The one biggest problem I have with my job is that sometimes people will just not listen. You cannot console them. I had a listing that after a “long” first 23 days on the market the client was noticeably unhappy due to the fact that there were not any showings. They seemed amazed that the house was not jumping off the proverbial shelf and going under contract for sale. That the rest of the market (2000+ listings strong) had not seen “them.”
The issues? The market is such that nothing over $300,000 is moving in this particular section of Oconee County, average days on market are over 220 days, in their neighborhood the pool and amenities are not kept up which makes would be buyers question whether or not a purchase there is a wise investment as they imagine their kids playing in murky green pool water, and this home, while upgraded beautifully, is a 3 bedroom home in Oconee (three BR homes in Oconee don’t sell very well at all) with less square footage than on either side of it. There are also real estate signs dotted (littered) up and down the street. To boot, the listing was over priced by $30,000-$50,000. It still is I might add. After the home was listed for sale, another company came in and listed several of the properties around it and created a “sealed bid” situation on them per their signage.
From day 23 to day 50 the relationship evolved to where the seller was asking agents who were showing, “their own listings across the street at much better prices,” to come into her home as well to show her property. This of course is the kiss of death as it shows a beautifully overpriced home and a desperate home owner. Which property do you think the other agent wants to sell? Certainly not hers. In the end she is letting the enemy into her home. Inviting them in the front door. The Listing Agent across the street becomes a “buyer’s agent” as soon as she walks into the door. A buyer’s agent that has no requirement to watch after this seller’s interests I might also add.
So by day 100 after many other faux paus, I was ready to let her go. I could not get this home sold in the time frame the seller’s wished to get it sold in due to all of the above, not to mention it was miles out of town, i.e. missing the location, location, location. Nothing has sold in the subdivision, except through foreclosure, in the past year. Nothing. So for only about the second or third time in my career I had to let my client go.
Now in their eminent wisdom they relist their home not with someone locally. No that would make too much sense. They relist with someone from around Monroe. Their home won’t even hit the Athens MLS because the agent is not in the Athens Association of Realtors. You see, if you live anywhere else, GA MLS or FMLS pretty much covers the rest of NE Georgia. Properties in Athens-Clarke and Oconee County however need to find their way into the Athens MLS for Athens agents to find them. It is in GA MLS, but as I say most Athens agents, and I would define most as 98% of them, will not go and pull GA MLS listings on an Oconee property when getting ready for showing appointments with buyers. They will pull listings from Athens MLS.
This means that this beautiful home has vanished from view and recognition. “But Hank it has a yard sign that Realtors will see and buyers cruising through will notice.” Yes, but again it is miles out of town and not exactly in a location where people are going to be cruising through. We are talking the back of Oconee County here and not main street Watkinsville or Five Points in Athens.
They did lower the price, $5,000, but with larger homes on every side like a Monopoly board for the same or less money, it might be too little too late.
Is this sour grapes? No. I let “them” go as a client. I actually talked to the other agent when she took the listing over and what was funny was she asked me “what was the problem” and wanted to know if there was anything “she” needed to know about these people.
Why then do I expound? It is really just the disbelief that these people crushed their exposure to 700-800 agents in the Athens area who are now not even for the most part going to know their house is relisted and for sale. You see I really do care about my clients.
What people want today, and what I could not get them to understand, is price and square footage. All the beautiful upgrades in the world don’t matter and don’t count in today’s housing market.
How is the rest of the market doing? If you are priced under $220,000 in Athens-Clarke or Oconee you are seeing property flying off the shelf. If you are over $250,000 I would keep suggesting patience. Your day will come!
