Comments on: Why Won’t These Real Estate Agents Sell My House?

By: Realtor Don

Realtor Don — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:38:05 +0000

My wife and I have officially decided after tonight to stop working short sales. We got up this morning and went to the local court house to see the sheriffs sales. They should just call these attorney buy back sales because that is all that took place. We have negotiated many many shorts in the past but the banks are too tough anymore and these take way too long. Fax this and get this and on and on with me chasing down all of this info I know has already been sent. Oh I am sorry but the negotiator that you were working with is gone on maternity leave for 8 weeks.
I was once a top real estate agent but now that we are down to our last few bucks…..I am done.
Too bad Fannie and Freddie can’t spread the listings around more.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:27:56 +0000

I would respectfully say that in ten years the real estate business will be totally different than it is today. I can tell you of many people ten years ago or more, bought homes they would have never bought if they were aware of all the properties that were actually for sale. The internet has changed all that. It has put many businesses out of business, will put many more out of business, and will unalterably change still others, real estate being one of them.

In our state, as in many others, the realtors found some lackey politician who enacted various laws for them that have had the effect of protecting their little racket. They have done this all over the country. In state after state, many of these laws have been struck down as restraint of trade or outright illegal, as well they should have been. I know because I just represented a group in our state.

One of the biggest reasons selling property has not gone the route of so many other business on the internet is the legal part of a transaction, which many realtors try to cloud in mystery, just like a lot of sleazy lawyers try to complicate the legal process. With the advent of Legal Zoom, various court cases, and some other new methods, buying a home will be made a much more transparent and easy prospect. As I have said, I am a lawyer and I can see the writing on the wall. Suffice it to say that the 6% for opening the door is going to be a little harder. You can take that to the bank.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:53:26 +0000

Can we be real??? I love short listings as a “Listing agent”. I know how to work them, I know what banks are looking for etc, etc… I however, HATE being a buyer agent on a short sale. I can not tell you how many times I’ve been left hanging by listing agents. At first I tried to stay clear of the newer agents that I knew did not have a clue but then even the more seasoned( better then then old bats right??) ones sucked? You know the deal, no call backs, using your contract as a biding tool etc… So, what to do…. I call and ask lots of questions before I show a short sale PERIOD.
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By: Jason Opland

Jason Opland — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:30:46 +0000

I agree suggesting to a client that short sale transactions are to much work is entirely unprofessional especially considering the circumstances and the consequences the homeowners are facing and it is our responsibility as professionals to do everything we can to assist this individuals in there time of need. Short sales entail a tremendous amount of work and require significantly more time and effort than standard transactions, and it’s incredibly frustrating when all this time and effort is invested only to have the bank require that the commission on the transaction be reduced! That said, these transactions offer an opportunity to aid our fellow man, be this in assisting the homeowner by handling their short sale transaction ourselves, or by referring them to an agent who specializes in these transaction types.

What’s equally disturbing to me is agents who are running around claiming to be short sale specialists who have little if any real experience with these transactions. These individuals do a disservice to their clients and to our profession and putting their own interests ahead of their clients!

By: LesleyLambert

LesleyLambert — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:06:17 +0000

Julianne, you are a credit to the real estate industry.

Diane, yes…we need to take care and use tactful practices with our clients, even when we can’t help them.

Jim, I feel the same way.

Steven, you are missing the point, entirely. No one, especially not me, is advocating that you DO THE WORK you don’t want to do. My point IS that agents should be prepared for these clients to surface and have a plan of being able to tactfully handle the question and hopefully even assist with a referral. The agents that spoke with my client before me scoffed at her questions and turned their back: not classy, not good representation of our industry.

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:48:38 +0000

I have done my share of short sales in my life. I am also in California all short sales are not equal under the law and as a result, half of the agents here who do short sales have put themselves into a ton of jeopardy. Two of the best agents I know who are very accomplished at shorts sales will not take a short sale listing under $250k because it Is too much work. Even then, if the 2nd is a recourse loan, the seller is told that they should not expect the negotiations to result in no deficiency and if they are not willing to go forward with that mindset, then they should find another agent, but only after they get legal and tax advice so they can recognize the BS half the agents feed these sellers.

I have these conversations all the time with people and no one is offended. Some just dont like to hear it because it aint all rainbows and unicorns.

I think the generalizations agents make about short sales is worse than the straight talk from the agent who is straight up with a seller and tells them its too much work.

By: Steven Beam

Steven Beam — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:17:12 +0000

One more thing. I interview my clients just as they are interviewing me. I TOTALLY disagree that anyone in any business needs to or should feel responsible to take on work they don’t want. Some agents like to work only certain neighborhoods. Some like a higher price range. How does that make all Realtors look bad? Same thing as not wanting to do a short sale isn’t it?