Special offer

It didn't sell? Who'd a thunk it!!

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with American Foursquare Realty RM423982

Some houses you just don't see until they expire.  That's how low they fly under the radar.

366 days after being listed, a local condo expired off the market.  Whoa!  I never even knew it was for sale!

Regardless of the fact that our MLS does NOT allow text in listing photos, and has rules that the photos must be photos of the property (with exceptions for renderings of new construction), some agents still slip in a "Too new for photo" placeholder until they can get their pictures up.    So this sad sack of a property?  After one year, this was all that was on the MLS.

The listing itself was just about as non-existent:

- Public comments:  10 words.

- Price adjustments in 1 year:  0

- Pictures:  0

Oh -- and it's a short sale.

Now I'm sure there's a back story that I know nothing about.  Perhaps the homeowner was less than cooperative.

But here's the bottom line.  The agent's name and office will forever be linked to this dog of a listing.  Is that how you want the home buying and selling public to see you?  Is this going to make other buyers and sellers want to use your service?

And if this homeowner really wanted to sell his home?  We'll just call that a complete and utter failure.

Real estate professionals have a duty to both clients and customers.  This one looks more like doody to me . . .

 

Posted by
 Richard Strahm is an award winning Realtor specializing in the North Penn areas of Montgomery County -- Lansdale, Upper Gwynedd, North Wales, Towamencin, Hatfield -- and beyond!  Visit him at www.a4square.com or call today at 215-853-2624 for a free and private consultation about all of your real estate needs.
 
 
Richard Strahm
Broker / Owner
Realtor, ABR, CRS, PSA, SFR, SRS, SRES
 
American Foursquare Realty - Lansdale, PA

415 North Broad Street
Lansdale, PA 19446

Direct: (215) 853-2624
Office: (215) 647-0700
Fax: (215) 529-8931

Email:  Richard@a4square.com

www.a4square.com

PA Lic # RM423982

Copyright © 2010-2018 Richard Strahm.   All rights reserved worldwide.

Comments (7)

Liz Wallace
Century 21 Sherlock Homes - Rockville Centre, NY
Broker C21 Sherlock Homes, Rockville Centre, LI, N

Great post Richard, I hope you made this one public because they are the people who need to see this.  Do you think the client had a clue how awful the marketing was?  I would definitely contact them now that the listing is expired.

Mar 12, 2011 02:18 AM
Andrea Swiedler
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties - New Milford, CT
Realtor, Southern Litchfield County CT

Richard, I heard a conversation the other day... went like this.

I got a listing, great house! Owner is upside down, lost his job... bla bla bla.

  • The price? $200,000 over the last sale in the neighborhood.... Owners price.
  • No signage allowed
  • No advertising other than MLS allowed

Me thinks that the seller doesn't want to sell. I would not take a listing like this, but others are encouraged to get listings at any cost. Sometimes it is a seller directive....sometimes it is a lazy agent. Who knows.

BUT IT IS BAD BUSINESS EITHER WAY!

Mar 12, 2011 02:28 AM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

Might not have been a dog of a listing, but a dog real estate agent.  A lazy one at that.  A pity.

Mar 12, 2011 02:56 AM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Richard, who knows.  Maybe seller was working a deed in lieu and bank required the house to be listed.  At least, I would hope that this was the case, otherwise, it would be just too sad...

Mar 12, 2011 06:37 AM
Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

I agree with the above but I also want to say that even on new construction either show a photo of a similar model or at least a floor plan.

Mar 12, 2011 06:39 AM
Virginia Gardner
Roy Wheeler Realty Co. - Charlottesville, VA
Realtor, Charlottesville, Serving Central Virginia

I hope there is something other than a quantity-vs-quality REO agent behind the obvious lact of attention!

Mar 12, 2011 08:42 AM
The Scott Loper Team Bux-Mont Premier Properties
Keller Williams Real Estate - Montgomeryville - Lansdale, PA

Hi Richard,

Amazing. We would never want our name associated with that listing.

Lisa

Mar 13, 2011 09:38 AM