Did I make a mistake, contracted with agent, have had no showings??

Question

I was FSBO for two months. I came very close to finding my own buyer. I was also showing my home 4-5 times per week. I had it priced $53,000 below a recent appraisal.

I get talked into listing the home via an agent at 6%. We drop the price, per his advice even lower. He slaps up a sign, sticks on the MLS and is never heard from again. In two weeks we have not even had one call, or showing!

I was placing huge full photo ads all over the web and getting great response, he does nothing but place it on his personal site that gets a whopping 18 hits a day.

He also asked me to stop placing my own ads on the web as it may "conflict" with his ads???????????

What the heck good is an agent then?

I specifically told him, I was capable of advertising and showing the home, but I was bringing him in, to network with other agents. So he sticks it in the MLS and that's it? For $200 there are brokers that can do that for you? So what? What a joke.

Answer 1

Both the previous answers make valid points, but I think you probably need a better realtor. Look for someone who sells a lot of houses and a high percentage of his/her listings. Interview as many agents as you want before you are satisfied you have the right one. Then hold them accountable.

Answer 2

I would definitely get rid of him as soon as you can. I highly suggest you get another Realtor to sell your home, listing it FSBO won't sell it as quickly as a qualified, well prepared agent can. When hiring a Realtor to sell your home make sure that they have a marketing plan that includes the following for the 6% commission you will pay out:

Having your home cleaned and staged

Listing the property on the MLS

Holding it open for weekly broker tours (which is when all the Realtors caravan around their territory after meetings and view listed homes in the case that they may have a buyer)

Having attractive flyers or discs with property info and pics on it attached to the sign for passer by's to pick up

Placing your home on Realtor.Com

Mailing out Just Listed Post Cards to 250 of your nearby neighbors (very easy for Realtors to get that info from a title company)

Anf of course hold open house 2-4 times monthly, and even sending out Open House postacards to the same 250 nearby neighbors!

If you can find an agent to do all of the above for you, which isn't too much to ask for the 6% you pay, especially in this tough market when all real estate professionals should be doing as much as they can to close a deal, I think you will be happy and the chances are much more likely that you will sell your home as quickly as possible :o)

Answer 3

You were FSBO two months. That's eight weeks. 4 times a week showing, that makes 32 potential buyers you had in that time.

How many OFFERS did you get?

Now, the realtor has had it for 2 weeks.

I'd say they've protected you from 8 "tire kickers".

Not everyone that wants to look at your house will want to buy it, and not everyone that wants to buy it can afford it.

When you sell with a realtor, your odds of selling one showing go up.