As a realtor, I am a little ticked off . . .

[Whispering Winds]

I have had a wonderful little tri-level listed in a small college town for a year, it had quite alot of activity on it, but I am from a Realtor OUT OF TOWN. I was told quite frankly by another "hometown" realtor, that it would just be so much easier for him if these people would have listed with someone at least in the SAME county . . ." I had open houses, it went out on over 900 websites throughout the WORLD and it never sold. We lowered the price, I told anyone and everyone about it . . .and it simply was not "the one" for people looking. I had an open house the last Sunday in April, we expired the following week and they have now listed it with the same realtor who told me about "at least in the same county". The husband can't stand this guy, but his sister insists that this is the guy who can sell it. Well, he is the one who showed it the last two times and nothing happened, but if he DOES sell it, NOW, my suspicions about him is probably right. He will hold off a buyer knowing the listing is ready to expire and then wine and dine the seller, list it, and get both sides of the commission. He isn't even on our regional multiple listing website for other agents to see; and we all are suspicious of just how this guy works. . .you have to go to their personal website in order to view their properties. . .Its not like I haven't lost a listing here and there before, but these people were almost like family, and I really did LIKE them, and their dog was crazy about me, which was another reason they listed with me, because I just "fit in" so well . . .I can just see this other guy going to the house and dog setting the dog so that the other agents can show the house . . .oh well, done with the venting. But, if there are other people out there in sales or RE, you understand exactly where I am coming from. My broker thought it was just bad taste to let me have an open house (to which SIX people showed up!!) and then list it with someone else the following week. Oh well . . .but I did pick up two listings the last two weeks, and both are exceptional. If anyone out there is wanting to move to Illinois and be within an hour of St. Louis, for gosh sakes, email me. I will get you settled right in!!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Hmm... sounds fishy. But! In this economy its a dog eat dog world I'm sure. Doesn't make it right or ethical though. But ethics and honesty always win in the long run!

 

[CityChicker]

I am sorry the listing seems to have gone south for you. I hate it when things like that happen. I was a broker for years and there are so many potential reasons why a property doesn't sell. Listings are handled differently everywhere you go too. I, personally, will NOT act as a dual agent. In some places, doing so is illegal. To me, it is horribly unethical. How could an agent or broker represent the best interests of both parties of a transaction at the same time? They can't. I hope that is not what the agent is doing to your seller.

It used to frustrate me beyond belief when someone would get a listing by saying something along the lines of, "My commission is 6% unless I bring you the buyer- then it is only 4.5%!" That is such a scam because A) The listing agent almost *never* brings the buyer (at least not here where we typically have 30,000 houses listed and many agencies don't allow dual agency). B) If the listing agent did bring the buyer, it would be unethical.

It is frustrating to those of us that represent one side of the transaction and act 100% completely in our client's interest and provide a full service (ie. not just sticking a sign in the yard and putting the property in the MLS).

 

[MagsC]

Yeah...some people...
The lot next to us is for sale. I called the realty that has it for sale and had someone come over to discuss listing mine.
I ended up NOT listing, because even in this day and time, what they said I should list for didnt sound right.
NOW I find out the people who want the other lot were interested in this as well, while he was discussing this with me, he was trying to get THEM a good deal.

But it looks like this is going to sell anyway. For three times what he wanted me to list it for.

 

[speckledhen]

I've had realtors do much worse to me, trust me. That's why the real estate commission is a darn joke! I was sick of the stupid job after 8 years of stress and dishonest associates.

What makes me crazy is that people will list with agent after agent and blame the agent when the house doesn't sell, but the frank truth is that there is NO magical formula. You put it in every advertising venue there is, the MLS, you hold open houses, agent luncheons, etc, then some dufus, who thinks that you should have sat on a buyer and forced them to sign their name, lists with someone else. You've maybe spent hundreds trying to sell it! If the house sells then, it's not because of the new agent, it's because it was time for it to sell after being on the market an appropriate length of time. I am so done with that Mickey Mouse job. I never want to think about it again. And I was good, too! I had clients use me to buy and sell many times over, the same clients, and they would not use anyone else.

I feel for you, but you couldn't pay me enough to do it again. Its too expensive just to hold the license and do those dumb continuing ed classes that the old timers, the ones who should go to them, don't have to go to.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Thanks everyone, for your nice support. The bad thing is, a good client comes along and makes up for every other bad one. I don't hold it againest these people for listing with someone else, its just that this is the one THEY were againest from the beginning, and now give it to him because the sister says he is "the one". grrrrr. They even interviewed another agency before renewing the second time with me, and said they came back to me because I am so positive and try to hard . . .which made me feel good, as well as being the truth. I tell them from the beginning that I will do my best, but I can't beat people up and MAKE them buy their house. It takes that special someone to walk in, fall in love with the house and buy it, and sometimes it happens FAST and other times, it takes awhile. The market here is still good in one county where my office is, we have had four+ closings this month so far, and we are rural. Ironically, the county where this listing is has new industry coming, lots of new jobs for a rural area and their real estate market is DEAD except for this guy that now has their listing. That is what makes all of us agents suspicious. He has something under his hat that he isn't letting out, and chances are, since he doesn't have to go by the same rules and regulations we do, since he is not a member (doesn't stop him from getting our forms and taking the header off and putting his own on though!!!) he can pretty well do as he darn well pleases. We have a federal prison here, and they made sure they are the ONLY realtor shown when the website is pulled up, and not one of the other realtors tries to get on this site which baffles me. I love doing this, but I can see I will get out as soon as I can, because it is $$$ and lots and lots of miles are traveled every week showing and never selling. If my husband wasn't disabled, I would have went out a year or so ago, but the little extra I do make on BPO's and the sales that I have coming does help. Thanks for letting me vent!!!!

 

[hollymh]

Oh, I have been looking into moving to Illinois! My husband is in the Navy though so I obviously would have to live somewhere near base, Kenosha, Wakeguan(sp?), how far is that from you?! Can you fill me in on what it is like there? I really want ot live somewhere where it is cool in the Fall, Hot in the Summer, freezing in the Winter, and nice in the Spring... Sorry about your add, my Anut was a RE agent and always had issues w/ something or the other...

 

[MagsC]

Yeah, actually Illinois is one of the places we are looking at too after this place sells.(Fiance lives in Romeoville)
Looking kind of west of there (Kewanee area) and south of (like over by Kankakee).
I am sorry you have to go through this with a job you obviously like otherwise.