She was a lurker. She watched, she read, she lurked – for weeks.
She ordered the Market Details Report and then she called – we were all out of town, but we responded within hours.
She was very clear – she wanted our take on the market, but was going to stick with the agent that had worked with them to purchase their first home. She and her husband are expecting another child and are considering a move up.
BUT, their Realtor told them now is not the time to sell.
Has their agent succumbed to the dark side forces – media doom and gloom?
We set an appointment and had a good chat. We were very clear about the market and their financial situation – it might be possible to pull it off if everything falls into place, but it might not – their call.
They signed the listing agreement and for some reason think we’re geniuses. Why?
Well, property values in their neighborhood have fallen 5%-8% over the last year. Compare that to a 33% decline in the community where they want to move.
If they are able to get the price they want for their home, even after paying commissions – if they don’t spend a dime more – they are still going to wind up with a bigger and newer home.
Who you going to call?
Writer for national real estate opinion column AgentGenius.com, focusing on the improvement of the real estate industry by educating peers about technology, real estate legislation, ethics, practices and brokerage with the end result being that consumers have a better experience.

Bob Wilson
February 21, 2008 at 10:32 am
Well done.
This is not a one size fits all boilerplate business. If more agents took a problem solving approach, they would be pleasantly surprised at the results.