Real Estate Opinions on my experience trying to sell

I want to see what your opinions are out here in the Tundra World who do not know me. I am in the process of trying to sell my house and am currently working with a realtor. I will ask for your honesty, as this is the first house I am selling.

This is how it is going so far:

I contacted the realtor who helped broker the deal for the house I am asking her to sell. It has been a month since I started talking to her. In that month, she has taken pictures and printed marketing brochures and such. I believe the MLS listing is also already ready to go.

Within this month I have asked for a few things:

1. one for sale or coming soon sign
2. one "no shoes" sign for visitors
3. copy of the pictures that were taken for the MLS listing
4. one coming soon listing

I was promised points 1 and 4. I did not receive them. As for the pictures, she said grab them from the MLS listing. The sign will be ordered once the ground is marked up for anything in the ground. That was only done yesterday (keep in mind were about a month in). I was asked by her to provide my own no-shoes sign (very insignificant,i know). The photographer took about a week to get to the house for the pictures. He is the 'best' in the business, so she made me wait for him. BY the way, he wore shoes in the places I definitely didn't want any shoes.

It has been a month and it has taken me to express that I am not happy that some things are finally getting done. I also told her this morning that by lunch time I want everything done the way I want it.

I have been told that all of what she is doing could have been done in about a week. I am also giving her a deadline or I will go with another realtor whom I've already met with. He can have everything I want done within a week.

I have signed the listing agreement earlier this week, even though i was expecting them a couple weeks ago. There is no early termination fees written in.

Sorry, for the long post, but, please let me know what you think. Especially those of you who have experience.

Please tell me if I am being unreasonable here.

 

If you are unhappy and things aren't accomplished in a timely manner then move on. I'm sure another realtor would be happy to earn the 4.5% commission.

 

I can't hold everyone up to my high standards, so I was ok to give her plenty of time. I think a month is plenty.

She is now give me a hard time about releasing me of the contract now, for whatever reason.

 

Yeah get a new agent. They are ranked to so you could see how she compares to her colleagues. A bad agent could cost you a fortune. We almost bought a house but in the inspection some stuff came up. We asked for a door to be replaced and he told the owners not to do it. I got tired of his responses so we backed out. The seller had bought a house or was under contract and had to back out of that deal. On top of that the agent didn't know our housing inspection had to be disclosed to other buyers. Eventually they ended up doing what we asked for someone else but lost our sale, their new house and final sale price was reduced like $15,000.

 

Thanks, guys. I will give her up until lunch time. If she doesn't deliver. I will skip her and call the broker to release me from their deal.

 

The quality of the real estate agent can make a huge difference in the selling experience of a home. My wife sold her rental home recently and the original agent never got it sold. She just called each month and told us to reduce the price on the house. We ended up changing agents after about 4 or 5 months and the new agent actually sold it in around 2 months for a higher asking price then the old agent was selling the house for.

I feel many agents just put the house on the MLS listings and play the numbers game. Few actually put the effort to "sell" the house to any prospective clients. If you have a bad feeling with your current agent, then verify you can cancel the contract and change to a new one ASAP. Time is money when selling a house and we are about to go into the holidays when houses don't sell well. Get is listed with the new agent and hopefully it will be under contract before the holidays start.

 

Yes sir. Time is money and timing plays a huge role in this business. Hindsight is also 20/20.

 

Get rid of bad rubbish... Get a new realtor, they are working for you

 

I think I've gone through about 23 transactions (sale or purchase).
4 were done without realtors being involved. 6 were properties I bought from the listing agent to build on. Of the remaining 13, I only feel that 2 of the realtors earned their commissions. I'm guessing that the problem is not regional but pretty much across the country. This might not be true though since all my experience is either in AZ or Oregon. I am sure that the real estate bubble encouraged laziness and complacency.
The agents willing to really hustle and work are rare and valuable in my opinion and experience. Don't hesitate to move on. Don't sign an agreement that puts you at risk.

 

I just sold a house myself. We got everything you asked for, short of the "no shoes" sign about 3 hours after we signed the listing agreement. House sold in less than a week.
Signed the agreement Sunday afternoon, full listing was on MLS, etc, that evening. Had showings the next day.
Hell, the "for sale" sign was in the yard before she left.

 

Yeah, all that should have been done in less than a week. Either she is too busy for you or she is just slow, lazy or incompetent. Your agent is everything. Getting a listing is the most difficult part of the job. If she's not appreciative of getting your listing, it's time to move on to someone who is.

 

I've always worked with realtors who make me feel like their only client when i clearly know i'm not. I'm paying them a chunk of money to manage and establish what is one of life's biggest transactions - if you don't have confidence in them now, will you at the closing or any step along the way? I watched my dad get completely screwed over by a shitty realtor and as such, I wouldn't accept what you're going through. if you can ditch the contract and find a new one, I would.

 

I appreciate all of the replies, guys. This is exactly why I laid everything out here. I knew I would get solid responses.

 

You're the customer. Period. How's the market where you're at? Lots of homes for sales? Does she have 1000 listings under her name? Not defending her, just maybe she over extended herself and you're taking the results of that. I normally use a realtor that has been recommended by someone I know.

Also keep an eye on comps. She may try to move your house at a price below market just to get it off her list.

 

Move on, don't look back. They work for you, and too much money and time at stake. There is a big difference in realtor world of experience, know how, and hunger. Hold out for better.

 

Def hold her accountable. They often times don't seem to care or go at their own pace. Give her a deadline and then move on. It is what it is. I'd say, NEXT.

 

She definitely has a deadline for today at noon eastern. That is one hour from now. I already have a new hungry realtor who already has visited me and done all the work that I did for the current realtor. That includes deciding on the listing price. I do not know how many listings she has. The market here according to comps is hot. All the nearby houses have sold in less than 5 days. Those comps are my neighbors that are blocks from me.

 

You have a lazy and incompetent realtor IMO. I am in relocation and see this far to often.

How long was the listing agreement you signed with her? If you want out you need to contact her broker and explain the situation and why you want out of your agreement. If they are a stand up establishment they should get you something in writing no problem releasing you, but you have to have good reason which I believe you do. If not...well you are kind of screwed until the set time frame is up.

 

The section where it mentions ground for release and the fees associated is all set to 0 dollars and cents. I will be in contact with the broker named in that agreement here in a short while. I hope they don't try to bend me over anymore than i feel they already have.

 

I typically interview at least three realtors, not only to ensure the one I choose will satisfy any of my (usually my wife's) requests, but also to negotiate the commission %.

GLWTS.

 

In general...The release for fees is associated with the realtors direct costs of marketing the house (pics, signs, etc..). That does not necessarily mean release from her right to commission whether or not she sells the house in the set contract terms.

 

Definitely contact the broker and get anything he or she tells you regarding a release in writing.

 

Lets just hope that the broker is a stand-up individual. That is all i can possibly hope for now.

 

Just be honest, calm and explain the situation with your disappointment and they should work with you.

 

And if you're concerned about shoes, any half decent realtor will have these ready...


If they tell you to print your own damn "no shoes" sign... that's a red flag.

 

Agreed! They should have boxes of those in their car.

 

Yea man, the new realtor already told me he has them ready to go.

I keep the carpets clean so that anyone who wants to lie on the floor won't have anything to worry about. And, while I am here, that will always be the case.

 

This is the only way i know how to be under stressful situations.

 

I get it. I have a no shoes policy in my house at all times anyway.