Realtors!

[Pembo]

This morning we had a buyers realtor come through our house. This couple was NOSY! The wife of the realtor was asking all those questions they are not supposed to ask.

Do you have a new house? What about possession? UGH!

I think I did a pretty good job being vague to her.


Last week we had a realtor and a buyer come through, they were EARLY to their appointment and seemed miffed that DH commented that they were early. Hey when you see between 3 and 4 don't show up at 2:45!

Please someone just buy my house and let this torture be over with................

 

[believe]

We were never home when our house was viewed so we were able to avoid these issues.

 

[jipsy]

Yes, I agree. Don't be home.

 

[Dizzy-Disney4]

When we were selling our house a few years ago, one couple came in and left my DD's bedroom window wide open...screen and all, heat on, cat got out. I was so mad. Our realtor called the other realtor and made him call us to apologize. I made it a point to be home after that.

 

[Pembo]

It's hard to NOT be home when they want to come during baby's nap time. And DH was TRYING to leave, they just showed up too early. argh.....

 

[olena]

My Mom is selling her house and some realtors are being obnoxious. This one realtor calls up and say she's coming in 30 minutes. No problem. She basically tells Mom to leave. Mom said she didn't need to go anywhere. Then the woman makes a comment about Mom not being very serious about selling her house.

We're coming...GET OUT!

 

[pajamommy]

My DH is a realtor/builder, and he's nice, lol!!! Really, I've had many of his clients tell me that he's great to work with, so not all realtors are that bad!! Oh, and he also recommends that no one is home when potential buyers view the home. Good luck, hope you sell soon!!

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

I never understood why people had to leave their own homes for a potential buyer. Sometimes when you have questions, the realtor might not even know the answer and have to get back to you, so why shouldn't the homeowner be there to possibly answer some questions?

If I list my home I'm staying there during showings (out of the way of course, maybe even go outside) but there is no way I'm going to pack up and head out everytime someone wants to come over . . .

I would also never have an "open house" when a neighbor of mine was selling her home, she had an "open house" and other neighbors were going in her home just to be nosey and see what she had . . . what a waste of 2 hours of the sellers time!

Pembo - don't worry the right buyer will come along . . .

 

[jipsy]

I have been in the market to buy a house for over a year now. Sometimes the seller has been there when I go look, but most times not.

People want to take their time to go through a house they are looking at to purchase. If you are afraid of theft, hide it or lock it up. If you are afraid of a pet being let out by mistake, put it up or take it with you somewhere. Nothing is more annoying than going to look at a home and not only have the sellers there, but also have to put up with their dog trying to sniff me down in every room.

When the seller is there, I feel like an intruder. The last time, the sellers followed us and the realtor everywhere through the house. Every time I tried to look at a feature of the home, one of the sellers would pop up beside me to tell me how they came to build that, paint it, fix it, etc. etc. etc. I was extremely uncomfortable and felt as if they were afraid I was going to steal something. (Quite frankly, they had nothing I wanted, including their home).

Other homes I have been at when the seller was home, again, I feel as if I am intruding and I tend to rush to get through looking. I won't take the time to examine the features and benefits of your home like I will when you are not there.

If the potential buyers ask you questions they shouldn't ask, the realtor should have stepped in. If you are forced to be the one to answer, your response should be "The realtor we listed the house with has that information already, you should check with her" or something similar. Better yet, even if you choose to stay home while the house is being shown, don't make yourself available for questions, get out of the way.

And yes, I hate to say it, but if the sellers are there, I will ask any question of them I want to and if they choose to answer that's their problem.

You could also tell the realtor you have the house listed with that you want him/her present at all showings to avoid those types of questions being asked directly to you. If someone asks, he/she can step in.

Hope that helps.

 

[Disney Ella]

I have to agree with Jipsy. I feel strange walking through someone's house when they're there and I spend as little time as possible in the house. I would worry about my cat if people were looking at my house because it's not always possible to take him with us (when we're at work, etc.) so I do see both sides. I have been to houses where people were there but they stayed on the porch or in the yard, which was much better. I have also had the experience of a homeowner following me through the house telling me about what they did to each room, which really was not helping.

 

[tnkrbell]

We have just finished house hunting (we close on the 25th yippee!!) Anyways I found myself not liking or feeling comfortable in homes where the owners were in it. One family was sitting watching tv and I felt really strange walking around "their" home.
When I sold mine I was home but I would go for a walk till they finished looking then I would come back if they had any questions.
Good luck it will all work out but I know it is a stressful time.

 

[Shelly]

First off I totally agree, it is not fun selling your house. I've always said I will list it then go on vacation (LOL).
Our house is for sale by owner right now. This is so much nicer. It's not as heavy of a barage of people, and I feel like they are more serious. I too hate open houses.
One thing if people are home when I go thru the house I'm also extremly uncomfortable. I go thru very fast, I would say that it really goes against them, the house would really have to amaze me for me to overlook that uncomfortablness(sp?). Luckily is rarely happens. If the people sit outside that's great though.

 

[Pembo]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes. If I am home when someone comes to look at our home I do try to disappear outside. We try to leave everytime. I too feel more comfortable when the homeowner is NOT there. It's just hard with a baby who needs to nap.

 

[Nuts4Disney]

They say that "buying/selling a home is one of the major stresses in life." Having personally been on both sides of it, as well as as a realtor some years back, I can understand why.

Some people are nosy & others are just plain annoying. Best of Luck that it all goes quickly & as painlessly as possible. Just keep repeating the mantra, "It will all be over soon...It will all be over soon...It will all be over soon..."

 

[Disney Doll]

My DH is a realtor, and unfortunately, like every other profession, there are good and bad.

I question what the realtor's wife was doing with the realtor while he was showing your house??!!! That's very unethical(or at least it would be considered so in our area). I have been out with my DH shopping or whatever when someone has called and wanted to see a house, and he will tell them that he has his wife with them, but I sit in the car as he shows the house, I don't go in with them, for goodness sakes!!!!!!

As far as not being home when someone comes to see your house...my DH never tells people they must go out, but he does tell them that if they are home they may hear potential buyers say negative things about their home, and if they don't think they can handle hearing stuff like that, then they should go out. Remember, to you your house is your home, and you love it with all its quirks etc, but to someone looking to buy a house, your house is a commodity and they are going to look at it with a critical eye. I do know that when DH and I were looking at houses, I felt more comfortable as the "looker" if the owners weren't there, because I felt that I could ask questions or point out things that I considred to be negatives and wouldn't be hurting anyone's feelings. I mean, I have my house, and I think it's wonderful, but it does probably have some things that someone else would consider negatives, and if I heard someone criticizing, I know I'd be in a snit!

 

[disykat]

I've been in both positions, and although it was inconvenient leaving with small kids, I left because I know how it felt as a buyer when people were home. Fortunately our house sold in a week so I was always able to leave. There was one time we were sitting in the minivan about 1/2 a block down waiting for them to come and go!

We did buy our current house where the previous owner was home(she didn't drive), but she stayed out of our way in a small bedroom. Another home we offered on all three residents were home and were clearly heartbroken that they were selling. Other times when people were home, we ended up staying LONGER than we wished because we felt we had to look to be polite. Because of my allergies there were homes that I had to leave immediately due to strong incense odors (there is one ethnic group in my area that uses a certain fragrance very strongly in their homes). It was very difficult to be polite when you just wanted to say yuck and turn around. Walking through a house whispering your thoughts to your spouse makes for an uncomfortable walk through!

That said, it's a pain in the rear to sell - I sympathise with you!

 

[marlasmom]

Well there was the realtor who left the door unlocked; there was the realtor who left her clients in the house while she went somewhere else but my absolute "favorites" were the ones who said, "she really wants to sell - her husband is already out in California." PLEASE DO NOT TELL STRANGERS I AM ALONE HERE WITH THE KIDS.