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Dear Mrs Listing Agent, Thanks so much for getting back to me ... 1 day after we wanted to see the house ...

By
Real Estate Agent with Bergen County, NJ - RE/MAX Real Estate Limited

Why be a Real Estate Agent if you cannot follow your own instructions???

I called 6 agents on FRIDAY to schedule showings for Sunday (YESTERDAY).

One in particular specifically said the ONLY way to get a showing was to EMAIL the listing agent. Not call.

So...I emailed her ... on Friday ... with time, date, and address for my requested showing, and of course, left all my contact details.

I then emailed a followup to confirm the next day ... Saturday ...

Having not heard by Saturday afternoon, I called the brokerage (as there was no cell phone) and got a recorded message.

By Sunday and not having heard, we went on and viewed the 5 other properties that I had confirmed appointments with.


TODAY (Monday) - I receive this EMAIL reply !


"Please let me know if you would like to show this listing on another date"


THAT'S ALL SHE WROTE !!! ...no apology for not getting back to me in time, just a short unprofessional one liner !

So I had emailed her, PER HER INSTRUCTIONS for a showing appointment, 2 DAYS BEFORE THE SHOWING - and she didnt read her email for 3 days ??? and didnt respond to me until a day after we wanted to see the house ???

 

 

This agent couldnt even follow her own instructions, and missed a showing for her listing.


... her seller must be so proud of her representation ...

 

 

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Irene Kennedy Realtor® in Northwestern NJ
Weichert - Lopatcong, NJ

Sheldon,

I'm having discussions with a seller about the high cost of missing showings - due to dog issues.  That is bad enough but to think the listing agent dropped the ball is worse!

Feb 22, 2011 11:15 PM
Justin Ochs
Diamond Ochs Enterprises - Nashville, TN
Real Estate Auctioneer

Just like any other business, it's these characteristics that separates the true professionals from the "just in it for a check" types.

Feb 23, 2011 12:07 AM
Mark Seamone
EXIT Realty Inter Lake, Bridgewater Nova Scotia, Canada - Bridgewater, NS

Amazing how some people do business, or should I say don't do business. Times like that I would love to be able to call his/her client and set them straight. Maybe she will see your post!

Feb 23, 2011 12:55 AM
Aaron Seekford
Arlington Realty, Inc. - Arlington, VA
Ranked Top 1% Nationwide 703-836-6116

Oh boy, Sheldon. That would drive me just about crazy. If that home doesn't sell anytime soon, I'd be having a chat with that agent!

Feb 23, 2011 12:59 AM
Deborah Wilson
Hackenberg Realty Group - Canton, OH
Stark County OH Real Estate

Sheldon,

The agent's office or the agent should use a showing service to make the appointments.  Having to email or track down an agent in this day and age is ridiculous.

Feb 23, 2011 01:32 AM
Claude THOMAS
Rossman Realty Group - Cape Coral, FL

Don't be too harsh Sheldon, 80% of agents out there (and here on AR) are working their full time job even on week-end, leaving little time for real estate job on the side...

Feb 23, 2011 01:36 AM
Christianne O'Malley
Dickson Realty - Reno, NV
Exceptional Service - Delivering Results in Reno!

I wonder if her seller knows about these missed opportunities. You can't be the only one. As for comment #64, part time agents do not do their clients any favors. Sellers should not be hiring people who 'dabble' in real estate while doing their 'full time job'. 

Feb 23, 2011 03:12 AM
Tricia DeSouza
HomeSmart - Scottsdale, AZ
Selling Scottsdale Luxury

Wow! That same thing happened to me 2 weeks ago except they requested an email OR text. I sent both... and a phone call with a voice mail when I didn't hear back... Nothing!! Until it was too late, for me it was 2 days after my requested showing date. NO wonder the house had been on the market so long. Probably a great house with a not so great agent.

Feb 23, 2011 04:11 AM
Carla Wade
Charlotte, NC

That just blows my mind.  How can a Real Estate agent, or anyone in business, NOT read their email for days?  And why don't they return phone calls?  Why do they have voice mail?  They should be FIRED!  It is agents like that, that give us all a bad name. 

Feb 23, 2011 07:58 AM
Whitney Peddy
de Luxe Homes & Estates - Fort Worth, TX

That's unfortunate for her clients. I wonder if they know what kind of job she's doing.

Feb 23, 2011 09:42 AM
Kristi DeFazio
RE/MAX Advantage - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs Rea lEstate 719-459-5468

Imagine how difficult she would be to communicate with if you went under contract with her. Not pleasant. Unfortunately, this happens way too often.

Feb 23, 2011 12:24 PM
Sussie Sutton
David Tracy Real Estate - Houston, TX
David Tracy Real Estate for Buyers & Sellers

WOW! How rude! I hope she didn't do that on purpose...and that she had a good reason!

Feb 23, 2011 03:17 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Hey Lil Brother!  Well, I have to say that I agree with KarenAnne but, Bob hit the nail on the head!  I can't, for the life of me, understand why we must sit back and observe a seller being completely ignored and say nothing.  I've had this very experience before and it is incredibly frustrating.  I map out my tour, get all of the appointments made and am READY to go on tour day.  When an AGENT causes my schedule to be completely thrown off, it really gets under my skin!

Congrats on the feature!

Feb 23, 2011 04:58 PM
Joshua Jarvis
Virtual Properties - Atlanta Real Estate - Duluth, GA
Moving Families Forward.

Can I be a contrarian?

If this was an APPOINTMENT only listing, then yes, I totally agree.

However, I have seen where buyer agents don't want to follow directions and we miss a showing and they miss out on a great deal. If it's active and it says available and there's no need for an appointment, go show.

Sorry, that's the one instance that gets to me. 

Not everyone in real estate is lazy, some have a life on different days then you do (not talking about those that have "jobs" on the other side of their R.E. Career.)

Feb 23, 2011 10:16 PM
Lizette Fitzpatrick
Lizette Realty - Richmond KY - Lexington, KY
Lizette Realty, Lexington KY MLS - Kentucky Homes

Wow!  I am not sure where to begin with my thoughts.  Maybe, how rude??  I feel bad for the clients who are trying to sell their home.  Nasty!

Feb 24, 2011 05:35 AM
Mary Douglas
United Country Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado - Red Feather Lakes, CO
REALTOR, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

 Hi Sheldon, well it sounds like you might have found a home for your buyer, so that's the good news.  I would have given the agent the benefit of the doubt - maybe a family emergency, but after the curt response with no apology or excuse I can only agree with everyone else - she's not doing her job, unfortunately, to the detriment of her seller.

Feb 24, 2011 03:00 PM
Annette Sievert
CB Valley Broker - Corvallis, OR
Corvallis, Oregon

Most sellers have no clue how poorly they are represented. And for "ethics" reasons nobody can tell them either. These poor people loose time and money and often do not discover for months what is going on.  What are we protecting here?

Feb 25, 2011 01:57 PM
Gwen Banta
Sotheby's International Realty - Los Angeles, CA

OMG - don't get me started. I actually had an agent call me FOUR weeks after I had placed three showing request calls. The amazing thing was that this is a well-known, successful L.A. agent! My client finally got to see the house and we made an offer. A good offer. A well-qualified client. Three follow up calls. Five emails. They NEVER got back to us, and the house went into foreclosure. If I were that seller, I would be lawering-up!

Feb 25, 2011 06:34 PM
Sheldon Neal
Bergen County, NJ - RE/MAX Real Estate Limited - Maywood, NJ
That British Agent Bergen County NJ

Gwen ! Thats unbelievable ! Four weeks ?!?!?!? Wow....speechless !

Annette ! You're right, and there's almost no way they can find out unfortunately :o(

Mary ! - I think she is just inefficient ! Like you said, especially as she didnt even have the decency to apologize for completely missing our requested showing date !!!

Lizette ! ha ! Yes Rude came to my mind too !

Joshua ! There was a combo lockbox. The code was not given. It was stated that we MUST email before going to show ...that was 'MUST' email :o)  I typically adhere to the requests of a listing agent if they give specific showing instructions :o)

Debe ! Oh you and me both! I know mistakes happen, but when agents laziness cause my showing schedule to be messed up, I am none too pleased :o)

Feb 26, 2011 12:44 AM
Ellie Shorb
Compass Real Estate - Chevy Chase, MD
Realtor DC, MD & VA Luxury Home Expert

I have been in that situation before... if I have to wait more than 24 hours for a response from either email or cell phone calls to show (following the instructions) I get in touch with someone at their office (broker if I must) and very nicely explain the situation and that I have buyers ready. Usually does the trick.

Mar 01, 2011 01:20 AM
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