Is there a thread for people selling their house?

[SamRoc]

We've had a condo on a golf course in Ft Myers on the market for 8 months with hardly any interest at all. We have had 2 different realtors try to sell it but so far nothing. We lowered the price too. Hopefully in the spring we will get someone interested in it.

 

[luvflorida]

Any new updates? We are still on the market. Our last showing the folks liked the location but felt like they would need to update all the bathrooms, so I guess they werent really interested. Our contract runs out in May and I think we may take it off the market if it hasnt sold by then. Anyone else having any luck out there?

Our contract also runs out in May. Today marks nine months on the market.

Our real estate agent sent us an e-mail last week saying that she is seeing an increase in the market. She said there were more houses (this is in southern Maine) going under contract and selling last month than in recent months. We actually had a showing yesterday and that hasn't happened in months.

The agent sent us feedback on yesterday's showing. She said it was an older couple from out of state and they spent a good hour looking at the house. They had even driven by it previously and had parked in the driveway for a few minutes. They loved the large bedrooms, which is funny because at a showing last year, a couple remarked that the bedrooms were TOO big. Go figure. I guess you can't please everyone!

So, we're crossing our fingers. We don't want to get our hopes up too high, though, because it could just as well amount to nothing. The good news is that it does seem like the market is coming alive again. And, there are buyers out looking, even in southern Maine where everything is buried in two feet of snow!

Send some good luck our way!!!!!!

 

[binny]

that is funny, here Feb is a big month because people want to get their kids settled into a new school before the year is out so they have built in neighbourhood friends for the summer.
At least that is what Ive heard from several people. People look in Feb to settle in by Spring Break.
Thats what we are hoping for as well!

have had 4 groups through in 3 weeks. One didnt like how much work had to be done ( hello you wante dto see it before it hit the market it wasnt ready!) One was realtor who was shopping for a client and he had great feedback.

the other 2 were through the open house last week. They loved the house, thought it was clean, beautiful and showed really well but it was just too big for both parties.

Yure right, cant please everyone.

Hoping that the next couple of weeks brings more traffic. Realtor says its starting to pick up and this is a popular neighbourhood.

 

[Cindyluwho]

We're really seeing an increase here in Seattle. One of our agents sold 3 homes this week (thank goodness!!). Our own home has been on the market since Halloween and we just did a $150K price reduction. We've been getting people stopping in front and taking fliers, we've had folks coming through the Open Houses and last week we had a couple come through for the 2nd time. I'm a hopin'... that being said, there has been only 1 sale over $1 million in the past 65 days

 

[Cindyluwho]

Well here I am two weeks after my last post and things are really heating up here in the Seattle area. Our Real Estate office is doing very well, sales are happening all the way up to 1.4 million! YEAH!!
Aside from that, we had a showing on our own home yesterday afternoon and the folks are very interested and coming back today. They have one other house they're interested in and it's also listed by us! Either way, it's a win-win but I'd much rather they bought our house, I am so tired of keeping my beds made and keeping my house clean!!

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

Well we got my parents moved out and they are living in a rented duplex. It's 3 bedrooms 2 baths and is really nice. They still want to find something to buy but aren't in any hurry. They have been looking around at lots and found a nice corner one but the builder/owner wants about double what it's worth.

 

[binny]

HI all,

Well we have been slow for showings here but realtor called and said that 1 house sold and 2 are under contract this week alone in our neighbourhood!

My mums house has had a revolving door on it. She has had one group through 3 times. Its their favourite house by far but they just arent ready to put in an offer on anything according to their realtor.



We are having 2 open houses this weekend. We shall see if anything comes from that.

 

[connorlevismom]

HI all,

Well we have been slow for showings here but realtor called and said that 1 house sold and 2 are under contract this week alone in our neighbourhood!

My mums house has had a revolving door on it. She has had one group through 3 times. Its their favourite house by far but they just arent ready to put in an offer on anything according to their realtor.


We are having 2 open houses this weekend. We shall see if anything comes from that.

Talk about wasting people's time! These kinds of buyers are enough to make people crazy.

Kristine

 

[luvflorida]

Well, going on 10 months now.

The couple I mentioned in my previous thread thought the house wasn't "spacious" and "open enough" for them.

We had another couple look at the house last week. After spending an hour going over everything in the house, they told the real estate agent that they really didn't want a pool and that they wanted to be closer to the ocean. Now, don't people check these things out beforehand!?!?!?! It is obvious from the descriptions given that our house has a pool. And, it would only take a little research, or one question to the agent, to find out that we're not within walking distance of the ocean. At least this couple made it INTO the house. Last year, we had a woman show up and refuse to get out of her car when she realized it wasn't oceanfront property. Our house is in a coastal community, but there is nothing indicating that we're on the ocean.

There was supposed to be a showing a few days ago. The real estate agent showed up, but the person(s) that made the appointment didn't.

This house selling experience has me !!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday, we lowered the price AGAIN. We have now lowered it over $71,000 from our original asking price. The house is worth more than what we have it listed for, but as others have said, a house is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

What a horrible time to try to sell a house.

 

[mom2pirateNpooh]

Luvflorida, I am so sorry to see that your house still hasn't sold. I hope your perfect buyer arrives soon!

I finally found this thread again and am stopping by with a long-overdue update. It’s good to see that some of you have had success. As for us, there’s good news, and there’s not-so-good news.

First, the good: After 11 months on the market, two different realtors, well over $200K in price reductions, and two failed escrows, our house finally sold! The offer came just as we’d resigned ourselves to pulling it off the market and moving back in. The buyer even wanted a really short escrow. After a year and a half, we are finally free of the financial burden of paying for an extra house. Problem solved, right? Nah.

The not-so-good news: We’re still renting, but no longer want to buy, the house we’re in (long story involving scary domestic violence issues next door). Our landlord put it back on the market, unannounced to us, then gave us a 60-day notice. The market here is incredibly depressed; many homes have lost 40-50% of their value. Apparently no one else is looking at houses – this one has only had 3 showings in two months. Very few properties are listed, most of which are either long-abandoned foreclosures or short sales (including this one) in undesirable locations. Basically – and I certainly understand this from a seller’s viewpoint – no one is selling unless they have to.

We’ve put an offer on the best bet out there, but as it’s a short sale, we won’t know for a couple more weeks if the bank accepts our offer. The house is great, and we really hope we get it. It’s hard to believe, but there is nothing else worth buying in our price range. Many of these places are literally falling down. We don’t object to buying a fixer, if it has the potential to be a good home. We’ve done that before. But everything we’ve seen needs at least $200K of work, which we can’t do after taking such a hit on our own sale.

So, even though our old house has sold, we’re stuck with nowhere to go.

Best wishes to all of you trying to sell your houses this spring! I’ll check in again later....

 

[connorlevismom]

After 8 months on the market, we finally sold and will close on the 27th. It is well over $100,000 less than our original asking price but I just don't care anymore, I want it gone so I don't have to pay two house payments. So far everything is going really well and I am keeping my fingers crossed that everything works out!

Kristine

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Congrats!!!

 

[phorsenuf]

Met with the Realtor yesterday. Didn't go as bad as I was thinking. Not terrific but at least we aren't upside down.
Shooting to list the 13th of April. I leave on vacation the next day so in that critical time of new on the market she can show it with no notice.

Time to bust butt and get it show ready.

 

[Angel16]

Wishing everyone here good luck on selling. We are currently doing little things to our house to make it "stand out" in this market. We just are going to wait it out. Not where we had planned on being at this time of our lives, however it could be much worse.

 

[luvflorida]

Luvflorida, I am so sorry to see that your house still hasn't sold. I hope your perfect buyer arrives soon!

I finally found this thread again and am stopping by with a long-overdue update. It’s good to see that some of you have had success. As for us, there’s good news, and there’s not-so-good news.

First, the good: After 11 months on the market, two different realtors, well over $200K in price reductions, and two failed escrows, our house finally sold! The offer came just as we’d resigned ourselves to pulling it off the market and moving back in.

Thanks, I hope we find a buyer soon, too! Not looking good, though. We've had nobody even looking. Zero, nada, nothing! SO frustrating!!

Congratulations on selling your house. We're kind of at the point where you were. We've thought about taking the house off the market and renting it. I don't really like that idea, though, because then there is no chance of it selling. Of course, even with it on the market, there doesn't look like a sale anytime soon, but at least there is still hope that it might sell. KWIM?!?!?!

I hope you find another place soon. Keep us updated!

After 8 months on the market, we finally sold and will close on the 27th. It is well over $100,000 less than our original asking price but I just don't care anymore, I want it gone so I don't have to pay two house payments. So far everything is going really well and I am keeping my fingers crossed that everything works out!

Kristine

CONGRATULATIONS on the sale of your house!! I know EXACTLY what you mean about not caring anymore. I'm ready to drop the price another ten thousand just to be done with it, but my husband isn't as eager. He feels we should leave it the way it is at least for the summer, then lower the price if it is still for sale. We now have to decide if we want to stay with the same real estate agency when our contract runs out May 1st. We're just not sure if switching to a different agency will make any difference.

 

[HomeschoolMama]

We just listed our house on Thursday. It's been rainy and cold here, so I'm not really surprised we had no showings today. I'm hoping the nice weather next week will bring more people out who are looking to buy.

The loan officer we are using for our pre-approval said he's been slammed lately. I'm hoping that will mean good tings for us.

Hubby was transferred back to the main office and has been commuting 1.5-2.5 hours each way. It's been so hard on the whole family.
I want to get this one sold so we can move to the same town as he's working in.


Hhere's to all of our houses selling quickly!

 

[Tuffcookie]

What would you do about this situation: Sorry, it is LONG!

Sis & I listed our late mom's house with a Century 21 agent in May of 2008. In Sept. of 2008 our agent was in a bad motorcycle accident. She had a long recouperation over the winter and is just now getting back on her feet. She was the #1 agent in this area for a good number of years. She is also related to sis's oldest DD, thru marriage, and gave us a break on the commision she would take. She told us she would advertise in the paper every 2 weeks. And she was good on that promise up until the accident.

During the time she was off recouperating other agents stepped in and showed the house.

One day I stopped over at the house to find that it was left unlocked!

I called the office and the head of the office said she would take care of it. She sounded put off that I had called!

I have not seen an advertisement in the paper since January.

The agency's web site is down and when I called to inquire about it, I was told they are no longer going to be affliated with Century 21 and they are working on the web site. She could give me no definate time frame when the site would be up. Am I wrong to think they should contact their listings and let them know?

Saturday I was at the house and I noticed the realty sign laying down in the yard. It must have been neighborhood kids trying to swing from it. I called the agent and she said she would have it put back up.

So tonight I go over to get an actual gas meter reading. That's when I noticed the lock box is off the back door.

I called my agent at her home #. That is when I was told she and the real estate office she was thru, had a parting of the ways! She was told by them, she was not allowed to contact any of her listings!!! Can they do this?

I signed a contract renewal with specifically her, good thru July. Does the fact that there has been no advertising since Jan., the house was shown and left unlocked, and the fact that I was not advised when the agent left their office give me grounds for terminating the remainer of my contract? I wonder if they plan on telling me or anybody that she is no longer with their office?

TC

 

[mickeyfan1]

Contact you local Realty Board oversight agency. You contract would be technically with the broker running the office, not the company or your agent. But there should be a governing board which which you can file a complaint. It does sound pretty crappy, but as a seller you should also be able to cancel the listing contract. Since none of the showings have resulted in any offers, you should not have to pay commission to the original broker and office if you re list with your prefered agent and she sells it.

 

[Maroon]

My Realtor explained that the contest is an incentive for other agents to get people into the house as it is in a program where they could win 10k...

 

[Cindyluwho]

I called my agent at her home #. That is when I was told she and the real estate office she was thru, had a parting of the ways! She was told by them, she was not allowed to contact any of her listings!!! Can they do this?

I signed a contract renewal with specifically her, good thru July. Does the fact that there has been no advertising since Jan., the house was shown and left unlocked, and the fact that I was not advised when the agent left their office give me grounds for terminating the remainer of my contract? I wonder if they plan on telling me or anybody that she is no longer with their office?

TC

Your listing is legally with the broker. You can, however, cancel your listing at any time. You do NOT have to wait until the listing has expired.

Find a company in your area that is doing well and an agent that is actively working in this market. I'm seeing so many agents, even in my own office, that are sitting back and fretting rather than getting out there and doing what they need to do to sell houses. I know this is a scary time for agents but the ones that are out there really working are still making money and getting their listings sold. As the owner of a Real Estate Company, I understand the fear but seriously there's no money to be made if you won't work!!