This is somewhat of a rant - I know, unusual for me, but I gotta tell you that I consider it down
right RUDE when someone doesn't call me back - ESPECIALLY Realtors - when I'm submitting an offer to purchase one of YOUR listings. They could send a message via pony express for all I care - JUST COMMUNICATE! NO WONDER Realtors get such a bad rap!
Here's my story in a nutshell and I'm stickin' to it!
On Saturday - last, I call the agent, tell him/her that I will be submitting an offer for his/her listing. They provide me the fax and email, and one hour later, I call him/her, leaving a message on the mobile to let them know that I am emailing the offer. A couple of hours later, I receive no call, so I call the person and leave a message on his/her mobile. Then, I fax over a copy of the contract.
The problem is this: my client is being evicted 'cause the landlord was foreclosed upon. They didn't know they could buy a home, but after speaking with them, I thought they could and sent them to a lender. Voila! They're approved for an FHA - my client has the money down. So? You see where I'm going with this? You're right...we have time constraints - so NO short sale, NO bank owned....we're limited to the price they can afford.
On the contract, the seller was given until 5:00 on Sunday to respond. Nothing all day on Sunday...no answer on cell phone, no email, natta! I finally email this individual indicating that if I don't hear "something" that I will have no other recourse than to call their broker on Monday. A short time later, I received an email, "I will call you tomorrow."
Tomorrow (today) comes, and no call, no email, no return message or call from my new emails and my new telephone message...so, about 12:00, I contact the voice mail of the broker. All of this time, I'm updating my clients as to the latest NOTHING! About an hour later folks, I receive a phone call....from the agent. Did I mention that this individual owns the property along with a partner? Well, the partner "thinks" there is a cash buyer...no written offer, only perhaps, verbal.....The agent I spoke to mentions that there is an actual written offer, but the partner decides to wait for the cash investor and walk away from a sure deal.
I really believe that I was being stalled all weekend because there "might" be an investor with cash. I accepted the apology and moved on.
The moral and point of this story....is: communicate...even if it's about nothing. "hello, I got your paperwork, your contract, whatever," "I'll be getting back to you," or, howabout "we have another potential offer." It really bugs me how rude and inconsiderate and unprofessional real estate "professionals" can be.
SO THERE - You're ALL on notice! ;-)
Mesa, Arizona Real Estate. Call me at: 480.216-3334 for information on purchasing or selling a home in Mesa, Arizona or surrounding towns. OR email me: Teri@TeriEllis.com. Feel free to visit one of my websites: HomesAzRE.com, MoveToMesaAz.com or MoveToSunnyAz.com. Or stop by my blogs at: Active Rain; or Phoenix Valley Real Estate Blog
Mesa, Arizona Real Estate. Call me at: 480.382-8711 for information on purchasing or selling a home in Mesa, Arizona or surrounding towns. OR email me: Teri@TeriEllis.com. Feel free to visit my website: HomesAzRE.com, or stop by my blogs at: MesaAzRealEstateVoice and AzLadyInRed!
Well I'll join you in this rant any time, any day, any place. It's absolutely unforgiveable!!! All the buyers want is to know what's up....I can deal with the message, just give me the message!!!
That is worth ranting about! Here's another good one - I called an agent today with a question pertaining to one of his/her listings, and they asked me to call them back in two days because they were on vacation. :)
AMEN!
Some REO agents are so guilty of this. Thankfully, some of them have hired assistants to help. Otherwise, the only time I find out the status of a property is when I search again, it comes up as pending.
I say amen too. It is my biggest pet peeve not to return someones phone call. Even if you do not have an answer make that phone call. It goes a long way and says alot about how you run your business.
For me it is usually REO agents. They don't answer... they don't call back. They don't acknowledge... Boot to the head.
That truely does stink! It comes down to a lack of respect in my opinion. Don't bring yourself down to their level - maintain your business ethics and hopefully they will rub off on others.
Teri,
I have to tell you that would certainly burn me up too....what goes around comes around...they will get theirs....
Dear Teri,
I am with you on this one!
I rarely have a problem with this in Roanoke, Va. "Offer" is a magic word!
However, I sometimes have a lot of problems getting other information and in making appointments for appointment only properties.
Barbara
Teri,
I think this is such bad business. It makes you hope their verbal offer remains just that.
In this day in age there really is no excuse...we have phone, text, email, chat, anything!
Teri, Why can't you ask that the written offer be submitted and require both sellers to sign "offer rejected" ? This way you are sure they have seen the offer and the terms!
Teri - we have ran into this here as well an a few occasions. It's frustrating as heck. ~Rita
Teri - I hate when this happens, and it happens all too many times. Seems to be it is just common courtesy, respect, and professionalism (obviously it is not common). It seems worse with distress properties. Guess some folks don't care that they are getting an offer. Wonder what the client would think?
Jeff
Teri: I so know how you feel! It happens all to often.
Teri,
You go right ahead and rant girl! I can't begin to tell you how often things like this happen. And yes, I agree with you that it was a stall tactic on their part.
Hi Teri, You hit one of my hot buttons with this one. Communication is key to any relationship working. I have a property in escrow right now that should have been the easiest ever, but there have been little glitches all through it because some of the people involved simply don't communicate with each other.
I finally have asked my transaction coordinator to cc every single person whose fingerprints are on the deal in any way, because we send something to the buyer's loan officer and two days later that loan officer's manager is demanding the same thing (and impatiently). At first I just kept asking her to talk to her own loan officer, but now we just send everything to both of them - saves aggravation, since they apparently don't speak to each other! And to make sure, I call around every few days and confirm that everyone has what they need. Extra work, but less frustrating.
OHHHH BOY ! ... I really dont want to get started on this topic because it really scalds my dog !!!!
I just commented on this on another blog, but it ASTOUNDS me that in this time of so many listings being desperate for buyers, that I have to call a listing agent 2 or 3 times to get additional info, when I have left a msg saying that my buyer client is considering putting in an offer on that listing !!!!
Some listing agents seem to be in La-La land and their poor sellers suffer the most if that buyer decides not to wait around any longer and moves on to another listing !
RANT RANT RANT RANT RANT RANT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
... anyway, hope your round of golf went well today
Hey Teri...
I'll confess that after receiving a couple of your 'tweets', I was expecting this post. And I'm really glad you gave us the details and vented a little. I've often told friends (and even clients) that perhaps the most challenging and frustrating part of my profession is dealing with some of the other agents. I've experienced what you described so many times in my career, I lost count. But I think what bothers me the most is how badly it reflects on our profession, and on Realtors in general. It's downright embarassing that we have to tell our clients the other agent is failing to extend us courtesy, much less respect and professionalism. Sorry... you hit my hot button, too. :D
Teri - After all your hard work putting the offer together this can be so frustrating. This is certainly I rant we could all relate to.
Teri--Oh geez...what an idiot. Ever hear of a bird in the hand? Hope their cash buyer ends up being a bunch of feathers! Buyers and their agents hate being jerked around...In fact no one likes it. Good post!
I wrote a post about this last week also, where a seller wanted to cancel a listing because their agent wasn't returning calls to potential buyers. What? Potential buyers for a home, you call immediately!
I really dislike not receiving a response, especially after I've submitted an offer. So I try to think of something really hilarious that will make me laugh, right before I call the agent for the 10th time, so the tone of my voice won't carry a hint of the irritation I feel. And I just keep calling them. I don't care if I have to call them 5 times a day, I'll do it. Squeaky wheel gets the grease. Because I can only change how I react to such nonsense, I can't change the listing agents.
I completely agree. And it really does give realtors a bad rap. I am having that same problem with a lender right now. This lender might be brand new or something but we are past the close date and the sellers do not want to sign an extention without an update from the lender, why? Because it is impossible to get a response from this person!!!
Geez, I Totally Agree with the Post & all the comments submitted, I am sometimes ashamed the way that Realtors treat each other. They were so Stalling. How unproffesional. I may not have the answer the you are looking for or want, but at least I'll give you one! So do you think that other Realtors mean to be so unproffesional or do you think that they might just be LAZY? I am just not sure sometimes. In this case, it does seem to be a stall tactic though. I like the rest hope that they get a bunch of feathers regarding their investment buyer. Wonder if he will call you when his deal hits the fan?!
Dont let it bother you too much, it is their loss, not yours in the long run. Besides, your Buyer now has a chance to Purchase something else that may fit them better. The Lord Does Work In Mysterious Ways!
Take Care & Fly High In '09!
P.S. I actually love the comment on regarding "kick in the head" LOL!!
Colleen, I think that most of us can deal with "what is." It's the not being told that is so frustrating! ;-)
Darla, wow....guess that agent is anxious to sell the property. ;-)
Pacita, I think the lenders under hire and everything is topsy turvey when it comes to REO's or Short Sales. Very, very irritating. ;-)
Kari, a very long way. ;-)
Lane, many of those agents bite off more than they can chew. BUT the courtesy of a call speaks volumes. ;-)
Bridget, well said. I do and I will...;-)
Lori, you're right....I believe that as well. ;-)
Barbara, in any scenario, it is frustrating. ;-)
Brenda, and I do. ;-)
Naoma, you are right. ;-)
Teri this is a major pet peeve of mine as well. There is nothing worse in my mind than an agent that does no respond in a timely fashion.
Teri,
I've always thought you are a good communicator. You can hear it in your words online! Your message is clear! Keep up the good work.
Teri,
The key is to get back to someone asap. There is always a realtor sitting there ready to go show or write that contract. I know I loose people when I am busy.
Johnathan
Bill, I think we're on the SAME page! Lack of professionalism!
Tracy, well thank you.....;-)
Johnathan, you are right on the money...;-)
Teri, I hate it when another agent doesn't call me back or respond to my email. One of my clients wanted to see a particular property. I scheduled an appointment -- arrived -- no lockbox, tenants had to be there -- they weren't there. I sent feedback to L.A. telling them we were there -- tenants weren't. My client really wants to see this property! No response -- I scheduled another showing -- same thing. I sent message and called agent again -- no answer. Scheduled an appointment a third time -- again, no tenants, no lockbox. I called the agent and left a message and emailed them -- no response. We wrote a contract on another property. I felt like it also made me look bad in my client's eyes. He asked, "Why can't we get into that house?" I told him I was leaving both voice messages and sending emails to the Listing Agent and they weren't responding. "Really????" Yes, Really...they don't respond.
What horrible treatment. We have some real losers in our business.