Short sales and foreclosures are not all they are cracked up to be, especially if the agent on the listing side claims to know more than they actually do. Please don't report to be the expert with a vast amount of knowledge and experience in these matters if you're not. Faking it only makes the situation worse, and we may end up loosing the opportunity to help both purchaser and seller meet their needs.
It doesn't take long to realize someone is blowing smoke up your shorts if when you call they give you a different story each time. It either makes them look like they are incapable of handling the transaction or they simply don't care enough to learn what they should be doing. In either case it makes us all look bad!
I find that it's a lot like asking for directions; if you don't know where you're going, just say so. You are more likely to be met with patience and helpful understanding than if you stubbornly pretend to be on familiar ground.
In this case a perfectly solid deal went south because an agent couldn't or wouldn't be forthcoming about their seller, the third party and the parameters of the home for sale. He provided misinformation that was material to the purchase offer, and then didn't respond or follow up with my subsequent inquires. I ended up with a normally patient client, who was more than willing and able to purchase this property, but ended up withdrawing their offer out of pure frustration.
In the end there were no winners. None of the parties involved end up getting what they wanted, and the property remains on the market. It is truly unfortunate, because the entire situation could probably have come to a successful conclusion with reasonable responses and timely communication. What a shame!
Source: John VanerSyde is an Associate Broker with Virginia Properties, A Long & Foster Company, and is also a Licensed Architect. You can learn more about John & Ann VanderSyde by visiting their website at www.InSydeHomes.com
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