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We are selling our house, we paid a flat fee real estate agent to list our house in MLS. But here is the problem it seems that we are in the blacklist of the realtors. We have had only four showings in 12 weeks 3 of them seller's realtors that are just looking and one real showing (we almost got an offer) . We don't think it is the house itself we have had open houses and the visitors are really surprised with the house. For example last week a realtor called and as soon as we told him that we were the owners his changed his mind and didn't want to show the house to the buyers...I think is very unethical for real estate agents to do that. And letting the buyers being manipulated.. We are going to wait after holidays to see if we list the house with a realtor but after all this I think it would be hard to find a honest and reliable one.
We are selling our house, we paid a flat fee real estate agent to list our house in MLS. But here is the problem it seems that we are in the blacklist of the realtors. We have had only four showings in 12 weeks 3 of them seller's realtors that are just looking and one real showing (we almost got an offer) . We don't think it is the house itself we have had open houses and the visitors are really surprised with the house. For example last week a realtor called and as soon as we told him that we were the owners his changed his mind and didn't want to show the house to the buyers...I think is very unethical for real estate agents to do that. And letting the buyers being manipulated.. We are going to wait after holidays to see if we list the house with a realtor but after all this I think it would be hard to find a honest and reliable one.
That's quite an assumption. And while there may indeed be a small nimber of idiots that will do that sort of thing, it is NOT the majority. I don't know you or your house, so I can't tell you what your issues are, but you should be aware many, perhaps even MOST, home sellers are having difficulty in getting thier properties shown, whether listed with an agent or not.
There are some things on which you should check;
Is your house priced competetively for the current market? Buyers need to see your house as a value if they are going to bother coming to see it.
Are you offering a competetive co op to buyers agents? This is more important if there are many houses in your price range in yrou local market.
Did the flat fee company put you in the correct MLS, so that agents local to you are seeing it?
What other marketing is being done to attract buyers or their agents? Listing it int he MLS is one part of the marketing strategy. It shouldn't be the only strategem.
Jumping to the conclusion that you have been "blacklisted" by the evil real estate agent community is a convenient, but usually incorrect, way to excuse the fact that your home isn't being shown. Most of us, however, don't care a great deal about who listed it. So long as it meets the needs of our buyers. And in this market, top of the list of needs is that it be perceived as a VALUE.
Hey Carlota01, sorry that you feel you have been black listed, and as Mr. Keegan stated, any decent buyers agent, does not care who listed, as long as it meets the needs and cleint likes the property. My son, and partner, bought his house, straight from seller, so nothing wrong with that. The problem with what you done, is sometimes its hard for you to be available, and when you do your own open houses, a lot of times, buyers would be uneasy, talking at lenght with you there. Selling is easy, if it meets the maket prices, and like again Bill stated, everyone is this market, expects a bargain. Good luck.
Let me point out, before I start I am NOT a Realtor/ Agent... I am a Seller that just closed last week and a BUYER that will close NEXT week.
I am not quite sure why you think you are being "blacklisted". Right now, I am sure that you know that the market is NOT that great for selling.
We sold within almost four months and were excited! Our agent really marketed our house. Personally, I know that is what got our house sold.
On the buying end right now, our buyer's agent told us upfront that she would show us ANY house that we were interested in. She even encouraged us if we saw a FSBO that she would show us that one. Actually, I had a FSBO ad off the internet and she went right up to the door to make contact!
We as BUYERS have to be interested in house though. You can't make someone come in and see your house. For A LOT of buyers, the house has to speak to them from the curb! We drove by ALL of our lists of homes to see if we would even go inside the door. We checked out the neighborhood, etc. I am sure you have heard all this before.
Also, have you checked out what your competition is ? Actually LOOKED at the homes? We had to do that when selling and I know that helped us too.
I wish you the best of luck with the sale of your home. You will get some great advice from people on here, I know.
Carlota01, there have been more than a couple of posts like yours on this board. Many agents who have responded have said that blacklisting doesn't occur. On the other hand, more than a couple of agents have said that they won't go into FSBO houses unless their client practically drags them kicking and screaming. So I think that it's unlikely that agents get together and conspire against you, but I do think that many agents will put your house at the very bottom of the list. The most common reasons for doing that seem to be that FSBO sellers have a reputation for being harder to deal with (not always available and lean on the buyer's agent to do all the paperwork, etc.), and that agents say FSBO homes are, as a rule, overpriced.
So, in addition to everything that any seller has to do to attract buyers, you also have to do something to attract agents. How confident are you in your price? Are you doing anything to make sure that you are always available and that all the agents know you're always available? How do you plan to handle the paperwork? I assume you are offering the standard commission to buyer's agents. Anything you can do to make agents not think that you will be a big PITA to deal with can only help.
Depending on your price range that number of showings may be totally normal. The higher your home price, the fewer qualified buyers.
I know some markets are inundated with foreclosures and they make up the marjority of sold homes.
I wonder if your home has poor curb appeal because you say that people are surprised with the house. What are they surprised about? It is very possible that you are getting drive-bys and buyers are ruling you out.
Yes there are agents that won't show your home because you are a limited rep listing...most do though as long as you offer a competitive commission (competitive for your locale and price range) and you market your home well, buyers agents will come.
First off you ARE listed, chances are WITH a Realtor.
Second get a lockbox - ask the person name of company, office phone, name date and time of showing - what is the agency relationship with the buyer. Call the office ask to give them the lockbox code for the showing person (by name) and get 'er done.
Third, what are you offering as a coop fee in MLS? Is it within normal range for other properties in your price range? If not, change it.
I can only speak for myself (though observation tells me that what I will do is common in our area). I just a few weeks ago, as a buyer's agent, had my clients close on a FSBO that wasn't even on the MLS - they knew exactly what neighborhood they wanted, we looked at several houses in that area, a For Sale sign went up in front of one between our visits and they emailed me they'd like to see it, and I called the seller and we closed within weeks. The seller was extremely cooperative, made it more than easy for us to view the house, did stay for one viewing but then invited us to come back while he was not there so they could get a better "feel" for the property once he'd showed them everything.
I've also shown houses that are listed with a limited service agent (usually in these cases the agent is not even in the same part of the state, never mind the same town). Some of them went well, others not so well. Some of them had good photos on the MLS; others I had to convince my buyers to look at because the photos on the MLS so clearly did not convey anything really about the property. Some sellers were cooperative, others wanted the house shown on between 11 and noon on alternate Tuesdays when the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars. If it could be done, and if my buyers are amenable, and if the house looks like it fits their needs, I'll show it no matter who it's listed with or if it's a true FSBO. That's my job as a buyer's agent.
I don't know why you haven't had showings; as mentioned above, in some markets right now, showings are few and far between and the foreclosures are getting the lion's share of them because that's what the buyers want to see.
Do, by the way, check and make sure that you're in the right MLS. I've heard horror stories from sellers who paid a limited service broker to put them on the MLS, and they were, indeed, on the MLS - the MLS a county or two over!
I've also shown houses that are listed with a limited service agent (usually in these cases the agent is not even in the same part of the state, never mind the same town). Some of them went well, others not so well. Some of them had good photos on the MLS; others I had to convince my buyers to look at because the photos on the MLS so clearly did not convey anything really about the property. Some sellers were cooperative, others wanted the house shown on between 11 and noon on alternate Tuesdays when the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars. If it could be done, and if my buyers are amenable, and if the house looks like it fits their needs, I'll show it no matter who it's listed with or if it's a true FSBO. That's my job as a buyer's agent.
Too funny, but alas, sometimes true. A house that is perceived as "difficult to show", i.e. agent or owner must be present often gets shoved to the bottom of the stack, whether listed with a full-service brokerage or not. If it looks like it's a really good fit, it will get shown, but probably won't make the cut on intial house hunting days.
One of the main things that a full-service agent brings to the table is his expertise on the local market. Getting the price right is so crucial in this slow market. If it's not spot on, the house won't sell, and will get very few showings. The other item that's very important, that others have mentioned, is the marketing, especially the quality of the photos and virtual tour. With so much competition, everything has to perfect - the marketing, the condition of the home, and especially the price.
Are you offering a competetive co op to buyers agents?
what does this mean? in laymens terms?
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