I worked all weekend, and there were realtors showing property everywhere I went.  One house that just had their price reduced by 10% was shown ten times yesterday, and eight more times today!

The intensity seems to keep building, with no break for the holidays.  I don’t know if or how it will translate into more sales, or higher prices, but it should mean that the bidding wars will be exciting next year!

Yet there are plenty of houses not selling.  Usually you can blame the location or condition of the house for not being worth the list price, and once the listing agent and sellers figure it out they can fix it if they prefer – or wait and see if the market will come to them.

But I am also hopeful that the intensity will help weed out some of the out-dated practices too.

I wanted to show a vacant house today, and called with plenty of notice because the remarks said to call to find out the “secret” location of the lockbox.  Of course, not only did the agent not answer her phone, but she didn’t call back until 6pm after we were long gone.

When she called at 6pm she started right in with, “With whom am I speaking?”, and “Who do you work for?”.  Then she broke into the old classic interrogation about wanting to know everything about my client.  “Is he pre-qualified?” “Is he married and have kids?” “Have you been showing him a lot of houses in the area?”

Lady, I’m not making an offer on the house, I just want to know where the lockbox is!

Pin It on Pinterest