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Should You DUMP Her?

calabasas seller

Should You DUMP Her?

If this sounds like your Real Estate Agent, then the answer is YES.

1.   She put a lock box on your door and a sign in your yard and you haven't seen much of her since.

2.   The only time she calls you is to ask for a price reduction.

3.   You haven't received weekly updates with your showing activity and showing comments.

4.   Instead of giving you a detailed explanation of why your house hasn't sold, she rolls her eyes, acts busy and blames it on the "market".

5.   She hasn't provided you with access to a home stager or advice on how to declutter and maximize curb appeal.

6.   She didn't tell you that 80% of home buyers start their search online and didn't provide you with an online virtual or video tour.
7.   You home is not featured on Realtor.com, Zillow.com, Trulia.com, or any other website for that matter.
8.   There are few pictures on MLS and they are dark, and blurry.
9.   She hasn't given you any information on what has sold in your neighborhood since your house was listed.
10.  The brochures for you home are just print outs from the Multiple Listing Service.

If even one of these sounds familiar to you it's time to show your real estate agent the door. But let her down gently.

For information on how to creatively market your Calabasas home and get it sold in this challanging buyer's market call me at (818) 652-2937. You can be sure that a one hour investment talking with me will yield at least one or more priceless ideas!

Posted by Tracey Thomas Calabasas, CA Real Estate on 10/13/2007 02:18 AM

Comments (37)

calabasas real estate, calabasas buyers, calabasas sellers, calabasas home sales

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37 Comments on Should You DUMP Her?

OCT

2007

Great post and even better idea! Thanks

Well put Tracey and I agree with Richard, great idea. I may have to borrow this one for the mortgage side of things:-)

Richard - Sometimes you just have to say what's on your mind.

Jason - Be my guest Dahling.

I've asked my purchase clients how their experience has been with their Realtor and the most popular complaints I've heard from clients are:

3. Lack of updates

4. Blaming it on the market

On the lending side, I ask what they liked best about their last experience and what they liked least...I suppose the biggest complaint is:

"He/she never returned my phone calls."

communication, Communication, COMMUNICATION!

When lenders can't get clients loans they always blame it on the market.

Ricardo - It's funny, the things that seller's complain about most are the free and simple things like returning calls or updates.

Michael - I know what you mean.

Michael,

Ain't that the truth! And that's if it gets as far as returning the phone call.

I have seen her site and it's very impressive; she's very comfortable in front of the camera. I don't feel every single listing needs a vertual tour, but it certainly is a fantastic tool for many listings. I mean, if it's a 1 bedroom vacant 600 sq ft condo listed at 180k, whats a video going to do for it? I have a feeling she doesn't have such burdens!

I recently had a lender beg me to send her clients, so I sent one. I also sent him to another lender friend. Both worked on the loan and after three weeks the one that pleaded for a loan offered me a letter of decline so my client could get his earnest money back. She said with the market as it was it just wasn't possible to get him approved.

We closed 10 days later via the other lender.

Great post Tracey! I don't understand why any agent wouldn't just do all the things you mentioned. It's our job!! And our clients deserve all we can offer them!

If she isn't doing the job the prospect can always call on a real estate man..... :-)

Tracy - The #1 compaint I hear is they don't return phone calls and no updates! How simple are those two things? I figure the only reason an agent wouldn't return a phone call is because they haven't done anything to try and sell the house and are in "hiding".

DAN...that is FUNNY up there!! Good post Tracey!

Great post and way too common. You had me at #1

Tracy, phone calls or the lack thereof is the number one reason.

You know, I add a little clause to my listing agreements that let's people out without an arguement from me. It also lets me out. I've never had a client fire me, but I sure have fired myself a few times.

And usually, all you have to do is call every few days and send email updates. Jeez! That's not too hard!

Tracey- Great post. However we do not give weekly updates. We send out monthly written report updates. Since showings are very few in these parts these days we call our sellers every time there is a showing. If we did weekly updates for each of our listings that is all we would be doing. We would not be selling houses! We tell our sellers that anyone who is promising weekly updates is not busy marketing their home or they have too much time on their hands.

We do not 'Feature' any listings on Realtor.com. We do not support Realtor.com the big rip offs they are. Of course our listings are put on Realtor.com, just as all listings are.

Our sellers are very happy with our monthly reports as they are very detailed and thorough and backed up with articles from mags and news on market conditions. And sometimes in this market it is the market. In one of the developments here most sellers owe 500k to 700k on their houses. The market value is 1/2 of that right now. There are over 76 foreclosures in that development. The competition is the builder who is selling a brand new house, same models, with all upgrades, money back, 4% interest, more, more, more for 385K! Now the banks are not yet taking the short sales that low, the hits are tremendous. It does not matter what you do in that neighborhood; it is the market. Of course you can list your house for 299k but the lender is not going to approve the deal. Katerina

Tracey, this is a simple yet effective summary - I like the way you target consumers who might not understand the ramifications of hiring the wrong agent just yet.

You would think that those things are taught in Realtor 101 but unfortunately we know that if they were it didn't take long for agents to forget them or they didn't take in the first place. I wondered how the agent gets the listing in the first place????

Nice Post Tracy, and some good comments..

unfortunately these are also the agents that the sellers remembers to tell everyone who'll listen about- for years- long after the occurrence.. and even when they retire to another state!

Wish sometimes, people would remember to add time and place to some of these stories.. At least.

But that there's still agents adding to the problem... oh just not right!

But as you've clearly pointed out... a couple or three simple things done well makes the difference.. separating a "SELLING Realtor from a mere listing agent!

Sandy - I agree, but it takes all kinds I guess.

Dan - LOL, very funny.

Linda - Phone calls are a biggie, even lawyers don't return phone calls. What's up with that?

Susie -Dan is the jokester for sure.

Nancy - It is WAY too common.

Missy - I know, returning a phone call is free! Getting a new listing is not.

Tracy,communication is the number one problem most clients have with their agent. It's time that each understand that it is vital to communicate even if there isn't much to say, call anyway...check-in. The Seller needs feedback and needs to know that you haven't taken off for parts unknown! The calls I usually get are about agents who are part-time so they are busy at their "jobs" and don't consider real estate important enough to devote full time to. That's a problem in this industry and one that should be addressed among others.

Patricia - Contact is the key ingrediant to making your client happy (well at least understand).

Katerina - Every market is different, this is just what I do in my area. Communication is key, if you say you're going to send updates monthly and you do that, then it's perfect.

Jeff - Same article, just written after the fact.

Gaylen - That's a great question, I'd love to know that myself.

blreast therealty4u - It makes a huge difference when you communicate with your client.

Gena - I agree completely, thanks for the comment.

Kick her to the curb. And yes lay the sign next to her. keep the lockbox. It may come in handy. No you cant do that.On the serious side she's not handling her BUSINESS.

Tracey, I didn't see the most important item: counsel not to list if they don't absolutely, possitively need to sell. Too much inventory hurts everybody.

Bill Roberts

Without a doubt, the answer is YES! While it may be a 'difficult' market, or whatever terminology you want to use, houses ARE being bought & sold, and it is up to the Realtor to WORK at getting the house sold! It CAN be done!

Wonderful Post....The lack of returned phone calls should be a big red flag. If your agent won't return your calls, what makes you think they are returning other's calls. And in a slower market this could cost you a sale.

Tracey~ Am I missing something? Why is it dump her? There are lousy, lazy agents of both sexes, be an equal opportunity dumper!

Did they dump her and hire you? Great list of reasons why....

I would dump him or her and get another agent.

Robert- I think if seller's read this and listened, there would be many agents kicked to the curb.

Bill - I agree, not taking an overpriced listing is first.

Ronald - It definitely can be done.

Sandra - That's a great point.

Lisa - I'm an equal opportunity dumper, I just picked woman for this post since in my area, we have more fenake agents than male agents.

Sally -Hopefully after thay read this post they will.

Vicki - Me too!

OCT

2007

Hi Tracey,
It is sad that there are agents just as you described and I hope the public will heed your advice and DUMP HER/HIM.

OCT

2007

Tracey, this is a very nice, short and sweet marketing piece that may be able to work wonders for obtaining some of those about to expire or languishing listings out there.

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