"Hi, my name is Alan May and I'm with Coldwell Banker... and I'd like to show your property on Sunday between 1:00 and 2:00."

"Oh, I'm sorry.  I need to accompany showings and I'm just not available this Sunday, my daughter's getting married."

"Hey" I replied "congratulations!   Can you have your back-up show it to us?"

"No, I don't have a back-up, I'm sorry".

"Oh" I paused "well, how about throwing a lock box on the property so we can see it?  This is an out of town buyer, they're in town just for the day, and they've chosen your house as one of those they want to see".

"No, we have some unruly tenants, and I like to arrive a few minutes early and turn lights on, open drapes and tidy up a touch."

"Oh, that's okay... we don't care about a little mess... we just want to view the house."

"No... I'm sorry... not this weekend, it's just not convenient for me."

"So, instead of seeing the house a bit messy, that means we won't be able to see the house at all."

"I'm sorry... no."

*************

I wonder if the seller has any idea that the reason their property isn't selling, the impediment standing in their way is their AGENT!  (remind me, please, why I can't call the seller and tell them how stupid their agent is... please remind me?)

How do YOU spell Fiduciary Duty?

ALAN MAY, Realtor®
Specializing in Evanston Real Estate and North Shore Real Estate

Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, 2929 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201
847.425.3779      Cell: 847.924.3313      Email: Almay@aol.com

Evanston Real Estate & North Shore Real Estate
Licensed in Illinois

   

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73 Comments on How do YOU spell fiduciary duty?

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

JUL
28
2011
360,586 Points 76 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I can't believe I'm going to disagree on this post.  A wedding is a good excuse, and there are some listings that can't just be handed over to another agent -- especially when you have disgruntled tenants that you've been working with.  

It is unfortunate that they will miss this showing but it sounds like one of those listings that will just take longer to sell due to the situation.  It is common for listings with tenants to take a bit longer.  If the seller is familiar with the showing instructions then I'm sure they understand that they are going to miss a showing here or there.

Also, as a workaholic I feel comfortable saying that it is reasonable for people to not work on a Sunday, even in real estate.  If not Sunday, what day can they possibly take off?  I don't take every Sunday off, but Sunday is the only day I can take completely off in a normal week without much disruption.  Most of the time I'm out there working when other agents won't -- so there would be no one to cover for me on a Sunday either.  On the Sundays I do work -- very few agents are.  

Of course if this is a regular practice by the agent, this sympahetic response does not apply.  There are after all some routine offenders.. .and I get the feeling if you took fingertip to keyboard that may be the case.

7:08am • #54
880,253 Points 225 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Jenny - if I truly felt it was "the one"... i wouldn't have let it go.

Bryan - idiotic... that's the word I was searching for.

Rosalie - I suppose that's possible, too... but we'll never know.

Dawn - it does tend to piss the clients off doesn't it?

Cheryl - they don't hire us to erect roadblocks.

Maya - huh?

Tni - I imagine that you could be right.  But somehow, I doubt that the seller is aware of the lost showing.  If she's unavailable due to the wedding (totally understandable), she should have gotten a backup, and taken them to the house to meet the tenants... and make it work.  Missing a showing (in today's difficult market) is just not an option.  It's just not.

nina spamster - g'bye!

8:44am • #55
731,668 Points 15 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Alan, I agree with you. When an agent takes a listing they are making a commitment to market the property. A wedding may be a good reason for the agent not to show it, but the agent should have made other arrangements to make sure the property was shown.

9:04am • #56

This is very frustrating.  I got a call to show a $900,000 home and when I called the listing agent she said that she was out of town with the seller and neither were there to let us in.  I told the agent that this was a cash buyer and he was ready to buy.  She wanted the potential buyer to come back on Monday.  The buyer said forget it.  In the end, the buyer did not think I could do my job and moved on to another agent.  My broker called the listing agents broker but that was about it.

9:09am • #57
880,253 Points 225 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Michael - and there are any number of other ways for her to have showing the property.

Delores - it makes it worse, when the "failure" rubs off on you, their buyer's agent.  That sucks on toast!

9:12am • #58
189,171 Points 1 Featured Post

Maybe, just maybe the agent is following the directions given to him by the owner and the only show instructions that were agreed upon by the tenants.  So, maybe, he is doing his fiduciary duty even if you, I, or, the buyers don't think it is in the sellers best interest. If it is priced correctly and your buyer wants to see it, then other buyers will want to see it and make the necessary convenient appointment times.  

10:42am • #59
880,253 Points 225 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Gregory - that's always a possiblity.  A remote one, but a possibility nonetheless.

10:50am • #60
1 Featured Post

Alan,

Keep an eye on this listing and jump on it the minute it expires.  You already know why it isn't selling and once the agency relationship with the current Realtor is severed, you can share your thoughts without completely throwing them under the bus.  I see this as a frusterating exercise, but a future business opportunity.  Good luck!

11:27am • #61

Wow... so sad but true that you can't contact the seller directly. Most times this has happened to me the agents are more than willing to throw a lockbox on the door. Or the Sellers are the ones who have a problem with the time... never the agent!! I agree with the comment above that you should contact the broker if he wasn't it.

1:50pm • #62
880,253 Points 225 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

John - an interesting perspective.

Tricia - under the same circumstances, I certainly would have had a back up, or put a lock box out... I hate missing a showing.

2:15pm • #63
586,544 Points 4 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I bet the sellers have no idea their home will not be shown on Sunday.  Perhaps a call to the agents broker might be in order.

2:24pm • #64
460,908 Points 4 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Alan - wow how many times has this happened? The seller should know about it and how their agent isn't fulfilling their end of it. Amazing what goes on out there on some days... I know it's happened to me too...

3:13pm • #66
178,428 Points 60 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Annoying; I would have said something like" Well, is it ok if I call the seller and see if they can meet us there so I can show it?" Tenants can be the kiss of death sometimes. Sometimes I have offered to pay the tenants $25.00 or so if they'll agree to a showing that was inconvenient for them. Amazing how fast they can adjust their schedule.

5:47pm • #67
880,253 Points 225 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Robert - no way to know.

Jeff - I had a tenant once who said he was no longer going to allow showings because we were risking the health of his pregnant wife and his unborn child with all these showings.  But, he said, if we'd reduce the rent by $200/month... to which I responded "Really?... you'd sell your wife's health and the health of your unborn infant for only worth $200??"  He backed down really fast.

5:57pm • #68
1,653,168 Points 134 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Hmph!  Sounds like they really don't care whether their seller sells or not..  it's not about selling the house.. it's about convenience. 

9:58pm • #69
JUL
29
2011
880,253 Points 225 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Judi - I don't imagine that's the feeling of the SELLERS, but appears to be the attitude of the agent!

8:33am • #70
468,139 Points 8 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Such a stupid thing for that agent to have done! Everyone above said it for me...just stupid.

11:14am • #71
JUL
30
2011
312,980 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I can't tell you how many times I have ran into this.  So sad for the seller and frustrating, I'm sure they have no idea what went on. 

9:44am • #72
JUL
31
2011
1,586,542 Points 430 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Alan

A not-so-uncommon scenario. At least you got to talk to them so they could clearly point out their unwillingness to perform their fiduciary duties.

Jeff

3:08pm • #73

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Alan May, Coldwell Banker Realtor® Evanston, Illinois & Northern Suburbs

Evanston, IL

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