My Date With Disaster, Part 1

Why isn't my home selling? Are home prices going to keep going down? Why hasn't my home sold in nine months?

Those were just a few questions I was asked the other day by someone who has had their home listed with the same agent for nine months. She couldn't understand why it hasn't sold. I started talking with her, just asking some basic questions about the home and the agent.

I come to find out that her listing is about to expire and, like all sellers, she is frustrated that she hasn't had any activity on it for nine months, except one or two showings. I made an appointment with her to meet at her home in two days. I wanted to do some research on that particular area to determine what I could do to help her.

I started looking first on the MLS to see what I could find. I found her home and printed out the MLS sheet. I then take out my orange highlighter and start to mark all of the things I think are wrong with it. Here are just the top five, from top to bottom.

First, the price is way over market; $45,000 or so. Second, there is very little written in the description of the home. Third, there are only 2 photos, one of the front and one of the back (not one inside shot). Fourth, there is no lock box, appointment only, with the remark of "please call a minimum of four hours in advance". Fifth, she is only offering a whopping 2% commission, however, that isn't the worst part of it. The agent had market the Dual Variable Commission box to "Yes".

So at this point several things are running through my head. Is the seller unreasonable? Is the agent just lazy or plain dumb? I decide, like always, not to jump to conclusions until after my meeting with her tomorrow and get some additional information.