Someone recently asked me whether Realtors specialize in country versus city and/or locales. When this person visited the area some years ago, she said Realtors tended to steer her east of Redding rather than west.
And when her country home was for sale in 2006, she was told seller’s Realtors don’t show the homes they’ve listed. Every contact she had was from a potential buyer’s Realtor, and she was always required to be home to show the house.
Regarding whether Realtors specialize in areas, I believe it is human nature for people, including Realtors, to gravitate toward things they like the most. A good buyer’s agent, though, is one who can remove their personal tastes and preferences and truly listen to the needs of the client.
Houses are as different as people, and there is a house out there for every type of person. That’s where a truly good agent will be able to learn what is a fit for their client and then narrow down the possibilities to find that one perfect house.
When out viewing property with clients I keep my personal comments to a minimum and always encourage my buyers to “think out loud” when we walk into a home or drive through an area. I listen very hard to what they say. It typically doesn’t take more than a couple of houses before I have a good idea of what would suit them.
If you have an agent who is trying to “steer you” or “convince you” of a certain area, speak up and let the agent know that they perhaps didn’t hear what you are looking for – because remember, it will be you living in the house (and making the payments!), not the agent.
And when it comes to listing a home, there are many agents who say they specialize in an area or type of home. But when hiring a Realtor I feel it is most important to focus on one who specializes in selling houses – not just listing, but actually selling the house – no matter where or what type of house it is.
You can get an agent to tell you that they specialize in just your area/type of home – but the proof in the pudding is have they sold houses there, or anywhere? You need to have a Realtor who will do the work to get your house sold. A good Realtor who knows their marketplace can do that for any type of house in any location.
Regarding sellers’ agents showing the home and having to be home for showings, while I do not know the full details of this particular situation, here is an overview of how showings work:
It is true that unless your listing agent is already working for a buyer that would suit your house, most of the showings will be through a buyer’s agent. And if you want to sell your home, you should make it as easily accessible as possible to these agents. When a house is posted on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for agents (and buyers) to see, your listing agent will specify the “showing instructions.” In an ideal world sellers would like lots of notice, specific appointment times and for their own agent to also be present. But the real world of showing buyers around doesn’t necessarily work that way.
Picture this: I have a buyer I’ve spoken to on the phone and have a general idea of what he/she are looking for and I find six houses on the MLS that may suit them. We go to the first house and they absolutely hate it and we’re out of there in five minutes. The next house they love and want to open every cupboard and measure every room because they might want to live there! The next house is OK and we spend about 15 minutes, and so on.
Now, if all six of those sellers wanted an “exact” time for the showing, how would that work? It’s impossible to do and most agents will drop the houses that are “difficult” to see.
Another scenario: I’m out with my buyers and we drive by a house with a “for sale” sign that I didn’t pull from the MLS and they say, “How about that one. Can we see it?” I call the seller, they say they want two hours notice. My buyers are leaving the area in an hour. We don’t see the house, which may have been the perfect one!
I know it is tough to actually live in a house that is for sale, but if you really want to sell your home, try to make it is as readily available as possible.
And should you be at your house for showings? My advice is no, not if you can help it. Why is this? Because buyers feel uncomfortable when the owner is home. They feel they shouldn’t open cupboards or linger in a room or picture themselves living there – because the person who currently does live in the home is right there. You don’t want buyers to feel rushed or uncomfortable when looking, so it is best to leave. Of course, that is not always feasible. So if you are home, just try stay out of the way as much as possible and perhaps offer a “feel free to open cupboards or do whatever you need and if you have any questions I’d be happy to answer them” when the buyers and their agent arrives.
The bottom line is that you want as many buyers to come through your house as possible and you want them to be comfortable enough to see themselves living in the home.
Contact Lara Wells Osborn at Coldwell Banker C&C Properties – Westside, 1801 Buenaventura Blvd., Redding, CA 96001. Cell: (530) 276-3026. Fax: (530) 419-1167. E-mail: laraosborn@ccproperties.com or www.larawellsosborn.com.
