You can't sell it - If I can't show it!

Jim I know what you mean. Then I hate it when you call to show a home and you find out that it is sold and the listing agent failed to "get around" to changing the status

I'm alway amazed at the number of "sellers" (intentional quotes) put roadblocks on the road to selling their home.  No lockbox. Appointment only. Restricted hours/days. I took a listing like that once.  The seller really didn't want to sell their home and it was a disserve to other Realtors, potential buyers and a loss of money for me.  Never, never again.  If the seller can't or won't allow access it'll be buh-buh.

James, This is a major pet peeve.  Why would you go on vacation while your home is listed and not allow a lockbox to be installed?  And the bigger question is, why is there no lockbox?  I mean okay, I will cut your $2Million house some slack for not having one, but there is NO EXCUSE for your run of the mill house in your run of the mill neighborhood not to have one.  I MEAN REALLY!

Dana, Not changing the status to pending or sold is an epidemic among Atlanta's REO agents.

By appointment only is a last resort and under very specific circumstances.  Otherwise it can be the death knoll for selling a home.  To bad the listing agent didn't spell out the need for access clearly.  Weekends are prime real estate showing times.  I had two sets of clients this weekend with new listings on the market leave for the entire day taking pets with them just to make it easier to show.

Difficult Sellers hurt themselves and waste other realtors time. That happens unfortunately once in a while in the vacation rental industry too.  I knew about a couple who were listing their vacation home for rent (not with me) who would tell their Agent their home was available and then later disappoint a prospect renter and say they decided they wanted the home for themselves for the same time.  This same couple would also say they would not rent too far out, even though it was only a couple of months away.  It was like they really didn't want to rent, so why waste the agent's time in the first place? 

Really. That is frustrating. Do you set appts directly with the sellers? No middle men? If our sellers are that difficult we have to change it to temporarily not available for showings for the days that they are refusing showings.

It surprises me that more people do not understand that! 

It surprises me that more people do not understand that! 

Right on Jim..I give this lecture every-time I list a home for sale...

James - I am always amazed by listings that say 'call first' and then the agent not only does not answer, but calls back the following day!!!!