Do you ever wish you could be a fly on the wall and hear how your listing agent was representing you and your property to interested buyers? What would you do if you overheard your listing agent in this conversation?
Property: Vacant Lot, 5 acres, North Texas, Mandatory HOA / Lake Community
Attempt #1: By Phone:
Buyer: Hi, I'm calling about your listing on 1234 Main Street...
Listing Agent: [Interrupting] Which lot?
Buyer: Yes, your listing on 1234 Main Street?
Listing Agent: Can you hold on a second?
......chats with person in background for several minutes.....
Listing Agent: Hello?
Buyer: Hi, I'm calling to get information about the deed restrictions and HOA for 1234 Main Street?
Listing Agent: Which lot???
Buyer: Main Street.
Listing Agent: I have a LOT of listings!!
Buyer: This is about 1234 Main Street in the XYZ subdivision.
Listing Agent: I have a LOT of listings in the XYZ subdivision!!
Buyer: Great. We only see 1 lot listed under your name for Main Street in this subdivision. I would like a copy of the deed restrictions and HOA documents.
Listing Agent: [Interrupting] For which lot?!?
Buyer: Do the deed restrictions and HOA requirements differ by lot?
Listing Agent: ....No. But I have a lot of listings in that subdivision. So... What do you want to know?
Buyer: Thanks.... [hangs up]
Attempt #2: By Email
Buyer: You only have 1 lot listed on Main Street that I see in the MLS, so I don't know where all the confusion came from. I know you were probably not trying to be rude, but the way you handled my call was very off putting and I was getting frustrated with you after being put on hold and then constantly being 'corrected' before you even knew why I was reaching out to you. Please send us a copy of the deed restrictions and HOA covenants for the subdivision.
Listing Agent: Sorry you took offense. I have multiple lots here so took offense you telling me i didnt. we can go round and round. They are too big to email. What specifically do you want to know
Buyer: I am specifically wanting to know what the deed restrictions are, as well as the hoa fees, amenities, and bylaws. I want to know about the architectural requirements and setback requirements. If the documents are too big to email why don't you just put them on Dropbox??
Listing Agent: I don't have a dropbox account.
Buyer: Do you have answers to my questions? You must be having a bad day. I hope things get better for you soon.
Listing Agent: Give me a fax do
Listing Agent: Give me a fax for yiu
Buyer: [types fax number] thank you so much
Listing Agent: Do you really think I have that information with me NOW, at this very moment?
Buyer: "Thanks, I will send it to you asap" would have been the professional response.
Folks, I don't know about you, but this foolishness does not serve the seller's interests. A good listing agent would have the ability to hear the question and provide the documentation to facilitate the sale for the seller. An excellent listing agent would have had this information included with the listing and ready for download -- and this entire conversation would never have been needed to begin with. Needless to say, the listing agent never sent the requested documents.
The outcome in this scenario is that the buyer found it too difficult to work with the seller's representation on this simple matter, and decided to buy the neighboring parcel instead, even though it was a bit more expensive.
Wonder if the seller knows how much his listing agent is really costing him? Me too!
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