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Agent Scare Tactics Aimed at For Sale by Owners
Posted by Matt Newbill in For Sale by Owner, Tips on December 30th, 2006
Are real estate agents using scare tactics to persuade sellers into the idea that they can’t sell their property on their own? You bet they are. Albeit, their are some hoops to jump in selling property, but nothing that you should be afraid of.
Here’s an excellent excerpt from a Florida for sale by owner service:
Just today I stopped at the local Home Depot to get some reflective phone number stickers for a customer’s FSBO sign. While browsing in the real estate sign aisle for the right numbers, I noticed someone kept glancing over at me and watching what I was doing. I just ignored the fellow, grabbed the numbers I needed, and went to the cashier to pay for them.
I walked up to my car in the far side of the parking lot and pulled the FSBO yard sign out to apply the phone numbers. While I was doing this, that same fellow “happened” to pull right up next to me and the first words out of his mouth were:
“You know, that For Sale By Owner thing is very, very tricky…”
As soon as he said that, I started laughing, for his true colors were immediately exposed to me — he was a real estate agent! He thought I was putting my own house up for sale, naturally. After I stopped guffawing, I explained to him that the sign was for a FSBO customer of ours and that I was in the FSBO business of saving our customers “thousands of dollars in commissions!” He frowned and screeched off without a word.
No joke. The agent was actually trying to scare what he thought was a potential client out of being a for sale by owner. This isn’t the first instance that I’ve heard of.
Recently a real estate agent was telling me about a great class they took for CE (continuing education) credit. They were very anxious to tell me that part of the class discussed how to “snare” for sale by owners. You’ll never guess the tactic.
Scare the FSBO to the point that they will list with you. One tactic in particular was to tell the home seller about all of the “required” federal disclosures, such as lead based paint and the such, and to leave these thoughts of breaking federal law with the sellers and then leave. How does this help, and would you, as a home seller use the services of someone who pulled a stunt like this? I know I sure wouldn’t.
These are only a few examples of what takes place out there and what for sale by owners should expect. I will say that there are some agents who truly want to help, but I would guess this pool is very small.
Which brings me to another benefit of Fizbomap, once you’re listed on the MLS, agents will stop trying to scare you into getting your listing, because you’re already listed on the MLS. What’s that worth?
Do you have an “agent scare tactics” story that you’d like to share? Feel free to post them below as a comment.
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