Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....

RandyWayne · #1 02-08-2008, 08:41 PM

....actually help them find a house??

Since we're moving across the country, we didn't exactly have time to shop for a good agent and basically picked the first one that fell into our laps.

Pros: She (and any agent) have keys that can let you into any home at almost any time. If your home is listed, it is just about open to any other agent who wants to show it.

Cons: Other than THAT, just about everything. She is doing squat. Gone are the days when agents helped you FIND a home (we're doing that ALL on our home), so why are they going to get 20 grand?

So..... Has anyone bought a home recently where their agent actively helped, using their knowledge of the area, find a home?

Sweet Pea · #2 02-08-2008, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

....actually help them find a house??

Since we're moving across the country, we didn't exactly have time to shop for a good agent and basically picked the first one that fell into our laps.

Pros: She (and any agent) have keys that can let you into any home at almost any time. If your home is listed, it is just about open to any other agent who wants to show it.

Cons: Other than THAT, just about everything. She is doing squat. Gone are the days when agents helped you FIND a home (we're doing that ALL on our home), so why are they going to get 20 grand?

So..... Has anyone bought a home recently where their agent actively helped, using their knowledge of the area, find a home?

Haven't used a real estate agent in a while. But I do know of one that found homes for two young couples within the past three years. She did ALL the work involved - even gave one of the couples a refrigerator when they moved in. Right now, she is actively helping one of the couples find a newer home in this "buyer's market." She is calling them with leads frequently. THEY are doing diddly squat except driving by (or looking online at pictures) and then telling her if they are interested in seeing the inside of it. Maybe you need to find a new agent. Must be really frustrating to feel as if you are doing their job....

RandyWayne · #3 02-08-2008, 09:09 PM

Ok, so apparently some of them aren't worthless. lol

The problem of course is that we're tied into a contract with her that isn't up till July -at which point we will have been there for almost 4 months.
She hasn't even been responding to any emails the last couple of days..... AND when we were in the car with her, she did nothing but talk on the cell phone.

Kae · #4 02-08-2008, 09:31 PM

We have had a few bad experiences. We had an agent sell us a house that we had to completely demolish within 3 years. We had the inspection done and he did a 4 hour inspection. He was recommended by her though.

Last year we listed our house for sale with an agent and she signed as a seller's agent. I have the paper work to prove it. Her broker insisted that they only do dual agents. This is the same broker that sold us the first home different agent. They did a few more illegal things and I could of went after them, but we got a really good agent who didn't feel it was in our best interests and he made things happen. They felt they could take advantage of us because we had moved 1500 miles away.

Right now I am looking and contacted an agent about a home. She set up a gateway for me to look at, but changed all the things that I told her I wanted because she felt she knew better. It is much easier for me to search online and to do my own looking.

If you find a good one don't let them go because they are few and far between.

Jack Shephard · #5 02-08-2008, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Ok, so apparently some of them aren't worthless. lol

The problem of course is that we're tied into a contract with her that isn't up till July -at which point we will have been there for almost 4 months.
She hasn't even been responding to any emails the last couple of days..... AND when we were in the car with her, she did nothing but talk on the cell phone.

That is what you get when you deal with a broker/agent in the Phoenix Metro area. LOL

You should have rented for a while until you found the right place right time type thing. Oh well....

RandyWayne · #6 02-08-2008, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTULLOCK

That is what you get when you deal with a broker/agent in the Phoenix Metro area. LOL

You should have rented for a while until you found the right place right time type thing. Oh well....

This is Curtis Johnson Realty. Ever hear of them? Their office is in Tempe just a few miles South/East of the Marriot "The Buttes" hotel South East of the airport.

While not exactly uneducated we ARE first time home buyers and the first and biggest mistake we made was telling her our top price. All she has shown us were homes that were at our top price even though there are plenty of homes which are just as good for a full 100 grand less. When we suggest an amount we would like to make an offer for, she is usually suggesting 20 grand less, that way they can "meet in the middle" and arrive at the "Curtis Johnson 10 grand off guarantee!". Then we come back with, "ok, we were thinking more in line with offering 60 grand off the asking price...." -after all it is the biggest buyers market in over a decade there!

Sweet Pea · #7 02-09-2008, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Ok, so apparently some of them aren't worthless. lol

The problem of course is that we're tied into a contract with her that isn't up till July -at which point we will have been there for almost 4 months.
She hasn't even been responding to any emails the last couple of days..... AND when we were in the car with her, she did nothing but talk on the cell phone.

Boy - I guess I am behind times - I've NEVER heard of being tied to a realtor by a contract if you are BUYING a home - only if selling. That's like being tied by a contract to only one car dealership when buying a new vehicle. I could understand the moral and ethical obligation, IF you decided to buy a home that the first realtor had already shown you - but.... something smells fishy to me. If the realtor I was working with wasn't working in my best interest and I didn't feel he/she was actively looking for what I wanted ..... I'd fire them! - and if there was a contract, I'd be reading the fine print - surely you have an out.

RandyWayne · #8 02-09-2008, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweet Pea

Boy - I guess I am behind times - I've NEVER heard of being tied to a realtor by a contract if you are BUYING a home - only if selling. That's like being tied by a contract to only one car dealership when buying a new vehicle. I could understand the moral and ethical obligation, IF you decided to buy a home that the first realtor had already shown you - but.... something smells fishy to me. If the realtor I was working with wasn't working in my best interest and I didn't feel he/she was actively looking for what I wanted ..... I'd fire them! - and if there was a contract, I'd be reading the fine print - surely you have an out.

We were looking in this area (Portage Wisconsin) a few years ago and the realtor's operated the same way, which is that they required a "contract" so there is nothing unusual about it.

LaVonne · #9 02-09-2008, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

We were looking in this area (Portage Wisconsin) a few years ago and the realtor's operated the same way, which is that they required a "contract" so there is nothing unusual about it.

I'm with Sweet Pea...I've NEVER heard of signing a contract with a realtor to buy.

pelathais · #10 02-08-2008, 09:50 PM

I hardly need an "agent" to find a shopping cart and a large cardboard box. You've gone soft and all nancy boy on us, RandyWayne.