Let's face it: When your
house goes on the market, you're not only opening
the door to prospective buyers, but also sometimes
to unknown vendors and naïve or unqualified buyers.
As with any business transaction, there is an
expected protocol to how sellers, buyers and their
respective agents interact. Should you find yourself
in a sticky situation, alert your agent so he or she
can address and remedy the problem.
The aggressive real estate agent
When your agent puts your house on the market,
typically all promotional materials state clearly
that your agent is the primary contact for buyers
and buyers' agents. However, sometimes a buyer's
agent will contact a seller directly to try to
either win over their business or cut the seller's
agent out of the deal. This is not reputable
behavior and you should report it to your agent
immediately if it happens to you.
The unscrupulous vendor
Have you ever started a business or moved into a new
house and suddenly found your mailbox full of junk
mail? Unfortunately, this also can happen when you
put your house on the market. When you sell your
home, it necessitates all kinds of new purchasing
decisions and less-than-ethical vendors are keenly
aware of this. Though MLS organizations enforce
rules on how posted information is used, some
companies have found ways to cull information from
various sources to produce mass mailing lists. If
you find yourself regularly emptying your mailbox of
junk, let your agent know. He or she can tap the
appropriate sources to prompt an investigation into
the matter.
The naïve buyer
Yard signs, Internet listings and other
advertisements can generate a lot of buzz for your
home. Some prospective buyers - particularly
first-timers - will be so buzzed to see your home
that they'll simply drop by. If this happens, no
matter how nice these unexpected visitors are, it's
best not to humor their enthusiasm by discussing
your home or giving an impromptu tour. Instead,
politely let them know that your real estate agent
is in charge of scheduling tours and provide them
with the agent's contact information. If you attempt
to handle these surprise visits on your own, you
might inadvertently disclose information that could
hurt you during negotiations down the road. |
