A SURE WAY TO TAKE THE WIND OUT OF THE "SALES" OF A HOUSE!

A sure way to take the wind out of the "sales" of a house!

If you have a sale listing and it is rented---it is OFF the market.

Today, I am setting up public open houses on my listings in order to capture the great summer traffic that we have here in the Hamptons.

Meanwhile, some are rented for the summer-- I have run into lock boxes empty when I arrive to show my listing, Doors locked to bathrooms--no access to show master suites when a house is occupied for the summer....and on and on.

I just wrote an email to one of my sellers: "The rentals are taking the wind out of the 'Sales' for your house; I can't get in to show it!"

The old adage "If a house is rented, it's off the market for sale!" applies here and I cannot convince her to keep the house empty if she is serious about selling. This particular home-owner rents by the week for certain weeks in the summer--it is driving me nuts....she assured me as I took the listings that she has signed show clauses to make it easy to show this house. However, tenants could care less if she sells her house or not; the clause means nothing to them.

I have spent a lot of money on advertising the house and those ads are pulling...problem is, if I can't show the buyer the house they call about, they are not very happy. They feel like they got hoodwinked into calling--the old bait and swtich is what they start to claim.

When I spoke to the owner last evening she was all confused about the schedule; I have an open house ad running for June 18th and she can't remember if she has the house rented or not!!! I had asked her before I ran the ad so that I would not have this problem--now I will have to cancel the ad, if I can, so that I don't waste my time and money!!

I Would like to hear if you are having a similar situation--Does the same thing happen in a year round rental situation?