What Sets Me Apart From Other Southeast Michigan Listing Agents?
I've been showing houses quite a bit lately and have noticed some disturbing trends. Many of these trends are confined to foreclosure listings; or at least I thought the incomplete listings with no yard sign out front and no electricity on in the house was a foreclosure issue. Many of these foreclosure agents never even see the house, so I guess that can be their excuse. But other agents have been following suit. I guess in their minds good service is graded on a curve and as long as foreclosure agents behave like secretaries for the bank, most of the rest seem to fee the need to imitate.
I showed a house last night, after dark, and was surprised to find no electricity on in the house. I called the listing office and set the appointment with a member of the listing agent's team. You would think she could have told me we would be looking with flash lights, and I would have thanked her and rescheduled for the weekend during the day.
I'm showing a house tomorrow to the same couple. When I pulled the aerial today I was pleasantly surprised to find it's a lakefront home. The listing never mentioned that it's on the water. Good for us on the buyer side, but not so good for the seller.
Non foreclosure agents are starting to fill both the agent remarks and buyer remarks on the MLS sheet with showing instructions and ass covering statements such as "buyer or buyer's agent to verify taxes, sq. footage, etc." Or BATVI - buyer agent to verify information. DUH! The MLS is supposed to "sell" the house- to entice buyer's agents to show the listing.
Sometimes the agent remarks are left blank and even on occasion the public remarks are blank. I showed a house with central air that was not included in the MLS. I showed a house today with lake privileges and a subdivision beach and the water name search field was left blank. 20% of the lake front listings in this North Oakland County area also leave the water name search field blank so their listings won't come up if I am searching for houses on a specific lake.
A while back I was showing houses on acreage and over a third of the listings left the acre search field blank. I've shown 2 houses in the past week or so where the listing agent missed a bathroom. And it goes on and on.
I don't know what has happened to customer service. If a listing agent can't/won't fill out a listing completely, how are they going to handle the rest of the transaction? If the incomplete listing is a short sale will the listing agent be able to, or willing to, send everything the lien holders ask for in a timely fashion? I highly doubt it if they can't even fill in a lake name or check the central air box.
As real estate agents we are dealing with hundreds of thousands of other people's dollars and we should take that commitment seriously.
One thing I can promise is if you list your Southeast Michigan home with me, your listing will be completely and accurately filled out. You will have the maximum number of photos allowed and a virtual tour (unless your house is a pig sty- no need of scaring off buyers!). You will have a sign in your yard unless otherwise requested and if you don't have the electricity turned on in the house you can find another agent. I list homes to sell and I sell them at the highest price possible. I will communicate with you throughout- from the time you sign the listing agreement until the sale closes.
I take my job seriously. We like to call ourselves professionals and should behave in a professional manner. Our listings are our face to the public and those listings should represent the home better than those on for sale by owner web sites.
Why You Should Choose Jackie Hawley To Sell You Home
Marketing Your Southeast Michigan Home
Preparing Your Southeast Michigan Home For Sale
Jackie Hawley, Realtor
Keller Williams Realty, Clarkston
Cell: (248) 736-6407
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