Sellers Need to Make it Easy for Buyers to See Their Homes

I have been told that I beat up on home sellers a little too much, so I am going to try to be a little kinder to sellers. But before I start being kinder, I would like to say once again: Please make sure that your home is available to buyers when they want to see it. 

If you require your agent to be present when a buyer and his/her agent look at your home, then please make sure that your listing agent is going to be available. The buyer does not want to be told that they cannot see the house because it is not convenient for your listing agent.

Too many times, I have heard the listing agent say that they are not available on the date that the buyer wants to look at a house, but that the buyer can come on another day instead. What the heck are you thinking? If you list your house, make sure it can be shown, or don't list your house.

Whew, now that I got that off my chest ...  Home buyers: The listing agent cannot represent you. They are contractually bound to represent the seller of the property. The thought occurred to me today that some people may not remember when real estate agents were not buyers agents. They used to represent the seller and the buyer at the same time. Maybe you have heard the saying: You cannot serve two masters at the same time. 

And this is really true with two masters who are placing their financial health in the hands of an agent. Buyer agents were unheard of until 1987. All agents represented the seller and the buyers were left on their own. .. except they did not know that they were left to represent themselves. 

The big real estate companies were not interested in buyers... they had a motto that buyers were liars and they wanted nothing to do with them. They only wanted listings because, by golly you could sit on the beach and other agents would sell your listings for you. You were making money while on vacation. This was the mindset of most real estate agents in the 1980s, but now; the buyer is king. 

There are so many listings on the market that the buyer is the most coveted client.  Especially a buyer who is ready to close on a house (even more of a reason to make your house available to them, when they want to see it) whoops, I digress... I said I would stop beating up on sellers.  

Seriously, I think I am beating up on the agents ~ not the sellers. It is natural for a seller to believe an agent who says they will be available when a buyer wants to look at their house, they just forget to add that if it inconveniences them, then they will not, in fact, be there (a very important issue to address with your agent). 

Here's my bottom line: There are many choices in the real estate market today. Houses are plentiful, so buyers should get the respect they deserve when they want to look at a house for sale.  For heaven's sake, make it easy for them to see yours, if you have it listed for sale. 

Agents are plentiful, so don't settle for an agent that makes it impossible for a buyer to see your house.  I am sitting here right now waiting on a listing agent to call me back to tell me if I can show her listing tomorrow morning.  I called her over four hours ago and I haven't heard back from her yet. 

So sorry, you poor seller, who thought you had your house on the market to sell.  Your agent has essentially taken it off the market because she is not interested enough to call an agent back who is wanting to show your house!

Venting in Johns Creek,
Rebecca Currie
Elite Real Estate Properties
404-372-4648