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In other news I think I found an agent to work with. 7 of the 10 homes I wanted to look at I found are short sales, so those are removed from the list. Ouch! I'm especially interested in a certain neighborood. Would it be appropriate/legal for my agent (or me) to send a brief note to each of those addresses (I'm only interested in a single story home, so that would reduce the contact to about 25 homes) to ask if anyone is preparing to sell?
In other news I think I found an agent to work with. 7 of the 10 homes I wanted to look at I found are short sales, so those are removed from the list. Ouch! I'm especially interested in a certain neighborood. Would it be appropriate/legal for my agent (or me) to send a brief note to each of those addresses (I'm only interested in a single story home, so that would reduce the contact to about 25 homes) to ask if anyone is preparing to sell?
In Missouri you can farm a neighborhood if you wish, but you must put a disclaimer on the bottom of any marketing piece that says...."If you are already working with a real estate agent, please disregard this notice". Otherwise you can get popped for trying to steal clients.
Also, I believe (might be wrong, better check), that if you have a BUYER looking for a particular type of house you can knock on doors in a particular neighborhood but you must ask if they are already working with someone. Otherwise, you cannot lie and say.... "I have a potential buyer for a home like this", if it is not true.
All you have to do is ask your real estate commission. They will be happy to clear up any questions you might have about this.
I've contacted specific properties that my buyers thought might fit the bill, when nothing that was currently on the market does. And closed when the owner decided that, yes, they are in the mood to sell. So, yes, it's appropriate for your agent to do so.
We used to get them every so often when the local market was white hot and what's entry level housing in my 'burblet was going under contract in three hours or less.
I've contacted specific properties that my buyers thought might fit the bill, when nothing that was currently on the market does. And closed when the owner decided that, yes, they are in the mood to sell. So, yes, it's appropriate for your agent to do so.
Were you a dual agent on the transaction? Did you give the seller a break on the commission (like taking care of the transaction for 2-3%)?
That is similar to how my parents got their last house. They were viewing the house next door, and when they were upstairs looking out the window, and looking out at the backyard & pool next door , the place was neglected looking. They told their agent, hey, we like that place. Well she walked over, rang the bell...turns out the owners were hoping to put the house on the market that spring! Didn't really have funds available to bring it up to snuff, so were tickled to sell it as is.
SO it can be worth the effort, never know unless you try! Get your agent on this!
Good luck to ya!
Its good to hear stories that were successful as mine wasn't. But I would agree it can't hurt to try especially in this climate where it may be more likely that someone would like to sell but feels in the current market it wouldn't be worth the effort. However in a case like that they may only be willing to sell at market prices from before any deflating of prices, it depends.
I wanted to do this so contacted an agent by phone who was very enthusiastic, took down the addresses on a street I was interested in and said she would get letters out and go knock on doors as that was always better. I had not met her or signed any agreement, just looked for an agent on line who was from the area. I waited a few weeks and called. She was very abrupt, almost rude and said "well I sent the letter what more do you want?" um...an update? No mention of I'll call if I hear, the knocking on doors never came up nothing. Now I'm worried that because she is from the area that if one did decided to sell she might pass it on to a friend or family member, these are small houses on small acreages which are hard to find.
Oh well. Guess I'll rent forever.
About 12 years ago I had a buyer that wanted to be in a very special neighborhood where homes rarely came on the market. We drove through the neighborhood together and he told me which homes looked interesting to him on the outside. I returned when the owners are likely to be home, on a Sunday afternoon and knocked on the doors and of of them said, Sure, I'll sell, at the right price". We came to an agreement and 12 years later, my client/friend is still happy living in his home.
Naima
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I think I found an agent to work with. 7 of the 10 homes I wanted to look at I found are short sales, so those are removed from the list. Ouch! I'm especially interested in a certain neighborood. Would it be appropriate/legal for my agent (or me) to send a brief note to each of those addresses (I'm only interested in a single story home, so that would reduce the contact to about 25 homes) to ask if anyone is preparing to sell?
