From a marketing stand point one of the most important parts of selling a home is putting together a detailed, correct MLS info sheet. You know, the one that goes to the agents.

Yesterday, as I was trying to set up showings I ran across so many goofs and omissions that I wondered if I had entered an alternative universe.

I was setting up showings in the same condo sub-division. All these units are identical...but, not the information on the sheets.

Here's what I found missing, incorrect or wrong.

Latest tax amount. We pay taxes in arrears. So, a listing that comes out in April will have the 2005 tax amount. However, the assessor sends out the new 2006 bill in May. And, we have access to the latest tax amount on-line.  So, a listing needs to be corrected or updated to the new tax amount.

Correct monthly assessment. Why is there a variation of $90 per month? Turns out that one agent hadn't checked with the seller and just guessed based upon previous listings. Another, added a special assessment amount to the monthly without explanation.

Name of Schools. Why would you list a property and not include the names of the local schools? Turns out that these four listings were taken by out-of-area agents. They all had the district number correct...but not the name of elementary school or junior high school. Don't they know that many buyers want a specific school? And, when doing a search by schools their listing will never show up?

Combo boxes instead of Supra boxes. Key boxes are cheap...but do not offer any record. In fact, one company makes their boxes to open to this code: X-X-X (no, I'm not going to tell, as too many people would try it). And, sure enough one of the key boxes is set to what the manufacturer sent out. Truthfully, this is irresponsible. Yes, our GE Supra boxes are expensive...about $100 a box, but they can be used over and over. And, why do we use a Supra box? It records the date, the time and the name of the agent showing the property. Certainly gives us an idea of which agent did not turn off the lights or lock the door. And, yes, this does happen.

In fact, in this morning's email was the following:

Urgent Alert regarding combination lockboxes

 If you are currently using COMBINATION LOCKBOXES on your listings, please take notice. Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® has received notification that non-members are trying to obtain access into listed homes. Please make sure that you frequently change the combination on your lockboxes. Please verify the caller is indeed an active real estate licensee prior to giving out any combinations.

MORe strongly encourages members to use the Organization's approved Lockbox System for security reasons.

I suspect that our Organization will come to realize that they're going to make it mandatory to use Supra boxes. Especially if Alternative Business Companies come to our area. These are companies that do NOT show property to buyers. So the buyers have to figure out a way to see the property. Possibly with an Open House, or an agent, or directly. And, what's to stop an interested buyer from posing as an agent to see a property? Gets pretty scary, doesn't it?

Copyright © 2007 Eileen Landau