WHEN DO YOU SAY "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"?

WHEN DO YOU SAY "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"?

My home is on the market here in Southampton Village and I live here. It is located in a very "hot" area right now so everyday I get calls to show it and some of them are really off-the-wall calls; I liken some of them to a pie in the face, catching me by surprise, especially since these agents know I am a fellow agent!

HERE ARE JUST A FEW:

• My buyer loves the street you live on--he is dying to see a house on your street--can I show your house tomorrow? (The exact words of an agent!)
• He doesn't really care about the zoning....He really wants to just take a look.
• What do you mean "Did you qualify him"?
• If my buyer likes your house, can he rent it with an option to buy? (This is after I told the agent my house is rented for summer 2012.)
• My buyer is looking for a real deal---will you give him a better price than your asking price?

These were actual questions that I fielded this last week from a couple of agents who wanted to show my house. Some of these questions REALLY killed me! One of these agents was unaware (for some reason, since I make sure that information is on the listing!) that I am the owner/broker for the property. He absolutely floored me when he asked for the listing as an exclusive!!!

Last night I had one of those calls where the agent who is not from the area, called me very late asking if she could show the house at 10:00 this morning...I told her that the house is rented for the summer and will not be able to close until after Labor Day and asked if her buyer knows that....she brushed that off and said "No, but he really wants to see your house." I told her that since it is rented and he can't buy it until after Labor Day, there was no rush to get in to see it...besides, which, I am struggling to get around with a very badly injured knee and I am scheduled for surgery next wednesday--and my dog is not well--so if she could just hold him off for a week that would be better for me.

The agent was not happy to hear that and said: "Well, I have never had anyone tell me not to show their house if they really want to sell!"...where-upon I informed her that in my many years of experience, when a buyer is pushing like that to get in to see a house--that the person is not a real buyer and may even have another agenda--and I am not in any condition to prepare my house for a showing, (I like my house to be immaculate and lighted) take my dog out for her to show it and then find out the guy was not a real buyer.

She was not happy but took that as a "no" and hung up.....then called me back in 1/2 an hour insisting that the guy was real, that it does not matter that it is rented because he would be re-doing it or tearing it down....I said: "Wait a minute--I have written in the notes that this house is over 75 years old and has to go through the ARB (Architectural review Board) to get approval for tear down--and they may say no--Did you tell him that?" Her response? "Oh that's ok, he will just re-do it then! He just wants to be in that neighborhood"...defeated I said ok to the 10:00 appointment this morning and went to bed....

I was awakened several times during the night with my dog in terrible shape, needing to get to the hosptial first thing....so I cleaned up the house (took me an hour--very hard on my poor knee), dressed and took him to the hospital at 9:30, leaving the front door unlocked for the agent and her "buyer"...

As I stood in the waiting room at the animal hospital at 10:00, my little dog wrapped in a wee-wee pad and my knee killing me (I was afraid to sit down, in case I could not get up!) my cell phone rang in my pocket---I struggled to get it and saw it was the agent calling me---"Hi Paula!---just wanted to let you know that the buyer has not even left the city yet because of the snow so I think we need to cancel...." and I hung up!

WHEN DO YOU SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH?