Amy, I try to show my companies listings first with a sprinkle of overpriced listings from the competition. I want the customer to know I show everything. But, even I fold when the agent has showing instructions that require me to call two or three different phone numbers. FORGETABOUTIT!!

I like to see -- Easy to Show, Bring All Offers, $3000.00 bonus to selling agent :)

I'm like you, I hate to see restrictive warnings on the showing instructions, as if the sellers can afford to be picky -- one is, Listing agent must be present.

Amy, you are so right. Any seller that is serious about selling in today's market should make the home easy to show.

Amy you would think that the listing agent that attended Listing 101 would have learned the basics. Your analogy is true in all markets. It is just more evident in this market. Great Post! Pretty and bright-what a combo!

Decorating allowance. If you know it's an issue, solve it don't highlight it.

I saw one a few months ago with remarks "Hostile tenant beware"

Gary...you are shameless.... :)

Phil was that a good thing or a bad thing? But yes I am!

I was shameless once. Now, I'm incorrigible. Look out Gary it's a slippery slope.

Great points, Amy! This is something all sellers should read!!

Drive by only, do not disturb the tenant

Does the tenant even know the property is being sold?  This tell me there will be a issue at closing.

Jana

[Amy sez: some of the other Buzzwords or items that may limit a property's showings.]

"Price is firm."

If tenants are there, that could be a GOOD thing for an investor.

A buzz kill for me is "Listing agent must be present to show"  LOL

LOL there's one on my street with no sign, and the only photo is an AERIAL photo of the house (250k house in homes only suburb) . . . no data in the listing. Limited service listing. Who-da thunk it?

Of course it probably bears mentioning here that this is "with all other things being relatively equal" because bottom line is, if a property closely fits the client's criteria and is what the client wants, I gotta give it a shot regardless of the 'grief factor', after advising the client of the possible pitfalls based on the listing info.

LOL hostile tenant -- "must be accompanied by sheriff?"

Great post. I tried to think of more, but brain dead this time of eve.

I love it, all of your posts.

I agree with all by the way. Candice so true, if it fits the clients needs I am there and have gone through all of the above. With today's times, most clients look on their own on line as well as what I send. They always ask. What about this one? You did not send.

I say, OK, we will go look.

But yes, some properties are for investors only, and I have worked with many, where the tenants are not advised the property is for sale and we don't want to disturb them except with serious lookers only. And as Greg posted earlier, I don't want my tenant occupied property to be on your just go see cause my listing is better list. Serious inquiries only.

I also have a high end waterfront listing that says appointment only, etc... for the same reason. I don't want to disturb them with just lookie lookers. And there are still pleny of agents that don't pre-qualify and go out and show just anyone homes. We don't want them going through our clients homes that may come back and rob it the next day. So there is another side to every story.

But mostly I agree with you, I do avoid the hard to show if there are plenty that are similar, same area, etc....

My worst pet peave is having to call the listing office agent to show and not being on the centralized showing. Then I have to listen to a 15 minute spill on how great this property is, blah, blah and I caught them at their daughters 15th birthday party, etc..........

Please, the general rule, make it easy to show.........

Me? I don't care anymore. If they need a warrant from a federal judge to see the house, then so be it. Just as long as my sign is up and I get it on the internet, someone will email, telephone, or, drive up to it and want to ask about it. Nothing is too over priced for me. Smell bad, or dirty? It don't matter. Foundation problems? Not my problem. Every listing is a good listing. If other agent want to tell the owner they are pigs, O.K., it will help me get it reduced in price. I'll take the buyers to a good listing once I get them to call me. Just call me. It might be raining outside, but its sunny in here.

Gregory, there's a saying that if it smells, it smells like money. Good news for buyer.  :)

The listing was on a mobile home out in the country. You never know what surprises you going to encounter out there. I went back through all the property history changes and found the actual quote: "Hostile tenant do not approach" No surprise that the listing was withdrawn and no longer on the market.

When I was a brand new agent, my very first sale was (lucky for me) to an inactive Oregon licensee. She was very kind and we had a lot of fun! Anyway, we had occasion to view homes in a neighborhood pretty much 'owned' by a broker who I've come to know as a tough cookie with no fear and a big heart. Then, however, all I knew was that she had to go with us to a home that had tenants. UNDERSTATEMENT.

This house had AT LEAST 6 months worth of trash in the garage.

Broker threw open the garage door and told us "Hold yer noses!" LOL!

THEN, she went to the front door of the house and started to bang on the door, yelling "HEY YOU GUYS IT'S ROSE, OPEN UP!"

A window slid open and I was just waiting for the barrel of a shotgun to appear. It didn't, but I still laugh thinking about it.

The tenants let us in and the place was just as messy as you could imagine.

The buyer didn't buy that one, but the hostile tenant story reminded me of that . . .

Interesting - our local news channel just had a piece about this on the news last night.  "Motivated seller" homes sold an average of 30% slower than "Beautiful" homes.

Interesting piece - http://www.komotv.com/news/consumer/11386241.html

My favorite is "must see inside - don't street appraise."

"Subject to Short Sale." You don't even know if a full price offer will get it or it you're getting paid. I wrote on one this summer and the listing agent came back after talking to the bank saying they may be able to take a full price offer if I reduce my side of the commission by 1% and she reduced her side by 2%. It was at the top of my buyer's price range. They couldn't afford to pay full price and make up the difference in commission and they couldn't afford to go over asking price.

Excellent thread Amy.

As a homebuyer, I tend to LOVE listings with the following five elements:

1.  The phrase "Handyman's Special"

2.  A minimum of five exclamation points and five words in all capital letters.

3.  No photos.

4.  No email address for the listing agent.

5.  A description that begins by talking about the bus stop and finishes up with a word on the "recently installed sump pump."

Take care of those five and consider me sold.

;-)