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Please Just Change the Status

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Hamm Homes

Please Just Change the Status

This past week has been one of so much time wasted because of other people.  My business partner, Belinda, and I were out showing homes and our clients fell in love with a bank owned home.  Since it was active in MLS, I figured it was available.  Before we wrote the contract I called the agent to make sure there wasn’t another contract working on it.  Of course I got her voice mail, so we headed back to the office to start writing up the contract when my cell phone rang.  It was the agent’s assistant telling me that they had multiple offers on the property and that the bank already approved one.  I asked why is it showing active in MLS when it is pending. She did not answer.

As a result, we wasted our client’s time and her hopes of buying this home and of course we wasted our time and gas. 

This agent and her team lists many of the bank owned properties in Denver and this is the third time we have run in to this same scenario with her.  I will never show her listings again.

Belinda was so frustrated, she called MLS and filed a complaint.  The folks at MLS were not surprised.  They told her they constantly get complaints about the practices of this agent and that they would not take her complaint lightly.

Please agents, play the game right! Change the status to pending or at least put something in the broker remarks.

Show All Comments
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Lloyd, fines should be enforce but not sure if they are enforce.

Belinda, you are right, more agents play by the rules, why can't they all.

Hi Lenn, This happens way to much, there has to be a better way.

Hi Sharon, You are right, how long does it take to change in MLS

Sep 11, 2011 03:03 AM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Rithmarie, I guess buyers bait make sense, you had a nice way to put it to them.

Hi Jeff, You are right, these are the ones that do not update and they do not want the phone calls from other agents only buyers

Thanks for the reblogging Dennis, I did not know this happen on the leasing side but it makes sense that it would also be a problem there also.

Scott, Good people are hard to find but you did the right thing.

Sep 11, 2011 03:18 AM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Judith, I know, I got feature, that does not happen often to me.  Yes, this agent made it more of a problem for us, now the clients want us to check with all agents before we show them something, extra phone calls.

Cameron, THANK YOU!

Linda, wish more people were like Cameron

Jill, I think MLS should be called more on these agents.

Scott, Be nice if we all played by the same rules.

Sep 11, 2011 03:32 AM
Gene Fraleigh
Home Realty - Sun City West, AZ
West Valley Real Estate Consultant

This is one of the worst practices that REO and Short Sale agents have. This happened again yesterday with a new twist, the agent did not list it on the MLS, did not answer the phone (the voice mail said"if it is still active on the MLS we are still accepting offers") but when you show up at the house there is a rider saying "SALE PENDING". If they can drive all the way to the home or have one of their flunkies do it, why can't they post it on the MLS! Such an unbelievable waste of time.

Sep 11, 2011 04:26 AM
Steve Stenros
Poway,La Jolla,Del Mar,Mira Mesa,Carlsbad,Escondido,Temecula - San Diego, CA
CREIA MCI, ICC, ACI Home Inspector,San Diego

Congratulations on the feature, Will! I think this is a common frustration with many Realtors across the nation. I regularly hear similar complaints from agents when doing inspections. Professionalism and common courtesy go a long way!

Sep 11, 2011 04:52 AM
Rhonda Fee - REALTOR®
Luxury Property Agent, Home Sales, Relocation - Pleasanton, CA
Professional, Knowledgeable, Trustworthy

This is such a pet peeve of mine!! The same thing happend to me last week! My clients LOVE the house that is STILL showing ACTIVE today, but is 'going pending" at any moment, just waiting for a ratified contract from the bank (reo). WHY NOT put those notes in the confidential remarks on the MLS? Seriously!? It really irritates me!

Sep 11, 2011 05:28 AM
Steve Mangus
not active - Oklahoma City, OK

In addition to not changing the status, one of my pet peeves is entering the wrong price in MLS after the sale. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a house that was listed for , let's say $200,000 showing as sold for $2,000,000.

Sep 11, 2011 05:33 AM
Dave Halpern
Dave Halpern Real Estate Agent, Inc., Louisville, KY (502) 664-7827 - Louisville, KY
Louisville Short Sale Expert

"I will never show her listings again."

Agents don't realize how much they are hurting their reputation and their business.

Sep 11, 2011 05:53 AM
Cindy Westfall
Premiere Property Group,LLC Portland Metro & Suburbs Oregon - Tualatin, OR
ABR,GRI Your Tualatin & Portland Metro Real Estate

Hi Will, here in Portland the listing agent has 72 hours to change the status after mutual agreement. If they don't they only incure a $100 fine..over 144 hours...only a $200 fine. Many agents risk this hoping that if the buyer has a change of heart for whatever reason (disclosures, inpection, cold feet) they then won't have to change the status back to BOM (back on market) and field the questions as to why. This recently happened to me as well and it IS a pain and waste of time and energy..epecially when the agent doesn't call you back quickly. Like Dave just said..agents don't realize that even though they are willing to incur a small fine, their reputation amongst their peers is compromised. Congrats on the feature!

Sep 11, 2011 06:33 AM
Nathan Tutas
Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Davenport, FL
Your Central Florida Real Estate Expert

This situation happened to me countless time for a couple years and I ranted and raved about it every chance I got. The listing agent's response was always "the bank won't allow me to change the status to pending until all of the bank addenda are signed by both parties". Since that usually happens about a week after the offer is accepted you end up having a home active on the market for a week when it's not really available. Lucky for me our MLS listened and fixed the problem. We now have a new status called "active with contract (AWC). When the bank accepts the offer the listing agent makes it AWC in the MLS and everyone knows not to show it because it's not available. You might try bringing this idea to your MLS. It has definitely fixed the problem for us (in my opinion). Just make sure they know it's not to be used for short sales. Short sales should be pending because the contract is signed by both parties to the contract. Good luck.

Sep 11, 2011 07:10 AM
Debora Nichols
Residential Sales, Purchases, Investors, Vacation Homes - Phoenix, AZ
Realtor Anthem,Phoenix,Scottsdale,Glendale,Peoria

I understand your frustration.  I List Fannie Mae properties here in Phoenix.  We have had some of the same challenges.  But over the last few years our MLS has made some changes that allow us to update the computer properly.  Such as Muliple offers received, REO approval indicated and Buyer signed Bank addendum.  Our challange is that the buyers agent does not read the MLS to check to see if it is available.  We can't change it to pending until the bank has signed the contract and sometimes that takes several days.  My request would be Buyers agent please check the MLS, even though it says active there may be a verbally accepted offer, look to see if some of those boxes are checked.

Hopefully your MLS can make similar changes and that paricular agent will start to do their job properly. Good luck.

Sep 11, 2011 08:12 AM
Eric Michael
Remerica Integrity, Realtors®, Northville, MI - Livonia, MI
Metro Detroit Real Estate Professional 734.564.1519

Will, our MLS gives agents 5 days to change the status after it goes pending or ccs. The problem is that there are back and forths for signatures, etc. I do have to comment on something you said though. The "I will never show her listings again" comment is something that not only makes us look terrible but it could make your client miss out on an incredible opportunity. I have an obligation to my client, so when I come across "that" agent, I'll explain what's happened in the past and ask them what they want to do. Maybe you should try something like that?

Sep 11, 2011 11:30 AM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Melissa, Laziness or stupidity, I think it is both.

Karen, I wonder if they get fine.

Mike, There are still rules for MLS that should be follow.

Tni, I agree with you.

Thanks Lisa, Wer are on the same page.

Sep 11, 2011 11:42 AM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hi Don,  You are so right with your comment.

Frank and Sharon, I think we should have a better way to figure this out.

Donald,  I agree, that why we have rules.

Hi Renee, Thanks for stopping by, Wasting time is uncalled for.

Sep 11, 2011 11:52 AM
David Becker
Boutique Realty - Woodland Hills, CA

Here here!!!  Is it really that hard to click the mouse a few times??  I agree that some agents just don't care about reputations.....

Sep 11, 2011 04:55 PM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hi Dale and Andrew, This can always be a bad experience for all of us.  Andrew that would be fun.

Thanks for stopping by Claude, Buyers will figure it out sometimes that it is one or two agents that screw up

Evelyn and Kathleen, I have problems with anything that makes us all look bad.

Melanie, I'm with you on some agents to void

Jordan, Sorry it is also in your area.

Sep 12, 2011 02:01 AM
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

This problem will not go away until local boards start enforcing the rules and giving out stiff fines.

Sep 12, 2011 04:26 AM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hi Judy and Christine, extra work but I guess that what we must do until there is a better way

Jon, guess it is everywhere.

Hi Sherry I love to waste time, not!

Hi Mike, I guess we learn when it hits us in the pocketbook!

Sep 12, 2011 04:49 AM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hi Mona,  Wonder what we can do to make this work for everyone?

Mike, I agree with big fines

Hi Jerry, Wish I knew how to get them on the phone when I call.

Melissa, Oh my, How in the world.....

Sep 12, 2011 06:40 AM
Terry Gerling
Ultimate Realty - Saint Louis, MO

We fight this every day here.

It doesnt help that agent doesnt seem to feel the need to answer the phone.

Sep 19, 2011 04:33 PM
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