellow REALTOR and someone who has sold multiple homes myself, it is always in the best interest of the seller to be as accomodating as possible when a potential buyer wants to see the home. Often, I will have an out-of-state buyer in town for only a short period (sometimes with very little notice) and the decision to purchase a particular home will be made that day. If a particular home was not available to be shown, it will most likely lose out to one of the homes that was shown.
That said, the REALTOR should not be rude. I can understand them encouraging you to let a showing happen (which is in everyone's best interest), but being rude is not very professional.
Living in a home that is being sold is not an easy thing. You have to be ready all of the time from 9 am to 8 pm with a clean and organized home. The listing agent often has to be available on the spur of the moment to show the home, too. It just goes with the territory. If short notice is really a problem, I suggest adding a remark to the listing that 3 hours notice is required, or something to that effect. That may help.
The realtor selling the house is best described by one of my uncles as a "bulldog." He believes her aggressive tactics are our best bet at selling the house.
While there is not much less attractive than a woman trying to act like a man, she may be your best bet to sell the place. Decide if the frothing & rabid agent or your sold home is more important, and act accordingly.
I am actually in the process of deciding whether or not I should move out.
In addition to what I have already mentioned the situation is definitely not a good one. Only one of the four siblings, my aunt, wanted to sell the house. She has been heavily pressuring the rest of them since last December (the month my grandpa died) to do so and has expressed anger and frustration with everyone for not wanting to put it on the market right away. This was during the spring/early summer while both an uncle and my mom were trying to see if they could buy the house. My aunt basically bullied everyone into signing a contract before they were ready. My mom and uncles wanted to wait a year until the market improved. Plus the real estate agent showing the house is my aunt's friend. Does anyone else see this as a conflict of interest?
Ultimately, I feel that a realtor is working for the seller and buyer and should be fair to both parties.
AmselJoey
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmselJoey
PS-The twenty showings have been over a period of two weeks. I was wrong about it being a month. Maybe it just felt that way to me! My mother believes this is way too many, asking way too much of anyone living in a home, and thinks the large amount is because she is misrepresenting (possibly lying) about the true condition of the house. Any opinions?
Let's review. There are 4 siblings who jointly own the house. At least one of the siblings, your mom, is not in favor of getting sold. At least one sibling, your aunt, is in favor of getting sold now. My guess is that the other two siblings blow with the wind.
And for some reason, you moved into the vacant house to caretake it and you and mom think there have been too many showings in a 2 week period.
No way any agent can please a family consisting of 4 siblings, with very potentially different objectives.
"What exactly do you do to "care take" the house? Do you pay rent? If I had to guess, you are there to make sure it stays clean for showings and you are a body so that no one breaks into a house that is vacant. I think either moving out or you adjusting your life to allow for showings."
I do not pay rent, but do pay the electric and heating bills (which of course I should if I am living there). I am, as you said, there to make sure it is ready for showings and that no one breaks in. I am responsible for mowing the lawn every weekend and clearing away any snow if I am still there when winter comes. Since it is an old house, I am also there to alert my family if any further repairs are needed.
My mom and uncles spent the first half of the summer cleaning out and painting the interior of the house. When it was decided I would move-in my mom and I finished cleaning out the rest of the house and bought supplies such as curtains, a sofa cover, plants, and other miscellaneous items to make the interior of the house more pleasing. Everyone, including the realtor, has said it looks 100 percent better.
"The seller should be upfront with the realtor when the listing agreement is made. I need X hours notice for showings. Sometimes I won't be able to make them. If the OP's schedule is going to get worse, whoever signed the agreement should sit down with the realtor and discuss options. The OP didn't sign the contract, perhaps the aunt who seems to have arranged things, gave the realtor other instructions that the realtor is abiding by."
My oldest uncle (who is acting as the spokesperson for the siblings) made it clear to the realtor that I would need to be notified of showings the day before they were scheduled. He told her that she could request showings the same day, but that this was to be determined at my discretion. She has been told this repeatedly, but still seems to be ignoring it.
I agree that my aunt has most likely given the realtor instructions other than the ones my uncle did and that those are the ones she is abiding by.
"Who picked the agent? How long is the contract for and are you (not you but thew sibs) able to cancel if they aren't happy?"
My aunt picked the agent. She is her friend. The contract is until November 30th. My mom and one of my uncles are unhappy, but the other uncle is trying to "keep the peace" and does not want to cause conflict with my aunt. However, she is the only one who is truly onboard for selling the house and refuses to consider the possibility that it might sell for a price lower than $200,000. Whenever the bad market and economy were mentioned, along with the possibility of waiting until next year to sell, my aunt would get visibly angry, snap at the person who made the suggestion, and refuse to continue the discussion.
"Is she working part time? Maybe she has another job she has to be or needs to be with her kids....I have seen this happening to others. Most buyers have more than one option to see a home and are willing to work with the person living there....Specially when you give them so many other times you are available."
She works full-time and is single. Whenever I have been unable to accomodate a showing I have always given her other options: either the same time on a different day or a different time on the same day. I once asked her to move a showing back 15 minutes so I would have enough time to get the houe ready and she did not even want to consider making a change of 15 minutes. She claimed it would be too close to the 1 PM showing that was scheduled the same day. However, there was a thirty minute different between the two AND she had mentioned to me at an earlier time that showings would be quick and take no longer than "a drive around the block." I can understand needing enough time to show the house and not being a realtor I could be wrong about thirty minutes being enough, but I was under the impression that 15-30 minutes was more than sufficient unless it was a second showing (this was not).
Furthermore, I am going to be housesitting at my parents house this week from Tuesday until Sunday. I informed her of this and told her she could make any showings during this time. Today I am in the midst of cleaning and removing clutter so the house looks as nice as possible. Additionally, she is having a second open house Sunday. I will also be gone Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of next weekend.
I have given her as much availability as possible and just want a little respect with regards to saying "no" to showings if I have to. I have always tried to work with her to find a good time for both of us when I do have to say no. She has never told me that the person can only view the house at this time or is an out-of-town visitor leaving soon. I do not see a problem with this, especially since she is the one working for my family and not the other way around. Also because no one besides my aunt is eager to quickly sell the property. I understand this is her job and she was hired to sell the house, but I do not feel that it is okay that showings should be her way or no way. I do not see a problem with her and I finding a time that works for both myself and the buyer in those situations when I do have to say no.
"Did the agent pull sold comps when pricing the house?"
I am not sure, but only my aunt met with her before the contract was signed. The rest of my family was extrememly busy at the time and putting the house on the market was their last concern. My aunt basically left the contract at my grandpa's and repeatedly called each of them telling them to go sign it. Then when one of them signed it she would call the others and say, "Blank signed the contract, why didn't you sign it yet?" My mom feels it was a mistake, but sees no way out of it until the date it ends.
Question: Should my family ask her to pull sold comps again?
Second question: How many properties should an agent be responsible for at one time? Does this tell you anything about them or is it dependent on the market?
All the advice and input has been very enlightening so far. I appreciate hearing all the different opinions!
One more question: The posting on the real estate website describes the house as "Offers open floor plan 2/3 bed rms, large eat-in-kitchen, Dining rm or convert to 3rd bedroom, updated bath,1st floor laundry, hw floors, lower level w/ 1/2 bath and potential family room. Newer roof, 1 car gar. Some TLC"
I feel this description is misleading. The dining room is part of the kitchen and what makes it large. By converting it into a third bedroom it would make the kitchen small. She has actually mentioned to my uncle that she is having trouble getting people to see the potential for a third bedroom.
Also, the bathroom is old except for new ceramic tile. Does that mean it is still updated? I feel like buyers will see that and think the bathroom is newer and nicer than it actually is.
All except my aunt feel it would be more accurately listed as "handyman's dream," since it is in need of serious repair. Realtors, in your opinion, what would qualify as TLC? I certainly don't think the extensive work this house has been assessed to need fits that description!
Just IMO...I am no expert.
AmselJoey
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I was confused by other posts saying she would be looking out for the best interest of the buyers, which I did not fully understand. I agree that she should be working for my family.
Are you sure you want this home to sell?
