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Listing Feedback: Dog Turds on the Floor do NOT make for Good Showings

By
Real Estate Agent with Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch!

Rarely do I write a post without a photo but today, I will let your imagination paint the picture and leave it at that.  

Without going into a long story, I just come right to the part where I am requested to provide showing feedback to the listing agent after a showing.  

On this particular property, let's just skip the usual questions of whether buyers like the property, or would like to make an offer, and go straight to the comments. So here it goes:

Yes, l am willing to overlook the somewhat overgrown yard since we did have a lot of rain recently.

I can even step over the piled up and wet phone books that have collected in front of the entry way over the last weeks.

I can overlook that the flooring hasn't been vaccuumed; however,

Dog Turds on the Floor do NOT make for Good Showings! 

Obviously, the previous occupants kept a dog* in the house that was either not housebroken or wasn't let out.  The carpets were badly stained in every room.  At least inside the house, someone had made the effort to scrape off the poop albeit not very thoroughly.  Not so on the lanai, as we could observe through a window, where nobody bothered to remove anything.

This property has been on the market for about two weeks, the remarks state "vacant and ready for quick closing".  Really?  I regret, I must have misunderstood that part.  It does make me wonder though whether the listing agent has ever been inside this house and knows of its conditon?

There are many circumstances under which homes become neglected and are in less than good showing condition. 

Wouldn't it be the job of the listing agent to suggest some "fixes" so that such a listing has a chance of obtaining a buyer who won't mind doing some work? 

Leaving it in this condition doesn't do anything but turn off prospective buyers. 

My recommendation would be to remove the carpeting completely.  Better to walk on a bare concrete floor than wondering what you might step into and whether you will be attacked by fleas.

Oh, second showing?  Thank you, I am not planning on it ever!

*By the way, I have owned dogs for many years, and I know it's not the dogs fault.

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Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate

Tropic Shores Realty, 3441 Deltona Blvd, Spring Hill, FL 34606

Phone: 352-584-7441    Email: SilviaDFL@yahoo.com   Website:  www.SilviaDukes.com

 

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Comments(61)

Pamela Seley
West Coast Realty Division - Murrieta, CA
Residential Real Estate Agent serving SW RivCo CA

Silvia, are you sure it's dog poop? Seriously, some piles I've seen I've wondered about. One of my listings awhile ago was tenant-occupied and in the beginning of the listing the carpets were nice and clean, but by the end they were stained and smelly. One showing had a cat pile in the corner (tenants owned a cat). As you can imagine I was embarrassed because I hadn't seen the house like that before. I had to call the owner to inform him. Next visit the piles were gone, but the stains remained (and smelled). 

Jul 14, 2012 04:02 AM
Barbara Altieri
Better Homes and Gardens RE Shore and Country Properties - Shelton, CT
REALTOR-Fairfield County CT Homes/Condos For Sale

Silvia -- That would be it for me as well.  Vacant and ready for closing? What a joke! That's disgusting.

Jul 14, 2012 04:04 AM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"

Silvia  It is quite typical of some breeds.  Could you tell which one it was?  :)

Jul 14, 2012 05:01 AM
Janis Borgueta
Newburgh, NY
Retired RE Salesperson

Many Many years ago i was a buyer an visited a home with a realtor. THe owners were home when we walked in the door, and I immediately wanted to leave.. but I felt rude so we stayed and looked around. Low and behold.. they owned a St. Bernard.. You guessed it.. right behind the couch was a mound.. no a mountain... a giant present.. huge.. HOW could the MISS something that LARGE??? guess what home we did not buy??

Jul 14, 2012 05:23 AM
Team Honeycutt
Allen Tate - Concord, NC

I would say I can't imagine but unfortunatly I can imagine.  I find dog smells and cat litter smells all to be offensive. I understand that people love their pets but that shouldn't make them blind and loose their sense of smell.

Betty

 

Jul 14, 2012 05:37 AM
Chris and Dick Dovorany
Homes for Sale in Naples, Bonita Springs and Estero, Florida - Naples, FL
Broker/Associate at Premiere Plus Realty

I very rarely leave a feedback and never ask for one.  That is because all realtors lie.  "Do your customers like the property?"  Well, if they liked the property, you'd have an offer.  HOWEVER, dog turds?  I'd blast that lazy realtor right between the eyes.

Jul 14, 2012 05:42 AM
Todd & Devona Garrigus
Garrigus Real Estate - Beaumont, CA
Broker / REALTORS®

Silvia,

I would chew a seller a new you-know-what if they did this! Although, if I was showing the property, a good spin on it could be "Well, you may be able to get this home cheaper than something comparable because the dog droppings will scare away a lot of potential buyers!"

 

Great blog. I'm reposting it!

Jul 14, 2012 05:54 AM
Kathryn Maguire
GreatNorfolkHomes.com (757) 560-0881 - Chesapeake, VA
Serving Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA Beach

Yuck!  I did step on a dog turd when showing a house in bare feet...the seller had asked for us to remove our shoes which I complied with.  I was looking up and I just should have been looking down.    I still shudder at the thought....

Jul 14, 2012 06:24 AM
Eileen Hsu
Douglas Elliman Real Estate - Manhattan, NY
LICENSED REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON

That is pretty gross, it would take a real miracle to overcome walking in and seeing that for a buyer to still want to purchase the property.

Jul 14, 2012 06:31 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Silvia- too much of an 'Ick" factor for me. Thanks for not posting pictures. 

Jul 14, 2012 06:55 AM
Cheryl Thomson REALTOR Ret Army
United Real Estate DC Metro Region (703.216.5635) cheryltee47@gmail.com - Prince William, VA
Associate Broker in Northern Virginia

Hi Silvia.  I just previewed a home yesterday where it is clearly evident there was a dog in the house.  Although there wasn't crap in it, they should at least rip out the carpet if anything!

Jul 14, 2012 08:06 AM
Charlie Dresen
The Group, Inc - Steamboat Springs, CO
Steamboat Springs, CO e-Pro

This is really disgusting.  Hopefully someone can get in there and at least get the mess cleaned up.

Jul 14, 2012 08:24 AM
Christine Donovan
Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA
Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M
Silvia - I had a vacant listing once where one of the agents must have let a client bring a dog in because they left a surprise behind. It was quickly taken care of.
Jul 14, 2012 11:58 AM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living
Hi everyone, I was out for the rest of the day and thank you for all your comments! Instead of addressing everyone individually, just let me say this: 1. I can't believe how common this problem seems to be. 2. What does that say about people? 3. What does that say about how people treat animals? 4. As to listing agents, please, at least put a private remark into the MLS as a fair warning to showing agents. This would have been a good property to show to an investor or someone willing to to some work, but in my case, these were first time homebuyers with an USDA approval letter in hand meaning we need something that is at least in move-in condition. 5. As to feedback, if you have the nerve to ask me about feedback on such a listing, by all means, you asked for it, don't blame me if you or your seller don't like it. 6. OMG.... Kathryn.... Barefoot and stepping in it... that experience takes the cake. 7. Thank you for the reblog! 8. I too wish there was a "Like" button for comments! Thank you again!
Jul 14, 2012 12:02 PM
Eric Michael
Remerica Integrity, Realtors®, Northville, MI - Livonia, MI
Metro Detroit Real Estate Professional 734.564.1519

Silvia, things like this are simple to overlook, at least for me. I mean, the dog doesn't come with the house, right?

Jul 14, 2012 12:56 PM
Diana Foster
BKG brokerage - Braselton, GA
Realtor- Helping you find the perfect home!!

So gross, do they honestly think it will get a second look???

Jul 14, 2012 01:59 PM
Doug Bullwinkel
E Mortgage Capital, Inc. NMLS 1416824 - Roseville, CA
Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS #281609

When a seller's home is on the market, they're supposed to put their best face forward and present the home in the best condition possible.  A buyer wants to try to visualize themselves in this home and it sounds like it's not someplace they want to be.

Jul 14, 2012 03:48 PM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)
This listing should come with a warning in the MLS "don't wear you good shoes, poop is everywhere."
Jul 14, 2012 04:32 PM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Eric, the question is, can the buyers overlook it?

Diana, just a standard question on many listing feedback forms...

Doug, you are absolutely right.

Charita, I know!  I don't even want to think about it...

 

Jul 15, 2012 12:16 AM
Wayne Zuhl
Remax First Realty II - Cranford, NJ
The Last Name You'll Ever Need in Real Estate

Hi Silvia - Thanks for not posting photos! Shame on the listing agent, and good for you for telling them why you're client isn't interested in the property! We've all had clients who were less than pristine, but there's no excuse for the level of neglect you've described.

Jul 15, 2012 04:31 AM