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Post by beaglemom on Nov 1, 2018 23:27:32 GMT
We have decided to not renew the contract we have with our current realtors to sell our house. It's been on the market since July and we have yet to get a offer. I'm sure there are lots of reasons for it ( unusual home, location...) but we also feel that their marketing or lack there of are also party of the problem. The MLS listing expires today. A couple weeks ago they mentioned that we needed to chat about it since the contract was expiring, but nothing since.
I have all sorts of guilt, but keep telling myself that they didn't have to do much when we bought our new home with them last November and they got a huge commission from that.
I know they are going to be upset/hurt. And it's going to suck. But any suggestions on how to break it to them?
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Post by Lexica on Nov 1, 2018 23:31:22 GMT
I think the fact that they haven’t even gotten a single offer even in your ballpark range says they are not marketing very well. Have they held an open house? Brought by many people? Offered suggestions as to quick updates that might make a huge difference? Suggested a professional stylist or have one on staff?
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Post by beaglemom on Nov 2, 2018 0:03:17 GMT
I think the fact that they haven’t even gotten a single offer even in your ballpark range says they are not marketing very well. Have they held an open house? Brought by many people? Offered suggestions as to quick updates that might make a huge difference? Suggested a professional stylist or have one on staff? They've been holding open houses, but not getting a lot of traffic (other than labor day weekend). We have paid a small fortune for their stagger. We also spent a bunch doing all the updates they suggested before putting it on the market. The last call we had with them they asked what they should be doing differently. To which we replied, we don't know, but that they needed to get more agents in to see it. They arranged a broker event with some other realtors that have listings in the area and still only got 3 agents. |
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Post by missbennet on Nov 2, 2018 0:13:21 GMT
I was wondering what the average length on the market is in your area? And did you get any feedback after open houses, like things people disliked or any complaining about the price? Were you watching the online listings to see how many people looked at or favorited your listing? Just some things that might help move it with your next agent.
Frustrating though!
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Post by MichyM on Nov 2, 2018 0:26:47 GMT
After EVERY showing they should be following up with the buyer's agent for feedback. What of that information is being shared with you?
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kelly8875
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Posts: 4,390 
Location: Lost in my supplies...
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Post by kelly8875 on Nov 2, 2018 1:07:05 GMT
What kind of market analysis did you get before listing? How fast do comps in your market sell or sit listed?
But just like any other service, if you’re not happy with what you’re getting, feel free to choose another agent. They should be with another company obviously.
When listed my old house in June, my selling realtor showed me the comps, how much they were, and how long they took to sell. I also knew what was available still for sale. I knew he was going to have an agent showing before officially listing.
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Post by sunnyd on Nov 2, 2018 1:27:14 GMT
Have you made any price adjustments since listing it? It's very likely overpriced. How does the condition of the home compare to others that have sold in your neighborhood? What about the location? It is in a good area? Anything weird with the lot or location that makes it less marketable? How much competition do you have/how many other active listings within a mile of yours? How many comps have gone under contract since yours hit the market. If you are comfortable posting a link to the listing you'd probably get some great feedback from the peas. Don't feel badly about moving on to a different realtor.
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Post by destined2bmom on Nov 2, 2018 1:30:53 GMT
You need to do what is best for you. Selling your house is your priority and if you feel that your realtor is not doing their job; then you need to find another realtor.
We have neighbors who put their house on the market a year and a half ago. Their home is absolutely beautiful. But their agent would always only have open houses on Sundays. The times were basically when people were in church or leaving church for lunch; or during the Eagles football games. Yeah, I don’t think they’re going to get a lot of traffic choosing those times. The other thing is when we were looking at houses to move here, I had been to a home that that realtor was representing. She boldface lied to me about that house being the only one in this County to have a first floor master bedroom and bathroom. I kept trying to warn the neighbors that something was not right because other houses were selling in the area.
The owners had moved to another state for a job and bought another home. So they really needed to sell it. It was priced competitively when it was placed on the market. But they had to drop it by 30,000; which was 10k under their original amount to buy it. It is a huge loss for them but it is finally under contract.
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craftymom101
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,620
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Post by craftymom101 on Nov 2, 2018 1:38:12 GMT
When I sold my home a couple of years ago I didn't renew our contract with the first realtor we used. She was hurt and very upset, but I felt like she didn't really want to put in the effort. I was going through a divorce, my ex was being a pain, I had two young boys to deal with, and (looking back) I was somewhat depressed. I needed someone to take charge of selling the house and get it done. The second realtor we hired sold the house within 30 days. She took great photos, listed it everywhere, her husband weeded and took care of the lawn during that time, and she cleaned the carpets before the open house. I didn't have to lift a finger except sign the paperwork when the house sold.
I know that's probably not the norm, but she knew how stressed I was and she really stepped up. I will always be grateful for her.
If you don't feel like you're receiving the service you should from your realtor, move on and don't feel guilty! Do what's best for you.
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Post by mom on Nov 2, 2018 1:47:05 GMT
Do not feel bad. Your home is usually the largest investment that most people ever have. You should feel secure in who is representing you in selling your home.
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Post by bc2ca on Nov 2, 2018 1:56:49 GMT
I think the fact that they haven’t even gotten a single offer even in your ballpark range says they are not marketing very well. Have they held an open house? Brought by many people? Offered suggestions as to quick updates that might make a huge difference? Suggested a professional stylist or have one on staff? They've been holding open houses, but not getting a lot of traffic (other than labor day weekend). We have paid a small fortune for their stagger. We also spent a bunch doing all the updates they suggested before putting it on the market. The last call we had with them they asked what they should be doing differently. To which we replied, we don't know, but that they needed to get more agents in to see it. They arranged a broker event with some other realtors that have listings in the area and still only got 3 agents. They asked you? I'd ask them what their other realtors at their firm have said or suggested. An unusual house will have a limited market, but it doesn't sound like they are spinning it as a positive, unique opportunity. Can you find other similar houses and look at how they were marketed? How long they took to sell and take to the selling agents, even if they are not in your area and state. Ask them for a referral for a local agent. Is it possible the house is would be of interest to someone retiring or looking for a second home? Are you in an urban or rural area? Can you next agents partner with someone with a bigger buying market to promote it or bring a busload of agents for a day trip to sell the area. To me, it sounds like the local agents aren't making the time to see it because they know the house (that's not a negative). If you have done a price reduction, insist the agents contact everyone that looked at the house. We sold a condo in a really, really tough market. My agent didn't want to contact anyone who had seen it in the 6 months of the listing because their agent would be know about the price reduction. She also assumed all those buyers had bought something else. Well, to her surprise, we sold it to someone who'd seen it 5 months earlier and no, her agent didn't mention the price reduction. |
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Deleted
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May 1, 2024 12:50:07 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2018 1:57:33 GMT
The gal that we would have used to sell the house our son lives in now was my best friend.
Up until her daughter decided to tell the group that my daughter was part of that her mother said I was annoying and I stunk.
I decided to keep the house after that and ditch the friend.
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Post by busy on Nov 2, 2018 2:04:01 GMT
They’re a shitty realtor. Don’t feel guilt. They told you weeks ago they wanted to talk about the expiring listing and let it expire without any discussion with you? IMO they don’t want the listing and are hoping you fire them.
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Post by scrapmaven on Nov 2, 2018 2:46:37 GMT
This is a business transaction and they're not doing the work necessary to sell or market your house. Just don't renew your contract and if they ask tell them that you need to sell your house and you're going to try with a fresh perspective. Guilt is not necessary here. They didn't work it and they lost the sale.
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rickmer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,123
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Post by rickmer on Nov 2, 2018 2:56:58 GMT
a good realtor will usually know *exactly* why your house isn't selling and be willing to share it with you (diplomatically).
as others have said, she should follow up with realtors that have shown the house for their/their clients' feedback.
she should have comps to show you what is selling in the neighbourhood, for how much and how they compare with your house and pricepoint.
she should have listings of other available homes to show you what your house is competing against.
and a professional realtor should not be upset with you for not choosing to renew when a contract has expired. you fulfilled your commitment as outlined in the listing agreement.
she doesn't actually want your listing that badly if she choose not to follow up when it was discussed listing was expiring. so i wouldn't feel one bit bad about it.
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Post by Legacy Girl on Nov 2, 2018 4:50:24 GMT
My thought exactly! You hire a Realtor because you want a professional in the real estate industry to market your home/property. To me, this situation is like taking your car to the mechanic and asking him to fix your car and having him ask you what steps he should take to go about repairing it.  As a PP said, it's a business transaction. You've fulfilled your commitment and should feel no guilt in moving on to find someone else who is better equipped to sell your home. |
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Post by beaglemom on Nov 2, 2018 6:09:48 GMT
Thank you for all the feedback. We haven't gotten much tangible feedback. For the general area, square footage, and acreage it is priced low. It isn't in what is considered the "best" school district (right next door), but it is still a pretty good school district. But the K-5 is a California Distinguished school. Even in the best school district many people still go private for high school. Homes in the area do tend to take a little longer to sell than the general Bay Area, mostly because people have a mind block over the drive, even though it really is shorter than many other parts of the Bay Area. We have been tentatively talking to two new realtors. The feedback from the one we are leaning toward using is that we need to re-stage it in a way that reflects the mountain feel, rather than the "condo" feeling that it currently is giving off. That the photos need to be redone and the main photo needs to be different. And that we may need to paint the exterior. And then relist after 30 days to reset MLS at slightly lower than current listing to drive traffic. The other realtor hasn't seen it in person (the other one took it upon herself to go see it to give us feedback). Her only suggestion was that we lower the price. We originally listed the house and the adjoining lot (which we also own, but we never formally had the lots combined with the county) together. They convinced us to split the listing for Labor Day to drive interest. So we did, the website still has the original price for the combined listing, not sure why they never updated it. HouseIn retrospect, we were stupid. Our plan had been that in Feb 2018 we were going to move into a rental, get the house ready to sell, sell it and then buy something. I was watching local listings when our current house came on the market and watched it. It is much better for our family and in the "best" school district. We saw it in person for the first time Nov 4, put in an offer Nov 8, closed Nov 20th. We love the house and the realtors didn't have to do that much to help us buy it and got a very large commission from the sale. We then hired a local contractor to do a bunch of work that the realtors suggested. We had a ton of issues with the contractors and the realtors ended up causing issues by calling the contractor out on his mistakes. The house was supposed to go on the market in March...but due to the issues with the contractor, it didn't go on the market till July. I'm rambling....we just want the house sold. I just send proposal requests to two other realtors and we'll see what they say. Since I feel like we didn't do due diligence in picking the realtors this time (they are a husband and wife team, her mom is our babysitter). The only other time we sold a property the realtor was recommended by a friend and took care of everything - found someone to make all necessary fixes, managed the project, and sold it. So we don't really know what we should be looking for! What should I be asking prospective realtors? |
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PaperAngel
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Jun 27, 2014 23:04:06 GMT
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Post by PaperAngel on Nov 2, 2018 7:04:37 GMT
The contract expired. I suggest scheduling an appointment with them to express appreciation for their efforts, inform them that you plan to list with another agent, retrieve the house key, ensure they remove the locked key box (or however agents access the key to show the house), & request they show your property to prospective buyers in the future. Best wishes...
ETA: I always interview three prospective agents (based on word of mouth referrals or numerous listings/experience in area) separately, note their feedback during walkthroughs, listen to their prepared sales pitches/industry assessments/marketing plans, & gauge compatibility in approach/personality/communication/etc. Then, I chose the person who has the most realistic plan & I feel that we can best partner with to sell our house.
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Post by destined2bmom on Nov 2, 2018 11:19:48 GMT
What you wrote here, tells me you need a new realtor.
“We have been tentatively talking to two new realtors. The feedback from the one we are leaning toward using is that we need to re-stage it in a way that reflects the mountain feel, rather than the "condo" feeling that it currently is giving off. That the photos need to be redone and the main photo needs to be different. And that we may need to paint the exterior. And then relist after 30 days to reset MLS at slightly lower than current listing to drive traffic. The other realtor hasn't seen it in person (the other one took it upon herself to go see it to give us feedback). Her only suggestion was that we lower the price.”
It doesn’t matter where you live in the Bay Area, it is one of the hottest housing markets in the nation.
After looking at the pictures, with everything being white, it looks a little cold. The bedroom with the twin beds that have pink bedspreads is very pretty. Because the color brings out the elements (size, shape) of the room. Also the room with the non-white chair.
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Deleted
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May 1, 2024 12:50:07 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2018 11:30:58 GMT
Thank you for all the feedback. We haven't gotten much tangible feedback. For the general area, square footage, and acreage it is priced low. It isn't in what is considered the "best" school district (right next door), but it is still a pretty good school district. But the K-5 is a California Distinguished school. Even in the best school district many people still go private for high school. Homes in the area do tend to take a little longer to sell than the general Bay Area, mostly because people have a mind block over the drive, even though it really is shorter than many other parts of the Bay Area. We have been tentatively talking to two new realtors. The feedback from the one we are leaning toward using is that we need to re-stage it in a way that reflects the mountain feel, rather than the "condo" feeling that it currently is giving off. That the photos need to be redone and the main photo needs to be different. And that we may need to paint the exterior. And then relist after 30 days to reset MLS at slightly lower than current listing to drive traffic. The other realtor hasn't seen it in person (the other one took it upon herself to go see it to give us feedback). Her only suggestion was that we lower the price. We originally listed the house and the adjoining lot (which we also own, but we never formally had the lots combined with the county) together. They convinced us to split the listing for Labor Day to drive interest. So we did, the website still has the original price for the combined listing, not sure why they never updated it. HouseIn retrospect, we were stupid. Our plan had been that in Feb 2018 we were going to move into a rental, get the house ready to sell, sell it and then buy something. I was watching local listings when our current house came on the market and watched it. It is much better for our family and in the "best" school district. We saw it in person for the first time Nov 4, put in an offer Nov 8, closed Nov 20th. We love the house and the realtors didn't have to do that much to help us buy it and got a very large commission from the sale. We then hired a local contractor to do a bunch of work that the realtors suggested. We had a ton of issues with the contractors and the realtors ended up causing issues by calling the contractor out on his mistakes. The house was supposed to go on the market in March...but due to the issues with the contractor, it didn't go on the market till July. I'm rambling....we just want the house sold. I just send proposal requests to two other realtors and we'll see what they say. Since I feel like we didn't do due diligence in picking the realtors this time (they are a husband and wife team, her mom is our babysitter). The only other time we sold a property the realtor was recommended by a friend and took care of everything - found someone to make all necessary fixes, managed the project, and sold it. So we don't really know what we should be looking for! What should I be asking prospective realtors? You should be asking them: 1) show me market data from last six months on my property 2) what would you list it at and why? 3) what are your plans for marketing my house - open houses, brokers' open, materials 4) give me names / phone #s of three of your clients in the last six months 5) who will be taking pictures? (you should look at their listings over the last six months to see pictures of their listings) 6) statistics on list price vs sold price of their listings in last six months 7) demonstrated experience in your neighborhood? 8) how to overcome the shortcomings you see in your house (not the best neighborhood, etc) |
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maryannscraps
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Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Nov 2, 2018 11:59:02 GMT
No need to feel guilty. They haven't sold your house, nor even given you a plan for how they're going to do it. That's not very professional.
Your house is lovely -- you just need to get people through it to find the right buyer. The interior looks like a blank slate, without clutter, and perfectly spotless. I agree that the main picture on the website needs to change -- it's not a very flattering view of the garage and the algae(?) stained walls. There are much better pictures of the exterior. Use one that is flattering and shows how the house is set peacefully in the woods (and how the railings are freshly stained.)
I think you need to ask the potential realtors how they plan to market this unusual house to get the right person in there. You're in the biggest seller's market in the world, and your current realtor got lazy. They stand to make a lot of money off selling it -- how are they going to work it?
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Post by Darcy Collins on Nov 2, 2018 13:36:34 GMT
It's overpriced. I'm sorry, but it's really that simple. I remembered your previous threads and you have a dome property in the mountains. They're hard to sell and they don't sell based on square footage and acreage.
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moodyblue
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,173
Location: Western Illinois
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Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Nov 2, 2018 13:39:27 GMT
That's a cool house.
I agree with others that the main photo needs to be changed. It's not the most flattering view, I think.
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Post by mom on Nov 2, 2018 14:10:24 GMT
You are going to have a very limited audience. I think your price is high (but that is only based on gut and not facts). If I were looking at your home, Id wonder why everything is white in a such a rustic setting. I would never want a condo like interior while the setting is rustic mountains. There is a disconnect. Now for advice: I would go to Dave Ramsey's website and find a Realtor that he recommends. He only recommends those with proven success. LINK |
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Post by auntkelly on Nov 2, 2018 14:32:39 GMT
I think you need to try and set all your emotions aside and concentrate on one thing: selling your house as quickly as possible for a reasonable price.
I would look for realtors who are selling a lot of homes in the school district where your home is located. I would interview at least three realtors. I would tell each of them up front that you want them to cut to the chase and give you their honest opinion as to what the house is worth and how to best market it. I would listen to what all three realtors had to say and then I’d choose the realtor who I felt was best suited to sell the house.
As far as the current realtors go, I would tell them you appreciate the services they have provided in the past, but you need to get your house sold and feel you need to go with a different realtor. If they decide they don’t like you, so what? It doesn’t sound like you were close friends to begin with. I hope it doesn’t affect your relationship with your babysitter, but if it does, then find a new babysitter.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 2, 2018 14:34:58 GMT
We had to fire the first realtor that we listed MIL’s last single family house with. After getting her to do a bunch of work on the place that honestly didn’t need to be done (to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars), he couldn’t even be bothered to make sure the snow removal service he’d hired was doing their job. MIL had moved out to a condo and it was sitting vacant with no furniture or anything inside. We drove past it and saw the multiple sets of foot prints in the snow going as far as the top of the steps from the city sidewalk, turn around and go back. After that, we were done.
The second realtor had us minimally stage it with a couch, coffee table, and a small bistro set in the kitchen. He made sure the walks were clear after it snowed, etc. and the house sold in less than a week. Having the right realtor makes all the difference.
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freebird
Drama Llama
'cause I'm free as a bird now
Posts: 6,927
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Post by freebird on Nov 2, 2018 14:41:32 GMT
I like your house, I'd totally live there. I like "weird" houses  I don't love the main picture either. Maybe something more elevated. Someone with a drone? Do you get fall leaves? Might be a good time for a new main pic. I like almost all the interior pics and don't think it feels too cold except for the play room looks REALLY staged and the kitchen is really cold. Maybe a few plants. I don't think all the photos need redone honestly. |
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Post by beaglemom on Nov 2, 2018 17:10:40 GMT
Well, our phones have been ringing off the hook this morning with agents wanting to pick up the listing. We will be interviewing at least 4 and see what their ideas are and going from there. Thank you for all of the advice!
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Post by busy on Nov 2, 2018 17:18:43 GMT
After looking at the website, I think the biggest problem is going to be this house requires a VERY specific buyer. The exterior and the dome style are not in style now and are going to turn off the majority of buyers. It's nice inside, but the kitchen and some of the baths are a bit dated. And the lot, while spacious, beautiful, and private, does not seem very usable. If I'm going to have acreage, I want to be able to have a yard, garden, maybe a pool. None of those really look possible here.
From a pure $/square foot perspective, it's priced aggressively for the Bay Area. But I know I wouldn't want that commute into the heart of SV. It would be a monster. All of this is to say, there are a lot of positives to your home but also a lot of things about it that would turn off a big chunk of the buyer pool. You need a realtor who has a proven track record of selling unique properties.
Also, I suggest getting your roof cleaned and everything outside power washed. It currently looks like there's deferred maintenance (which I suspect there's really not... it's just the nature of it being in a heavily wooded area) and the buyers who DO come out to see it aren't getting the best first impression.
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Post by auroraborealis on Nov 2, 2018 18:37:12 GMT
I am so glad you are getting a lot of interest in a new realtor, because I think that change may make a big difference. I would definitely have them meet you at the house so they can get their in-person impressions. You want to know who they think the target market is for the house (is it someone commuting, retirees, young families wanting more space?), how to handle the adjoining lot offering (I suspect unbundling them may be important or you are stuck at too high a price which eliminates way too many buyers), and the proper staging, photography, and how to drive actual traffic to come see your home. If they don't have the time to meet you at the house, they are sending you a message. See who is creative and detailed and motivated (many good questions listed above). Someone who works at a place where people might be interested in your house--so it could be someone closer to the city with more affluent clientele vs. a local person. You want someone who can sell the distance and make it worth it, and understands what the buyers who might want this might care about (that may not be someone local).
I actually really like your house, but I do not like how your realtor has marketed it, at all. I think it is very weak marketing and not really putting it forth in the best light. She doesn't need to list "1 bathroom", it is assumed that is there. Could there be easy nanny quarters? Only list true features or lifestyle perks that are not obvious in the basic listing. How long of a drive to a usual work area (for someone making enough money to afford the house)? How close to a beach, cute restaurant town, etc.? Location is important so I would want them to think of true location strengths and highlight those. And where I live you have to mention schools, options and assets--people don't want to look this stuff up themselves--your realtor has to deliver it all to them.
A couple things that stand out to me:
Get the roof/decks all blown off (so no debris) before the new photos. Should look easy to maintain (don't remind them pine needles will fall all the time).
All the white and the more "condo" "staged" furnishings are not helping it with this peaceful wooded setting, and at an "executive" price point. Could probably have one or the other, but not both.
Is it possible to add some more character with a feature wall, or feature bathrooms (even the peel and stick wallpaper at Target, if it looks classy). You need someone who is excellent in helping it look more like an "executive home"" without breaking the bank.
Feature the outdoor or indoor/outdoor living a lot more--staged firepit with chairs in wooded area would be important where I live, and show how decks can really be utilized. Can you make a little trail? If someone is going to consider living farther out, they want to know the home has enough "draw" that they can still entertain and people will make the drive, and it would be special. Is there plenty of parking for guests? Potential for a flat lot section for kids to play, a hottub (if people like them there)?
Please feature any windows/views you have in the photos, and possibly skylights. Some hanging curtains (rods to the ceiling) may really help in some rooms.
Forget the "geo dome" label unless this is a major draw--what energy saving/eco friendly features does the home have? Could you offer a 1 year home warranty?
Good luck, it is a very nice house but needs a good agent to help it show all its potential!
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