AGENTS GO BEZERK! BUSINESS OUT THE WINDOW!

I am sure that I will get criticized by someone for this post, but I have to vent. 

Yes, I work in Clayton County, Georgia.  Yes, If the wind blows the wrong way in Clayton County, we make the news. Yes, we do have crime. Yes, our schools have been under some scrutiny. Yes, we are experiencing a buyer's market.

Before, I get to my venting, I want everyone to know....Chris and I live in Clayton County.  We work in Clayton County.  Our kids go to school in Clayton County. We have no intentions of moving out of Clayton County unless we find a nice little place with a pond that we cant resist. (No, we are not looking right now)

My vent:

Last week I called an expired listing.  I spoke with the elderly mother of the owner for about 20 minutes.  I knew that their home had been on the market for over a year.  This was very surprising to me because of the description and photos that I had seen.  When I asked her, "Why do you feel the home hasnt sold?", She replied with, " We would like to know the same thing.  Our agent says it is because it is in Clayton County."  I just shook my head.

On Wednesday (I think), I received a call asking if I had received a fax about some meeting.  I didnt see it, so they were going to send me another one. I never did get it. Anyway, come to find out this was a meeting with school officials, some government officials and others. Oh, and real estate agents.

It was for the agents to complain about how hard it is to sell homes in Clayton County due to the issues we are facing.  I am VERY glad I didnt get the information on this meeting, because this INFURIATED me as an agent.  Agents were on the news saying that they were reluctant to accept listings, even to the point of turning them down, in Clayton County because of the difficulty in selling. Are they crazy? I dont care that they turn them down, more business for me.  However to say it and have your name attached to the comments is business suicide, if you ask me.

Our company manages hundreds of residential, commercial and industrial properties within Clayton County.  My father in law built 100's of homes in the area, and my husband and his siblings all grew up here.  They know Clayton County.  Yes, the last couple years were tough in Clayton County, but Clayton County is rebounding!  It takes time to bring a community back around. 

These real estate agents just shot themselves in the foot with the whining!!  TO BED WITH THE WHINERS!

A large number of  my sells within the past year have been in Clayton County.  Buyers for Clayton County call our office daily looking for homes.  So what is the problem?  It is simple.

As agents, you must remember two things sell a home, price and marketing.  Our market is not like it used to be where you could put up a sign, stick it in MLS and watch the offers pour in.  Until recently, if you over-priced a home it did not matter, the market would soon catch up with your price. Today, you need to now market the property.  You need to adjust the price for what is happening.  Dont use Clayton County as the excuse for not getting the job done.  It really bothers me when agents take the easy way out and blame others.  You have to be knowledgable and understand what is happening and more importantly how to adjust for it.

You need to get creative with your marketing.  We have a marketing plan that puts others to shame.  However, it is nothing fancy, we just work the business.  Maybe you need to get out and check on your property.  We see signs all over the place that are broken, laying on the ground, some are just completely gone. Kind of hard to sell when your banking on the sign in the front yard to do the trick.

The things that your complaining about are issues that everyone faces no matter what area they are in.  Every where there is crime and school issues of some sort.  For whatever reason, Clayton County has the disadvantage of everything that goes wrong making the 11:00 news.  Adjust for it and support your clients!  If you cant support their efforts, dont take their listing.

I ask this...When the market bounces back, how are you going to justify not supporting the community when times were rough and ask for business again?  Maybe I take it a little more personally living here. But I do not rely on the public's short memory to help me build my business.

Some agents are opportunists, going where the money is at the time. Others, like us, believe in a community and stick with it.  Our listings are selling. Why? Maybe because we have a vested interest in the Clayton County.