Remind me NEVER to do THIS again!!! (house-selling)

[MariannNOVA]

Our agent was having an Open House today AND there were two add'l showings - one before and one after.

 

By the time the 'after' showing was going to take place, we had already been out of the house 6 hours, the dog was in doggy day care, and we were exhausted. The kids and I were sitting in our next door neighbor's driveway (they are on vacation) waiting for the showing to be over so we could go on home. Read below -- this is what I sent to our agent who is on vacation and an associate did the open house for her.

 

The kids and I were sitting in Mr. XYZ's driveway at 5:05 and there were two minivans in my driveway. We sat and waited -- Everything I am going to describe took about 30 minutes. For the first 20 minutes, there was no sign of anyone or any activity as they were obviously inside the house. Then we see the husband carrying a little girl who looked to be about one year old - they apparently came out of the lower level carport door and he starts looking at the front of the house. The wife with a little girl who looks to be about 7 or 8, comes out the same way with the agent. The wife and agent go back in the front door and the wife is smiling and looks very happy. The husband looks like he swallowed something that made him sick -- he looked just not happy. So he is looking at the front of the house and at the road and at the two trees at the end of the driveway. The wife and agent and little girl come out -- the wife is talking, smiling, animated, the agent looks pleased, and then the husband starts pointing to different things and shaking his head no; the trees, the carport, Mrs. Scissorhand's house....he is going on and on. The agent is speaking to him. The wife no longer looks happy (this guy needs to get a clue) -- the wife starts pointing to things and talking to him, the agent is talking to him. Both women are listening as he talks but he just looks like he has had it. He is pointing to the trees at the end of the driveway again and at the carport.

 

They stand in the driveway and the agent is doing all the talking. He puts the one year old into her car seat, the wife and agent talk some more - the wife looks crestfallen. I have to say, I counted and only 3 cars drove by XYZ road the whole time they were outside, but of course, he had to point to the road as well.

 

They got in their vans and drove away.

 

It was very difficult to sit in our car and watch this individual be so in a lather about heaven knows what -- I mean really. I will go back to parking up the road.:glare:

[Liz CA]

I suppose this is why agents always wanted us to be gone when there was a showing.

So much drama though. When we went looking, we reserved most comments for the privacy of our car...;)

[Impish]

:grouphug:

[Merry]

were not part of his vision of his ideal house and that had nothing to do with your personal taste.

I get that a lot when I'm out in public due to my deafness. I see all the mouths moving and hands waving around and wonder what the fuss is about. I keep telling myself not to take it personally and to just forget it.

[Jeannie in NJ]

we usually park down the street but in the opposite direction that anyone leaving would not drive past us but we can easily see them leave. at two showings this week, one couple left in 10 min, the other showing they left in 6 min. For the third showing we actually ran an errand and came back in 30 min, they were gone, what drove me nuts, were they gone in 5 min or did they stay for 29 min. Of course, we have also sat in the car for an hour before . We have also had many people show up for a scheduled showing over an hour late so we now wait until they get here and then quick hi to them as we breeze out the door to the car. I agree with you, I hate this whole business.

[MariannNOVA]

I suppose this is why agents always wanted us to be gone when there was a showing.

So much drama though. When we went looking, we reserved most comments for the privacy of our car...;)

 

I agree with reserving comments for the car. I think, though, that the wife thought they had finally found THE house and the husband needed to make his point. He should, however, have waited to share his issues with her in the privacy of their car, as you said. He needs to get a clue. And, yes, totally, this cements in my mind why I never want to be here for a showing.:iagree:

 

:grouphug:

back at you!:grouphug:

 

were not part of his vision of his ideal house and that had nothing to do with your personal taste.

I get that a lot when I'm out in public due to my deafness. I see all the mouths moving and hands waving around and wonder what the fuss is about. I keep telling myself not to take it personally and to just forget it.

Interesting and thanks for sharing that. I just had to look away -- ds11, though, well it was like watching him watch a train wreck -- he could not look away.

 

we usually park down the street but in the opposite direction that anyone leaving would not drive past us but we can easily see them leave. at two showings this week, one couple left in 10 min, the other showing they left in 6 min. For the third showing we actually ran an errand and came back in 30 min, they were gone, what drove me nuts, were they gone in 5 min or did they stay for 29 min. Of course, we have also sat in the car for an hour before . We have also had many people show up for a scheduled showing over an hour late so we now wait until they get here and then quick hi to them as we breeze out the door to the car. I agree with you, I hate this whole business.

 

Well, the good news is that I have been telling dh since last summer that the trees at the end of the driveway (there are 3 of them ) have to go! He insists that he is not paying for them to come down, and finally, today I told him point blank that if September rolls around and we are still here and I am driving the girls to private school 30 minutes away, well......he needs to get a clue. :glare:

 

He has messages in to three tree services. Hopefully, they will come quickly and get the job done quickly. I do really think that with the trees gone, we have a good shot at someone making an offer.

[lmrich]

Some of the feedback we would get - doesn't have a basement (I KNOW!), then from the same day from different people - too big, too small, nice neighborhood, pretty trees, and neighborhood looks dated (I guess all those mature trees).... take it with a grain of salt.

 

I came to the conclusion that I didn't want a stupid person to be my neighbors new neighbors anyways.

[MariannNOVA]

I came to the conclusion that I didn't want a stupid person to be my neighbors new neighbors anyways.

 

:lol::lol::lol: I cannot resist: regarding one of my neighbors, there would finally be someone with whom she has something in common.:lol::lol::lol:

[PrincessMommy]

Some of the feedback we would get - doesn't have a basement (I KNOW!), then from the same day from different people - too big, too small, nice neighborhood, pretty trees, and neighborhood looks dated (I guess all those mature trees).... take it with a grain of salt.

 

I came to the conclusion that I didn't want a stupid person to be my neighbors new neighbors anyways.

 

 

:lol:

 

See, several of those things would be what we would look for in a house - especially the mature trees. And really, they should have known that it was a "dated" house and that it didn't have a basement before they even arrived.

 

I have to say that when I was looking for a house often there wasn't anything real in particular, I just *knew* it wasn't THE house I was looking for. KWIM?? The realtor ALWAYS asked me what I didn't like about the house and I guess she had to come up with something for feedback. Looking back, I might have said some silly sounding things too. So yes, please just take them with a grain of salt.

[Blessedchaos]

I think I'm missing something...

 

What is wrong with having trees at the end of your driveway? I would think this would be desirable for privacy. I don't get it:confused:

[MariannNOVA]

I think I'm missing something...

 

What is wrong with having trees at the end of your driveway? I would think this would be desirable for privacy. I don't get it:confused:

 

The overwhelming consensus regarding feedback is that the driveway is too narrow and in order to widen it, the trees have to go.

[Blessedchaos]

The overwhelming consensus regarding feedback is that the driveway is too narrow and in order to widen it, the trees have to go.

 

I see...

[MariannNOVA]

I see...

 

I didn't mean to answer in such a 'short' fashion -- dd11 left a door open, they all had a fire in the patio firepit and I had to jump up to close the door.

 

I guess what folks don't realize is that if it costs $5k to get the trees down, I am increasing the price $5k.

 

Folks would be wiser to negotiate something now before we spend the $$$ on taking the trees down -- you know -- $2000. back to buyer at closing and they can use the $ to take down the trees or not. My guess is that the trees become not as big of an issue with $2k in hand.

[Scuff]

I wouldn't take it personally. I wouldn't wait til the car, either. You're right there looking at the house, what better time is there to discuss what you like and don't like about it? And he couldn't have known that you were right there watching the whole thing. But, wow, what a pain selling is.

[cathmom]

I've never sold a house, so feel free to ignore me, but wouldn't you be happier if you didn't watch the potential buyers? :)

[MariannNOVA]

I wouldn't take it personally. I wouldn't wait til the car, either. You're right there looking at the house, what better time is there to discuss what you like and don't like about it? And he couldn't have known that you were right there watching the whole thing. But, wow, what a pain selling is.

 

I cannot remember it ever being this difficult.:cursing:

[MariannNOVA]

I've never sold a house, so feel free to ignore me, but wouldn't you be happier if you didn't watch the potential buyers? :)

 

Heavens, yes.

 

But, rather than drive by repeatedly to see if it was 'safe' to go home, we were so exhausted, we pulled into the neighbor's driveway. First time I have ever done that -- last time too.;)

[DawnM]

I hated reading the oh so helpful feedback.

 

Wrong area

House needs a porch

Wrong school district

Didn't like color of house

Doesn't like detached garage

Too close to the road

 

ALL THINGS WE CANNOT CHANGE! How is that helpful? Just say you don't want it and by all means, CHECK the listing BEFORE dropping by so you don't waste all of our times!

 

Dawn

[cathmom]

Heavens, yes.

 

But, rather than drive by repeatedly to see if it was 'safe' to go home, we were so exhausted, we pulled into the neighbor's driveway. First time I have ever done that -- last time too.;)

 

Oh, I see!

[FaithManor]

Mariann,

 

I'd rather shoot myself in the leg with a hunting rifle sporting and elephant slug, than sell another house!!!!!

 

:grouphug: Faith

[Denisemomof4]

I'm sorry. :sad:

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[PinkInTheBlue]

:grouphug: I am terribly sorry you are going through all this. My heart breaks for all the drama you've had to endure trying to sell this beautiful house of yours.

 

Can I add this as well? Reading all these threads on the frustrations of house selling and even buying helps solidify the fact I have NO interest in getting back into that jumble again. I'm pretty surprisingly happy to be renting right now. I don't want to live here much longer so the idea of avoiding the selling headache is GOOD!

[Jeannie in NJ]

we got a feedback once that said "House should be bulldozed" Ouch, that hurt, The house is 40 years old with original hardwood floors everywhere, 2200 sq. ft, a year round upstairs and downstairs sunrooms. Huge rooms, huge family room, dining room, living room , sunrooms and bedrooms. Okay the kitchen and bathrooms need to be redone and the pilings need to be repaired. But I don't think the house needs to be bulldozed or if it does just give me my money and then do whatever you want with the house (dh would be sad if the house would be torn down, he has always loved it, we do like our house, we are just ready for a change after 19 years .

[DawnM]

To me, that shows lack of tact on the part of the realtor.

 

I made some comments about a house I didn't like in front of our realtor. I asked her if she would say THOSE comments as I didn't wish to be rude. She assured me she only made comments that were polite, like, "client needs to sell their own house first." Or "Client wishes to look a little longer."

 

Dawn

 

we got a feedback once that said "House should be bulldozed" Ouch, that hurt, The house is 40 years old with original hardwood floors everywhere, 2200 sq. ft, a year round upstairs and downstairs sunrooms. Huge rooms, huge family room, dining room, living room , sunrooms and bedrooms. Okay the kitchen and bathrooms need to be redone and the pilings need to be repaired. But I don't think the house needs to be bulldozed or if it does just give me my money and then do whatever you want with the house (dh would be sad if the house would be torn down, he has always loved it, we do like our house, we are just ready for a change after 19 years .

[mom2samlibby]

Our agent was having an Open House today AND there were two add'l showings - one before and one after.

 

By the time the 'after' showing was going to take place, we had already been out of the house 6 hours, the dog was in doggy day care, and we were exhausted. The kids and I were sitting in our next door neighbor's driveway (they are on vacation) waiting for the showing to be over so we could go on home. Read below -- this is what I sent to our agent who is on vacation and an associate did the open house for her.

 

The kids and I were sitting in Mr. XYZ's driveway at 5:05 and there were two minivans in my driveway. We sat and waited -- Everything I am going to describe took about 30 minutes. For the first 20 minutes, there was no sign of anyone or any activity as they were obviously inside the house. Then we see the husband carrying a little girl who looked to be about one year old - they apparently came out of the lower level carport door and he starts looking at the front of the house. The wife with a little girl who looks to be about 7 or 8, comes out the same way with the agent. The wife and agent go back in the front door and the wife is smiling and looks very happy. The husband looks like he swallowed something that made him sick -- he looked just not happy. So he is looking at the front of the house and at the road and at the two trees at the end of the driveway. The wife and agent and little girl come out -- the wife is talking, smiling, animated, the agent looks pleased, and then the husband starts pointing to different things and shaking his head no; the trees, the carport, Mrs. Scissorhand's house....he is going on and on. The agent is speaking to him. The wife no longer looks happy (this guy needs to get a clue) -- the wife starts pointing to things and talking to him, the agent is talking to him. Both women are listening as he talks but he just looks like he has had it. He is pointing to the trees at the end of the driveway again and at the carport.

 

They stand in the driveway and the agent is doing all the talking. He puts the one year old into her car seat, the wife and agent talk some more - the wife looks crestfallen. I have to say, I counted and only 3 cars drove by XYZ road the whole time they were outside, but of course, he had to point to the road as well.

 

They got in their vans and drove away.

 

It was very difficult to sit in our car and watch this individual be so in a lather about heaven knows what -- I mean really. I will go back to parking up the road.:glare:

 

I'm confused as to why you would send that to your realtor? The husband and the wife each are entitled to have an opinion on the house that you are selling. You were basically eavesdropping on their showing. What do you expect your realtor to do about it?

 

I think the best piece of advice you can do for yourself when selling is detach yourself from your home. I know it's hard to do, but that's the best thing to try and do. Think of it no longer as your home, but as property that you are selling.

 

I saw that you posted about your trees and you can't increase the price of your property to reflect the cost of the trees being removed, unless your contact will be ending soon. I would personally leave them alone, unless that is the one comment that you keep getting over and over again.

[KnitWit]

I cannot resist: regarding one of my neighbors, there would finally be someone with whom she has something in common.

 

Wahahahahaha!!!! :lol::lol::lol:

 

This was E.X.A.C.T.L.Y. my first thought. :lol::lol::lol:

[T'smom]

I'm confused as to why you would send that to your realtor? The husband and the wife each are entitled to have an opinion on the house that you are selling. You were basically eavesdropping on their showing. What do you expect your realtor to do about it?

 

:iagree::iagree:

 

Basically, some people looked at your house, the wife liked it, the husband didn't. That happens ALL the time. They had every right to express their opinions as they saw fit. They had no idea that you were watching- maybe the husband would have tried to not hurt your feelings if he knew you were watching, but he shouldn't have had to worry about that. And all the realtor did was talk to them? What could the realtor have done differently? At least you have people looking. And someone liked it.

[TammyinTN]

:grouphug: Selling a home must be a real pain..sorry! I plan on buying one home and I told my husband he had better really like it because once I move in...I'm not leaving (14 moves in 25 years so far). I'm soooo sick of moving.

[Catwoman]

I agree with reserving comments for the car.

 

Well, in his defense, he didn't know you were watching. ;)

 

I have always been very upfront with agents when I've looked at houses. If I don't let them know what I like and what I don't like, they will keep showing more houses that probably won't work for me, and that will waste their time as well as mine. I usually give them a running commentary as I go through the house, because otherwise, I'll have forgotten half of what I wanted to say by the time I get outside to the car.

 

I would never say anything rude if the owner was at home, though! I remember going to see one particular house and the elderly owners were at home, and they were so sweet that I was very complimentary about their house and the yard, even though the yard needed a little work and the house was horribly dated and I never would have wanted it. Then I worried that I was getting their hopes up, so I made a point of commenting about how it was a lot farther away from my husband's work than we thought it would be, so we probably wouldn't be able to buy the house, even though we loved it.

 

I waited until we got in the car with the agent to let her know what I really thought of the house. I wouldn't have dreamed of letting the owners hear me, because it had been their home for years and years, and they were very proud of it.

[MariannNOVA]

Mariann,

 

I'd rather shoot myself in the leg with a hunting rifle sporting and elephant slug, than sell another house!!!!!

 

:grouphug: Faith

 

:lol::lol::lol:

 

I would never say anything rude if the owner was at home, though! I wouldn't have dreamed of letting the owners hear me, because it had been their home for years and years, and they were very proud of it.

 

:iagree: I don't think there is anything wrong with erring on the side of discretion when providing feedback -- a simple: it is not going to work for their family, imo, will suffice.

 

Truthfully, if someone is not going to make an offer, THAT is about all the feedback one needs. I do agree that if there is ONE issue that comes up over and over again, it is good to know that, and ime, the showing agent will usually provide that. But, as you said, when one goes to see a property, invariably, it IS someone's home, and I think it is best to be appropriate.

[MariannNOVA]

I'm confused as to why you would send that to your realtor? The husband and the wife each are entitled to have an opinion on the house that you are selling. You were basically eavesdropping on their showing. What do you expect your realtor to do about it? I don't expect her to do anything about it. If she gets feedback from the other agent regarding what particularly had the husband in such a state, I would like to know if she considers his points valid and worth addressing -- if he is seeing something that dh and I are missing, I would like to know.

 

And, as far as 'eavesdropping' - I wasn't hiding under one of the beds and I didn't have a tape recorder hidden in the house, I was sitting in my mini van in plain view. The driveway is adjacent to the front of my property -- it's a red minivan -- I wasn't exactly inconspicuous - and we weren't hiding under the front seats or anything. Sheesh. I didn't approach or go running up to the individual or their realtor shaking my fists or in tears about what I saw or perceived to see-- I actually sat and explained to ds that while we had looked at 12 different houses last sunday, dh and I came out of each one and depending on our level of interest in them, looked them over, and albeit without the emotion this gentleman was exhibiting, we did the same.

 

I think the best piece of advice you can do for yourself when selling is detach yourself from your home. I know it's hard to do, but that's the best thing to try and do. Think of it no longer as your home, but as property that you are selling.

 

I saw that you posted about your trees and you can't increase the price of your property to reflect the cost of the trees being removed, unless your contact will be ending soon. I would personally leave them alone, unless that is the one comment that you keep getting over and over again.

Thanks for the input.

[MariannNOVA]

I'm sorry. :sad:

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

:grouphug: I am terribly sorry you are going through all this. My heart breaks for all the drama you've had to endure trying to sell this beautiful house of yours.

 

Can I add this as well? Reading all these threads on the frustrations of house selling and even buying helps solidify the fact I have NO interest in getting back into that jumble again. I'm pretty surprisingly happy to be renting right now. I don't want to live here much longer so the idea of avoiding the selling headache is GOOD!

 

we got a feedback once that said "House should be bulldozed" Ouch, that hurt, The house is 40 years old with original hardwood floors everywhere, 2200 sq. ft, a year round upstairs and downstairs sunrooms. Huge rooms, huge family room, dining room, living room , sunrooms and bedrooms. Okay the kitchen and bathrooms need to be redone and the pilings need to be repaired. But I don't think the house needs to be bulldozed or if it does just give me my money and then do whatever you want with the house (dh would be sad if the house would be torn down, he has always loved it, we do like our house, we are just ready for a change after 19 years .

 

Thank you, thank you, and OUCH!!!! Years ago I worked with a realtor who was brutally honest when she had feedback to provide -- she never tempered anything or left out hurtful stuff -- I just thought that there was probably a better way to convey what she had to convey without making hard feelings. Letting someone say that your home should be bull-dozed, well, that's one of those statements that should not have been shared. As I said earlier, a simple: "it's not going to work for their family" is all that is necessary.

[Laura Corin]

Heavens, yes.

 

But, rather than drive by repeatedly to see if it was 'safe' to go home, we were so exhausted, we pulled into the neighbor's driveway. First time I have ever done that -- last time too.;)

 

...and have the agent call you when s/he is finished?

 

Laura

[runmiarun]

I hated reading the oh so helpful feedback.

 

Wrong area

House needs a porch

Wrong school district

Didn't like color of house

Doesn't like detached garage

Too close to the road

 

ALL THINGS WE CANNOT CHANGE! How is that helpful? Just say you don't want it and by all means, CHECK the listing BEFORE dropping by so you don't waste all of our times!

 

Dawn

 

 

Ugh. Wow. I agree with you. If those are the issues the people are not liking, don't look at the house.

[FaithManor]

One thing I do wish realtors would teach etiquette to the potential buyers and then watch them like hawks.

 

Since it was a neighborhood and not some house out in a rural area with no close neighbors, it's not acceptable to make negative feedback or an animated scene in the driveway during the day when other residents are out and about.

 

Things I've had happen at my home during a showing and the realtor did nothing about:

 

1. A two year old child was allowed to make large crayon marks on my $25,000.00 piano.

 

2. All the toilet paper was taken...all ten rolls from the bathroom closet. How this escaped the notice of the realtor, I will never know.

 

3. Fresh baked rolls for supper, which were not in plain view, were eaten.

 

4. One man went to the next door neighbor and asked if either of us were perverts because he wasn't going to live in a pervert's house. Did this with the blessing of the realtor. :confused: Our neighbor, a great guy, told him, "I hope you don't buy this house. I don't think I want to live next door to someone so ill mannered." High Five the neighbor!

 

5. A large bunch of my roses were cut with a pair of shears they retrieved from my kitchen draw - so yes, they must have been going through our drawers - and I came home to rather scalped looking rose bushes. They tracked mud through the kitchen and were brazen enough to leave the shears on the county with dirt and leaves stuck to them. :001_huh:

 

THIS is why I would rather be shot than have to sell a house ever again.

 

We sold our last by owner...marked it way down since we just didn't even care about the money anymore and wanted it off our hands. We priced it so it would absolutely sell quickly because it was such a major bargain for such a good house. DH's sister is a realtor and sent a PDF file of the standard contract for us to use. The title company handled closing. It went like clockwork and only took three months from the time we placed it on the market to closing. Since we were outside waiting at every showing, we could confiscate stolen items and we always made one round of the house after the couple had time in the house without us, to look for graffiti and damage. It worked. No problems.

 

Faith

[Blessedchaos]

I hated reading the oh so helpful feedback.

 

Wrong area

House needs a porch

Wrong school district

Didn't like color of house

Doesn't like detached garage

Too close to the road

 

ALL THINGS WE CANNOT CHANGE! How is that helpful? Just say you don't want it and by all means, CHECK the listing BEFORE dropping by so you don't waste all of our times!

 

Dawn

 

Ugh. I know. It drives me nuts when people do not pay attention to the listing and dismiss the house after seeing it because of something that was clear in the listing. We had photos and panoramas professionally done by a pro photographer for this recent listing and there were a number of shots off the back of the deck and out the back window as well as a panorama of the backyard. Yet we still got at least one (maybe two) comments about the view out the back of the house being too distracting. Um, did you look at the photos? They were EXACTLY what you see out the back of the house. Oh, and by the way, our privacy fenced yard backs to our neighbor's house, curved driveway, and partially to a (very dead) cul-de-sac. Not exactly hopping with activity (and actually plenty private for us with the fence and all the mature trees).

[MariannNOVA]

...and have the agent call you when s/he is finished?

 

Laura

 

No - they will tell you flatly that they will not do that -- they won't even call as they leave one house to come to yours.

 

We have asked them to do that when we are given a three or four or five hour window for a showing (you know, they say they are coming between 11 and 4), and they will not.

 

What has happened is they will respond: no, I cannot do that. Never mind, we won't be coming.

[kokotg]

No - they will tell you flatly that they will not do that -- they won't even call as they leave one house to come to yours.

 

We have asked them to do that when we are given a three or four or five hour window for a showing (you know, they say they are coming between 11 and 4), and they will not.

 

What has happened is they will respond: no, I cannot do that. Never mind, we won't be coming.

 

Ugh!

 

Our agent gets an e-mail when the lockbox has been activated, so she's able to see from her end when people go in and out. Maybe you should ask about a high tech lockbox upgrade?

 

Clearing out for showings here is getting harder with the streak of 80 degree plus days we've been having. We can't leave the dogs in the car while we go do something. so far we've only had hour windows to deal with when that's going on, though. Two more days and we're back in the 70's!

[MariannNOVA]

Ugh!

 

Our agent gets an e-mail when the lockbox has been activated, so she's able to see from her end when people go in and out. Maybe you should ask about a high tech lockbox upgrade?

 

Clearing out for showings here is getting harder with the streak of 80 degree plus days we've been having. We can't leave the dogs in the car while we go do something. so far we've only had hour windows to deal with when that's going on, though. Two more days and we're back in the 70's!

 

We have that kind of lock box -- I love our realtor -- she is the best.

She texts me when she is able (she is at basketball games with her kids, etc - probably as busy as we are) but texts sometimes don't arrive here till hours later.

 

Around here, truthfully, one will get a look as if they have six heads if they indicate that something is inconvenient and would one do 'thus and such' to help them out. Honestly. Not kidding.

[AuntieM]

Well, Mariann, I think you just need to keep a slingshot in your glove box. :D

 

House selling is painful. :grouphug:

I hope all this activity - frustrating as it is - will result in a sale very soon. It is time.

[T'smom]

One thing I do wish realtors would teach etiquette to the potential buyers and then watch them like hawks.

 

Since it was a neighborhood and not some house out in a rural area with no close neighbors, it's not acceptable to make negative feedback or an animated scene in the driveway during the day when other residents are out and about.

 

Things I've had happen at my home during a showing and the realtor did nothing about:

 

1. A two year old child was allowed to make large crayon marks on my $25,000.00 piano.

 

2. All the toilet paper was taken...all ten rolls from the bathroom closet. How this escaped the notice of the realtor, I will never know.

 

3. Fresh baked rolls for supper, which were not in plain view, were eaten.

 

4. One man went to the next door neighbor and asked if either of us were perverts because he wasn't going to live in a pervert's house. Did this with the blessing of the realtor. :confused: Our neighbor, a great guy, told him, "I hope you don't buy this house. I don't think I want to live next door to someone so ill mannered." High Five the neighbor!

 

5. A large bunch of my roses were cut with a pair of shears they retrieved from my kitchen draw - so yes, they must have been going through our drawers - and I came home to rather scalped looking rose bushes. They tracked mud through the kitchen and were brazen enough to leave the shears on the county with dirt and leaves stuck to them. :001_huh:

 

THIS is why I would rather be shot than have to sell a house ever again.

 

We sold our last by owner...marked it way down since we just didn't even care about the money anymore and wanted it off our hands. We priced it so it would absolutely sell quickly because it was such a major bargain for such a good house. DH's sister is a realtor and sent a PDF file of the standard contract for us to use. The title company handled closing. It went like clockwork and only took three months from the time we placed it on the market to closing. Since we were outside waiting at every showing, we could confiscate stolen items and we always made one round of the house after the couple had time in the house without us, to look for graffiti and damage. It worked. No problems.

 

Faith

 

These are all horrendous and you have every reason to throw a fit to the realtor about them. But to expect people to not point at trees or the road or talk animatedly is a bit extreme.

[Scuff]

Nm. NOt helpful and probably tMI for a Public forum. :)

Edited March 19, 2012 by Scuff

[In the Rain]

One thing I do wish realtors would teach etiquette to the potential buyers and then watch them like hawks.

 

Since it was a neighborhood and not some house out in a rural area with no close neighbors, it's not acceptable to make negative feedback or an animated scene in the driveway during the day when other residents are out and about.

 

Things I've had happen at my home during a showing and the realtor did nothing about:

 

1. A two year old child was allowed to make large crayon marks on my $25,000.00 piano.

 

2. All the toilet paper was taken...all ten rolls from the bathroom closet. How this escaped the notice of the realtor, I will never know.

 

3. Fresh baked rolls for supper, which were not in plain view, were eaten.

 

4. One man went to the next door neighbor and asked if either of us were perverts because he wasn't going to live in a pervert's house. Did this with the blessing of the realtor. :confused: Our neighbor, a great guy, told him, "I hope you don't buy this house. I don't think I want to live next door to someone so ill mannered." High Five the neighbor!

 

5. A large bunch of my roses were cut with a pair of shears they retrieved from my kitchen draw - so yes, they must have been going through our drawers - and I came home to rather scalped looking rose bushes. They tracked mud through the kitchen and were brazen enough to leave the shears on the county with dirt and leaves stuck to them. :001_huh:

 

THIS is why I would rather be shot than have to sell a house ever again.

 

We sold our last by owner...marked it way down since we just didn't even care about the money anymore and wanted it off our hands. We priced it so it would absolutely sell quickly because it was such a major bargain for such a good house. DH's sister is a realtor and sent a PDF file of the standard contract for us to use. The title company handled closing. It went like clockwork and only took three months from the time we placed it on the market to closing. Since we were outside waiting at every showing, we could confiscate stolen items and we always made one round of the house after the couple had time in the house without us, to look for graffiti and damage. It worked. No problems.

 

Faith

 

This is shocking! :001_huh:

 

Mariann, I hope you get some feedback to put your mind at ease. As someone who has house hunted with small children, I can say it may not have been your house at all. Maybe it was just the end of a long day. :grouphug:

[MariannNOVA]

Well, Mariann, I think you just need to keep a slingshot in your glove box. :D

 

House selling is painful. :grouphug:

I hope all this activity - frustrating as it is - will result in a sale very soon. It is time.

 

 

AuntieM -- Thank you -- I know that I have to sell so you and I can complete our declutter/move in tandem project. I have clearly slowed the 'closure' in this process.:glare:

[FaithManor]

These are all horrendous and you have every reason to throw a fit to the realtor about them. But to expect people to not point at trees or the road or talk animatedly is a bit extreme.

 

 

Well, I guess I am speaking from the experience of having once had to sell a home in a very hot market with nosy neighbors also selling their home and so they loved to conveniently "eavesdrop" on conversations when potential home buyers were outside...it was a very competitive market. Once you've had that experience, it kind of clouds how you feel about home showings and buyers who stand out front having a yelling match when one wants the home and other thinks it's terrible for some reason while the neighbors lean over the fence hanging on every word. :tongue_smilie:

 

You are right. They should be able to talk it over outside. I do think that some decorum and good manners should be used. Probably these people weren't making a spectacle of themselves at Mariann's, but that one couple that looked at our house were just TOTALLY inappropriate and the HOA president said the realtor stood there making no attempt to reign it in. :glare:

HOA president finally came over to our driveway and told them to chill!

 

Faith

[MariannNOVA]

This is shocking! :001_huh:

 

Mariann, I hope you get some feedback to put your mind at ease. As someone who has house hunted with small children, I can say it may not have been your house at all. Maybe it was just the end of a long day. :grouphug:

 

Julianna -- I SO hear you. I was there last sunday and my kids aren't even small. The second to last house we were going to visit, I didn't even want to get out of the van and go in -- dh cajoled me into the house. I am glad he did -- a week later, THAT is the house I keep coming back to as a definite 'we may want to make an offer on this one.'

 

Thanks for being kind and understanding.

 

I think next time I'll pull a Margot Kidder and hide in the bushes.:lol::lol::lol:

[LisaKinVA]

Another reason I dread the day we put our house on the market... I'm really working on getting everything cleaned and organized so that we can make quick work of getting out of our house fast! I'm trying to get everything done so that when we get our moving time-table in 3-4 months, I'm ready.

[MariannNOVA]

These are all horrendous and you have every reason to throw a fit to the realtor about them. But to expect people to not point at trees or the road or talk animatedly is a bit extreme.

 

 

I will go back and re-read what I wrote but I don't recall saying that I didn't expect people to point at trees or talk animatedly -- I said that was what I observed.

 

I will however, go back and re-read.

 

ETA: I re-read what I wrote - I am fairly certain that I recounted what I observed. While what the individual did (as opposed to perhaps turning cartwheels in the driveway b/c he had found the home of his dreams) didn't thrill me, I don't see that I said he or anyone else shouldn't do that. He can do what he wants; by the same token, I am allowed my reaction to him doing what he wants.l

Edited March 19, 2012 by MariannNOVA

[FaithManor]

I will go back and re-read what I wrote but I don't recall saying that I didn't expect people to point at trees or talk animatedly -- I said that was what I observed.

 

I will however, go back and re-read.

 

ETA: I re-read what I wrote - I am fairly certain that I recounted what I observed. While what the individual did (as opposed to perhaps turning cartwheels in the driveway b/c he had found the home of his dreams) didn't thrill me, I don't see that I said he or anyone else shouldn't do that. He can do what he wants; by the same token, I am allowed my reaction to him doing what he wants.l

 

 

Mariann,

 

I think she was quoting me and not you about a rather contentious house showing we had many years ago. She was responding to my feelings, not yours! It was a doozey too! She is right...they should be talking about it and it was unforunate you had to witness it. At ours, the potential buyers were literally MAKING A SCENE in the driveway. If I ever had to sell again with a real estate company, I think I'd need an awful lot of valium to get through it! :lol:

 

Faith

[MariannNOVA]

Mariann,

 

I think she was quoting me and not you about a rather contentious house showing we had many years ago. She was responding to my feelings, not yours! It was a doozey too! She is right...they should be talking about it and it was unforunate you had to witness it. At ours, the potential buyers were literally MAKING A SCENE in the driveway. If I ever had to sell again with a real estate company, I think I'd need an awful lot of valium to get through it! :lol:

 

Faith

 

 

OOps -- my bad -- gosh I can be a PITA sometimes, can't I? ;)

 

I have xanax -- but I do think valium is better -- yes, you would have to stockpile it -- I am on my second refill.:glare:

 

What I learned from yesterday is that I will drive up and down the road till the buyers have departed -- no more parking in Mr. XYZ's driveway for me.