I Finally Felt Like a Seller

It took more than 26 years working in Real Estate and meeting with and working for hundreds of homeowners but I finally got to experience some of what many sellers have to deal with when trying to sell their homes. Sure, I understood logically what selling your home might feel like. I know the process, the forms and have seen what can go right and what can go wrong. I have mediated disputes between sellers and buyers since 2002. I have also served on every level of my REALTOR Association’s Professional Standards Committee so I am very familiar with disputes between agents and their clients. But I was never actually involved on the selling end.

I have had numerous discussions, often emotional, with sellers concerning their frustrations and anxiety but living through it reinforced what I have tried to provide as far as advice although I better understand the process now. How a seller handles and manages the selling process and their emotions depends on their circumstances and their personality. Selling your own home or the estate of a relative or friend is different from selling an investment property. It is more “personal”.

Years ago, my mother-in-law told me that she wanted me to sell her home when the time came. This was after my father-in-law died. I guess I assumed that she would be alive and moving to her next home when the time came. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I listed and sold her estate, the house my wife and her eight brothers and sisters grew up in and where I had spent many holidays and family gatherings. My wife was the executrix which added to the process even if I were not the actual seller.

After hearing about my experiences with listing and selling Real Estate and working with buyers over the years, my wife got a formal introduction into what I do. Starting with discussing the house, marketing, comparable sales, the paperwork including the property disclosure and what can happen leading up to settlement, we began the process. My wife was objective so the emotion was minimized.

Fortunately, the location and the house generated a lot of interest. That being said, I got to experience firsthand how a “seller” reacts to scheduling appointments, receiving feedback and actual showings. There were issues, more like inconveniences than major problems, since the house was empty so showings were easy to schedule. We weren’t there so we do not know when agents actually showed up but feedback suggested that all but one did show up. One agent did not show up or cancel which we learned when he rescheduled his showing hours after he was supposed to be there. When these things happen in an occupied house it can cause problems.

One thing that happened on several occasions was agents not properly securing the house. The house has two “Dutch” doors, meaning they are split in half with each portion operating separately. That can be nice when you want fresh air. The downside is that each of the four sections has to be secured. On several occasions, the top portion of the front door was not secured which could have been a problem.

Over the years a number of my seller-clients have found a door not locked, lights left on, agents coming late or agents not showing up at all. Needless to say these can make an already potentially emotional process even worse. I find it unfortunate, even sad, that we have to warn clients about these and other “possibilities”. Many of my sellers have lived out-of-state which can magnify their anxiety. Perhaps, one day, all agents will treat a seller’s property with the respect they deserve. I can only hope!

There is no time for inexperience, empty promises or false expectations!

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