On a daily basis I deal with people from all walks of life looking to buy or sell real estate. Some transactions are a breeze while others I walk away from wondering why I choose this career.
My worst transaction to date has been my own home's listing. Why? Not because anyone is making it hard on me but because I am making my own life a nightmare! When it is your own livelihood, your own home it is hard to separate yourself to make rational decisions sometimes.
Several things that have happened: Agent from outside my market sent me an email questioning my price as I had just bought it at foreclosure sale over a year ago. The difference in the market would have possibly made the price of my home go down. Boy did I ever embarrass myself when I sent him a rather angry email back defending my price. Why? I had the basement finished, everything is painted and redone, etc. How many times have agent's heard that and had to then politely tell the folks that unfortunately, based on market conditions, none of those things mattered? Oh so many! And here I am doing it myself.
I took my home off the market after several low ball offers (when the home was already under priced) guess I looked desperate! And several days later a wind storm whipped through the neighborhood taking my front screen door with it and ripping the trim around it, leaving holes. Lucky me, something else that will now have to be fixed. I was starting to think that my house didn't want me to sell it.
About two weeks later I put it back on the market, at five thousand over my original price. Within two weeks I had an acceptable offer, but now what?? Inspections, inspections! So, I have radon in my newly finished basement, gas leaks on my furnace plus I still have to fix my front door! On top of that the homeowner's association seems to have disappeared into space somewhere never to be contacted again; so no resale certificate for the new owners.
My reason for putting all this out there... It puts it all in writing so I can laugh at myself and share it with others in the business who I am sure have probably done the same things and also to allow consumers to realize that I am just like you.
Now we don't want to get started on the buying side...
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