Special offer

Why would you list a property that you don't have access to?

By
Real Estate Agent with HomeSmart Realty West CalBRE #01458572

My owner is a Realtor with Century 21 Award in Mission ValleyThere's a condominium here that's been on the market since September 15 that is a possibility for one of my Clients.

The showing instructions say, "Call agent then go." and "Lockbox on fence."

Unfortunately, if you call the agent, you get voice mail and if you go over to the condominium there are eleven lockboxes, of which only three have the unit number or a business card on them. After never finding a lockbox and leaving daily voice mails for almost two weeks, I finally got a text message (yuk!) from the agent:

"The lockbox is on the rear fence rather than the front fence because we don't have a common area key yet."

Two weeks and they don't have a common area key yet but the property's been in the MLS? Aaaaaaarrrrrrrrgh!

Don't agents like this realize that those first thirty days can be the most important time when selling a house? In this case, she's already used up half that time. It's going to be an old listing before she ever gets a common area key.

Common area keys are not easy to get, but they are not exactly hard to get, either. Proper credentials -- and the signing away the life of one's first-borne -- can get you a common area key here in San Diego.

**********

If you're looking for a great condominium in Mission Valley,
the heart and soul of San Diego, please give me a call.

I'm available 24/7, so feel free to contact me by phone or email.

**********

Jim Frimmer, Realtor
Century 21 Award Mission Valley
California DRE License #01458572
619-729-5701
jimfrimmer@century21award.com

**********

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Comments (10)

David Williams
CaryRealEstate.com - Cary, NC

Jim -

Just this week I showed a home where in the agent remarks to the public in the MLS is stated in all capitals : WARNING DO NOT USE THE FRONT DOOR, THERE IS A LARGE HORNETS NEST ON THE FRONT PORCH - PLEASE USE SIDE DOOR!

 

Sep 27, 2009 06:08 PM
Andrea Swiedler
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties - New Milford, CT
Realtor, Southern Litchfield County CT

Jim, I know this is probably silly, but the home owner must have a key to make a copy of. Anyway, yes, that is tough. Don't put it on until it can be shown. And mark the box at least, wow.

Sep 27, 2009 10:48 PM
Irene Tron
Valparaiso, IN

Jim, I'll never understand agents not responding to phone calls in less than 24 hours.  Part of the problem I see in my area is that so many agents have taken on other jobe to help make ends meet.  Real estate is a full time job all by itself so it must be difficult to keep up with it all. 

Sep 27, 2009 11:41 PM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

Hi Jim,

We do need Agents like this, they leave a trail of expired listings behind them for you to pick up.

Our MLS Board clamped down on this... the property has to show "off the market" if Agents are unable to get into the property.  Failure... fines

Sep 28, 2009 02:10 AM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

Our MLS allows us to place the location of the lockbox in the listing.....we are also supposed to put them ON the front door knob; however, owners objected to them banging on the front door so they are now just placed on the front porch.....I suspect the listing agent is too busy to get the key from the owner, go to the locksmith, make 2 copies (1 for lockbox and 1 for office) and return the origina key to the owner....

Sep 28, 2009 08:17 AM
Will Nesbitt
Nesbitt Realty at Condo Alexandria - Alexandria, VA
Nesbitt Realty is a family-run brokerage.

I never cease to be amazed by agents.

Sep 28, 2009 11:42 PM
Terry Chenier
Homelife Glenayre Realty - Mission, BC

Jim,

Ah, professionalism at it's best; that's why listing expire for you to pick up.

Sep 29, 2009 06:46 PM
Sharon Paxson
Sharon Paxson, Realtor® EQTY Forbes Global Properties - Newport Beach, CA
Newport Beach Real Estate

Jim - that is amazing - I have tried to show properties before when they don't call you back. Honestly - I just move on to the next one.

Oct 01, 2009 01:24 PM
Jim Frimmer
HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA
Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

Hey, David - I don't know whether to laugh or cry on that one.

Hey, Andrea - That's what I would think, too. However, some of the common area keys are marked "DO NOT COPY," but it's still possible to get one from the owners' association.

Hey, Irene - I suspect all those part-time agents will be back in force when the market improves.

Hey, Al and Peggy - More MLS's should be proactive in helping their members.

Hey, Wallace - Many agents will put the lockbox location in the MLS here, too. Other times....

Hey, Will - It's an interesting profession.

Hey, Terry - Some agents sure make it easy for other agents by making it hard to begin with.

Hey, Sharon - When one is previewing properties, it's easy to move on to the next one. However, if one's Clients want to see it, you have to keep trying.

Oct 05, 2009 01:34 PM
Satar Naghshineh
Satar - Amiri Property and Financial Services Corp. - Irvine, CA

Hi Jim. Is it a short sale? Maybe the listing agent already has a buyer in mind and really does not want to sell it?

Oct 07, 2009 02:48 PM