Every morning I go on the Reports section of the multilist system and see new listings, expired homes, and so forth. I am always amazed at the numbers of listings that failed to sell include people who don't want a lockbox on the door. They just don't get it, especially in an area that relies on so much relocation. Almost every home that has expired, discounting grossly overpriced or run down homes, don't want a lockbox on the door. So you have your house listed. You're all over the Internet, multilist, and other venues of advertising. I have a typical buyer who wakes up this morning and seemingly out of the blue has decided, that's it - I'm not going to the gym today, by gum I'm buying that house I've been putting off these last two years. Tax credit paperwork in hand, qualification from the loan officer at the ready, meets the agent at her office, sits down in front of the multilist and picks out 10 houses in a designated price range and area. While we're having coffee, putting the houses in order of showing based on location so we can leave the office and work in a circle back to the office later in the day, the agent calls the homeowners.
Whew, we're only seeing six houses because one property is under contract since last week but the agent "forgot" to note that. One person needs 2 day's notice to put up the three dogs at a kennel, the fourth house states "must call agent to show for alarm instructions and location of dog" but she doesn't give her cell phone number because the boss at her nine to five job doesn't allow phone calls. Last is a "call homeowner to put lockbox out" - only the homeowner is at work and can't drive home from Buckhead to put the lockbox out. He must have that lockbox inside his house. It's the only real control he has in this deal because price, settlement date, and costs aren't determined yet. When an agent calls to ask permission to show two days ahead of time, he tells them to lock the lockbox back in the house when they leave and make sure you leave a card (which is unnecessary because the lockbox immediately emails the agent with name, email address, company name, phone number and time stamps it). He can then ask us all the particulars on the buyer when in fact, I had questions but can't get a word in. Can they afford his asking price, do they have children who will run all over his home unattended, will they take their shoes off if it's raining, did I tell them the subdivision has swim but not tennis? By the time the buyer hears me speaking with the seller, the buyer tells me to show his last, let's drive by, and if it doesn't thrill me, call and cancel. Even the buyers get it - if the seller is this difficult in the beginning, it's never going to end.
Now an agent who uses a "call center" to make appointments is going to try to use this post to prove her point - if we use a central call system, the agents call, the call center lady calls you and viola, we have an appointment. But you don't answer your phone because you're on a plane to Chicago. We wait, we wait - because instructions are the call center lady must get in touch with you first to verify the appointment. Meanwhile, I'd really like to speak with the agent to make sure the master bath has a separate shower and not a tub/shower combination but I can't get her either because I get a recording "if you'd like to view any of my listings, please call the call center to make an appointment."
My next favorite access problem is the agent who MUST be present when you show the house for whatever reason. I ask to meet between Noon and two o'clock. We can't because she's getting her hair and nails done for her sister's wedding, we have to give her an exact time and it has to be after four o'clock. Sad, because I'm starting out at 9:00 a.m. with my buyer and will have written a contract by three.
Now an agent who uses a "call center" to make appointments is going to try to use this post to prove her point - if we use a central call system, the agents call, the call center lady calls you and viola, we have an appointment. But you don't answer your phone because you're on a plane to Chicago. We wait, we wait - because instructions are the call center lady must get in touch with you first to verify the appointment. Meanwhile, I'd really like to speak with the agent to make sure the master bath has a separate shower and not a tub/shower combination but I can't get her either because I get a recording "if you'd like to view any of my listings, please call the call center to make an appointment."
My next favorite access problem is the agent who MUST be present when you show the house for whatever reason. I ask to meet between Noon and two o'clock. We can't because she's getting her hair and nails done for her sister's wedding, we have to give her an exact time and it has to be after four o'clock. Sad, because I'm starting out at 9:00 a.m. with my buyer and will have written a contract by three.
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