If You Are Going to Put Up a Sign, Make Sure the Status is Current

Most do not put under contract signs up here as it drives more calls.  When I schedule to show properties I include contingent and pending in same neighborhood so I have the answer for the inevitable questions.

I echo Alan May 's comment. I had a situation a couple of years ago that sold the first day. I actually put a SOLD rider on it immediately. Because I wanted to show the neighbors what a wonderful agent I was. Then the buyer's financing fell through. I had to take the SOLD rider off the sign and the neighbors called the seller asking what happened. Now I don't put a rider on the sign until all the contingencies have been met, including the financing. Which means that sign will probably not have a rider for at least 21 days. One of those agents you hate.

...and that's the same issue that concerns me, Tammie White ,  I don't want my eagerness to look good to potential clients, to potentially damage, or even inconvenience, my sellers or my listing.

The only person who really gains from that "SOLD IN A MINUTE" rider, is the listing agent.  It doesn't really help the seller, or the listing... but there is a potential downside if you put it up too soon.

Sold riders, under contract, pending... as far as the public is concerned, they're all the same.  The only people who really understand the nuances are Realtors and real estate attorneys.

Even the sellers don't understand the difference.

Our MLS leaves them as active even if they are under contract. They don't get moved into pending until all the contingencies have been satisfied. As you can imagine, we get calls all the time for homes already under contract.

Chris Ann... I agree... and what's more.... you are a class-act!

Chris Ann ~ I can relate to that scenario. The grass is always greener on the house you do not show (per the buyer!)

When I'm showing, I like to pull up active, contingent, pending and even sold listings a couple month back. I will look over the list, look up some of the reliant in escrow and sold listings, that way I'm a source of info for the client in the field. I've always done it and like to be as prepared as possible. I know others have their own motivations...like fielding buyer sign calls!

Hey Chris Ann. I thought of you today when this happened: Drove through my neighborhood and saw a For Sale sign that said "New Listing". I did a double-take, pulled off the side of the road to look it up by address on Mobile MLS. Found one but wasn't a new listing.

Came back to the office, looked it up and it's been on the market 85 days... The things that make you go "hmm".

Alan May ~ that's the listing agent's "walk of shame". 

Chris Ann, I'm not sure where I fall on the spectrum of all of the comments but I do put up an Under Contract Rider when I have a binding agreement.  The SOLD rider does not go up until about the day before or day of closing and I have no problem asking the new owner if I can leave it up for another day or two after closing.  So far, no one has refused.

Chris Ann - Great post! I just had this exact thing happen to me the other day. A client wanted to look at a home with a sign rider out front, and of course I couldn't get the agent to answer their phone. When I looked on the MLS, it was still showing as active. Finally, after calling the brokers office, I found out that the home already had an accepted offer. Very frustrating indeed.

Chris Ann Cleland 
This is a wonderful post about an important topic. Yes, the signs should be accurate. AND that leads to a comment on the LISTING info. We all waste so much time when a home is left as "active" and it isn't really available!!!!
Thanks again for the topic!
Lynn