Mary Wilcox CDPE, SFR, ABR

Just STOP IT you guys!

I'm frustrated and I take offense to those Associates that are taking listings assigning totally unreasonable list prices JUST TO GET THE LISTING...

In the last 2 weeks I've lost 4 listings to crap Agents that are doing whatever the homeowner wants INSTEAD of what is RIGHT.

ex#1 Comps in the neighborhood 147-150. Listed at $200,000!

WHY? Because the Seller wanted it listed at $200k because she spent "alot of money on it over the years". She owes 60K on the home but still wants it listed to sell for $200k.

It's NOT happening....not in a million years! So WHYYYY did you list it at that?

Because you wanted a listing? Puhleeeeeze!

Ex#2 comps 42-73...LISTED AT $105.... come on...

Ex#3 comps 130-140 LISTED AT $190

Ex#4 comps 130-140 LISTED AT $170

WHY???????????

In all these cases, the Seller was adamant about the listing price. TOUGH Mr. Seller! IT'S NOT GOING TO SELL FOR THAT! PERIOD! So STOP TELLING THEM it will. Get on a professional level and tell them it cannot be done AND walk-away just like I did!

When all of us walk-away then the Seller will get the true picture.

You're not representing US as an Industry, nor do you look very smart to your fellow Realtors and you are certainly NOT doing the Seller any favors.

But, you keep doing it and you NEED TO STOP!

<stepping down off soapbox>

I'm just tired of wasting good trees and valuable time giving the Seller professional and TRUE information and you come along and degrade it just for the volume.

If this is you...YOU NEED TO STOP IT!

Have you experienced this? Bank of America investors are pulling the seller's credit report to verify they are delinquent with all their other creditors. Otherwise, they will not approve the short sale! OMG! Are you kidding me????

My clients mostly try to keep up with all their other payments. (as much as possible) In my view, it is not right for the banks/investors to require them to be flat out destitute in order to approve a short.

These are good people (in many cases) that would pay the mortgage if they could. It's not right to punish them because they are trying not to take all their others creditors down, too.

Obviously, they CAN make a $100 payment to a credit card. What they cannot make is the mortgage payment that the irresponsible bank gave them KNOWING two things when they issued it.

They HAD TO KNOW that if they're granting an ARM loan to a guy a that can barely afford the original payment, that the homeowner WILL DEFAULT when the ARM doubles the payment. puhleeeeeze!

They believed your lies when you told them they could re-fi when the time came. Sucker on both accounts and NOW, they have to get suckered again. It's ludicrous!

Banks/investors...you screwed this thing up in the first place.
So, play nice and be reasonable because you cannot win...You just need to cut the losses from your ignorant practices.

These are the consequences. You started it!

Now, let's end it in the best possible outcome for all.

This trend (if indeed, it becomes one with all banks) will do nothing but encourage walk-aways.

Get REAL banks/investors! Suck it up and get real. Take the money from this new buyer as quick as you can while you have an interested party...before this property becomes a blight in our neighborhoods...before you have to eat the ENTIRE amount of the loan that you deviously issued to this poor seller.

I am appalled at the tactics that they keep coming up with. Every time you think you've got the game down... they come up with something new.

There's no excuse for this. Get with the program and let's get this mess taken care of and stop trying to make it so damn complicated for everyone involved.

Time's a-wasting!

I can't stand it when Uncle Sammie thinks he needs to be in my business. I worked for the government for 4 years and had to leave because the culture was not one I could adjust within.

There were many more, but a couple of stand-outs in the government work culture that so incredibly had me in a tizzy...

1. If you cannot make the deadline, then just set a new one. (Oh so totally common in the (USDA) that I worked for.) It doesn't matter whom it will affect, how many other departments or Agencies...just set a new one.

2. Let's have a meeting to discuss it. Well maybe, 1 or 2 or let's give'em 3... NOPE, we have to have meetings once per week for 2 years with coffee and donuts and if it's anywhere near lunch let's have that too. I know we discussed this part in the last 3 meetings but let's discuss it again, anyway. Hell, we can just have another meeting to discuss today's original agenda. GAG!

GOVT. red tape stinks! (irresponsible red tape stinks even more)

Will it be the same huge mess of red tape to ask Sam to step in and set some rules for the banks to follow so they are required to follow some type of protocol that will alieviate some of the time they are wasting in processing these offers on shorts and foreclosures?

I have a genuine concern and empathy for the state of their business. I understand they need to be cautious with their numbers so as not to do more damage to their solvency, in some cases. But, as they are trying to save their souls, they are lacking.

*I* alone, could have relieved them of 29 of their foreclosures this year. Almost all were totally good offers. But, no, they cannot answer me. Why? (Don't get me started...)

There has to be an understanding of real estate and the market. The deterioration of our neighborhoods and how it affects the entire nation. If they don't get their thinking straightened out, it will be to all of our demise... and then where will we be?

Please feel free to follow the link, listen and sign if you like.

THANKS!!!!

http://www.hvccpetition.com/

Consider this...I have a ton of kids, the youngest is 4 years old, 5 , 14, 17, 20 and well the rest are older. I love kids of all ages. Kids are not the issue. The Realtor taking their kids to work is the issue at hand.

Would I consider taking my children to work? NO! Not to the office if there were going to be others there working and definitely not when showing homes to Clients.

Why? Simply put, it is not professional. I want to be presenting myself as professional in my work. Which means when I'm getting out of the car to show a home, I do not have to stop by the backseat and unlatch a child from their carseat and walk to the door with my clients while telling little Tommy the rules over and over.

Where is little Tommy standing when I'm unlocking the door? Am I paying attention to him or my client? Should I ask my Client to keep an eye on him while gaining entrance? What am I saying to my Client?

Yes, this is a beauty. Tommy sit down. Do not hang on the railing. Yes Mrs. Buyer, I previewed...Tommy are you sitting? This is a great home.

Ok, we're inside. Tommy's being a nice boy... a regular 4yo. Are you watching him or are you conversing with Mrs. Buyer? Are you giving them your full attention, scanning your MLS sheet to answer questions being posed, or are you able to look for those cracks in the basementor flaws of any kind, or are you just concentrating on making sure little Tommy is quiet and doesn't touch anything?

I would agree that if your child was 15, 16, 17+ and a Client could perceive your child is in-training to follow your footsteps for their career that it might be okay with prior permission from the Client. But, other than that, it is not okay to bring children to work.

What does Mr. & Mrs. Buyer feel like when they leave the appointment? You most likely, at several points throughout the tour were unavailable at the moment they had questions. They may or may not have asked because by the time you returned from retrieving Tommy from another room, they had moved on and didn't remember to ask, or they thought they might be putting you out by having to take your attention from your child, get your sheet where you could read it, etc. Did you really look the home over for them and provide the level of service you normally provide without child in tow?

Bottom line, if you have a child with you, they have to know by sheer circumstance that they are not going to be priority. Is that fair to them? Even if you ask them beforehand? They're kind of in a spot...

Well if I say no, then she'll be mad or...

And last, but certainly, not least? How did little Tommy feel having to be jerked around and forced(?) to be on his best behavior for the hour or two while on tour?

Hopefully, you'll take this into consideration. It is so incredibly not ok to take your kids to work. Not if you have any intentions of presenting yourself in a professional manner. The two do not mix.