Bill - Interesting topic.  In our more affordable market we do try to make the home available and fairly easy to show.  I can not imagine putting such restrictions on a home and expecting it to sell.  If I was the listing agent I would be worried about spending my marketing dollar on a listing that is so hard to show.

It doesn't sound like that particular property has a "serious" seller.  Perhaps, a divorce court has deemed the property needs to be sold, but the party retaining occupancy isn't being cooperative in getting it sold!

I'd be cautious in spending a lot of marketing dollars on a listing so restrictive to access for showings.

Myrl Jeffcoat
GreatWest GMAC - Sacramento
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

Bill:  You're right... it's a bad scheme.  Too many negative restrictions to get this home sold.

And let's not forget the buyer clients in these transactions, usually do not have alot of time to go see a house here and there. They usually want to see all the inventory that matches what they are looking for.

So if you have to wait on the listing agent running late, it could screw up the rest of your showing appointments. And in every part of the market, high and low, there ae alot of choices, if you won't let us show there are plenty more homes out there that will.

Hi Bill:  Great observation!  The part that frustrates me the most is when I have buyers looking at these homes, the listing agent is never readily available to meet me there when the buyer is available, so they become an obstacle to their listing being sold.  Doesn't make good business sense to me.

When you start getting into the more expensive homes I think it ok to have the listing agent show the home.

Bill,

Great Blog Post!!! I have seenin some parts of the country where agents argue that the Listing agent should be at every showing and that lock boxes are irresponsible.

You mkae great point to show why the lockbox system created a higher potential that a Listing will get more showings

Thanks to each of you for your thoughts.  In somewhat disagreement with Gene's fine opinion, I think it is a shear display of arrogance for any agent to dictate that I have to adhere to his schedule if I want to attempt to sell his listing to my client.

So I rarely show them.  The last time I did, the agent then wanted to meet with me and my clients to give his sales presentation which he thought would have far greater influence on the outcome than mine would.  Yeah, can you see me doing something like that?  Get real!

So naturally I didn't, and my clients did not buy his listing.  Yes, they did buy another one..the one I gave my solo presentation for.

That guy's listing was on the market for another 6 or 7 months without a sale.  Guess who took the listing next and sold it in 17 days?

Please let me take a bow.

There is a Realtor in Newmarket that holds several 10 minute open houses in a row on a given day. Be there or be square, you are not getting in after the 10 minutes. Arrogant, maybe. But he sells alot of houses.Maybe he is smart like fox.

Michelle, I think that is the invention of Craig Proctor.  I had never thought about doing it that way until I heard it introduced at a Proctor seminar. 

This guy suggest you take people through any and everyone's listings as long as they are on your route.  It sure makes more sense than sitting in one house for a couple of hours on Sunday. 

Thanks for your comment.

We see the requirment that the listing agent be present in our more expensive homes though we see restrictions similar to the others you've mentioned in all prices of homes.  It does make it more difficult to show and sell the homes.