Lea Armstrong

I can't believe that an agent will actually tell you this! This is not normal procedure for any honest agent. It's unfortunate that an agent is not representing their buyer to the fullest capacity. It is an agent's DUTY to show their buyer any and all homes on the market that fit their criteria and if your home fits the criteria of the buyer it should be shown. There are several reasons why a buyer's agent will not show your property:

1. The agent will show only their listings. Why? Well, it's simple...bigger commission. If the listing agent shows a buyer the listings they have on the market they will get the listing and buyer's side of the commission.

2. It could also be the commission payout. If you are paying 6% commission to an agent to sell your home ask your listing agent what he/she is paying out to the buyer's agent. Many times a listing agent will get greedy and only offer a 2% commission. Unfortunately, many agents will not show a home with a low commission payout.

It's unfortunate that there are agents like this out there. They give all agents a bad name.

or

3. It could be a simple case of a bad economy. Take the advice of some of the other agents and get your agent to supply you will economic information for your area. How many homes in rural areas have sold recently and why? What do these homes have that your home doesn't have? How is your home priced per square foot compared to homes sold or homes currently on the market? Ask your agent to hold an agent luncheon and have the agents fill out comment cards. Your agent can share this information with you and this information can be vital to selling your home. - Yesterday, 14:28

Hi Lauren! Buying a home is stressful. There are many things that are done by the agent and that would really take the load off of your shoulders. A good agent will keep you updated on everything that is done on your behalf and make sure you are getting the best deal for your money. It is a buyers market out there and your agent can definitely point you in the right direction when looking for that perfect home. If you don't have an agent you would have to do all the research yourself. Finding all the criterias that meet your needs is easier for an agent because he/she can run a search for you. Also, you can't lose with using an agent because you don't usually have to pay his/her fees and you can fire your agent if you're unhappy with him/her. If you would like, I would be happy to help you find something in the Savannah or surrounding area. I can send you information that might help you. E-Mail me at leaarmstrong@yahoo.com

Hope your house hunting goes well!! - Fri Apr 4 2008, 10:57

Hi April!

It's all preference. You never know what someone will be looking for but I do agree with Sylvia. Your appliances have to fit the motiff. Updated cabinets or countertops maybe worth the money instead of newer appliance but, if you do need the new appliances, I would maybe think about getting a better stove/oven/microwave in black (or white - whichever fits). Usually ss costs a bit more so take the money and get a really great flat top/microwave combo. Like Sylvia said, it really is hard to know exactly what you need without seeing your home. - Tue Apr 1 2008, 22:48

If you don't sign the Exclusive Buyer Broker Agreement then the agent cannot check off on the contract (when submitting an offer) that they are representing you. It will ask if the Listing agent is representing the Seller and if the Selling agent is representing the Buyer. That's not to say that the agent does not owe you due diligence and honestly when helping you purchase a home. To protect yourself you may want to sign an agreement. - Tue Apr 1 2008, 08:44

Think of it like this bitter renter. One day you too will own a home (maybe) and you may, one day, wish to sell your home. You will either one...sell it yourself, which many homeowners find more difficult than they thought (especially in today's market) or two...pay out a commission and have a Realtor sell your home for you. Well, if you decide to pay the commission you will come to expect certain things from your agent. You will want your agent to do everything possible to sell that home...advertising, open houses, listing it on several sites, word of mouth, etc...How would you feel if you had to pay out several thousands of dollars only to find that no one is coming to your open house because someone is rude enough to throw the sign in the bushes because they're too lazy to walk around them? I find this a minor inconvenience and especially in todays market you need every edge you can get. Well, imagine not being able to sell your home and you have to move no matter what so you rent your home out. Well, there's another renter in the neighborhood which doesn't look good to new home buyers. They don't want a neighborhood filled with renters because renters normally (not saying YOU) do not take care of the property as a homeowner would. So, if you owned your home and you have renters in the neighborhood who don't care what do you think would happen to your property value? It would go down. You need to realize that not everyone is out to inconvenience you. Call the agent, as been suggested in other posts, explain that you have to take two extra steps to get around the signs (even though you're using more energy to throw the signs) and would they please try to post the signs out of the way. Now, with that said, I find it hard to believe that they are posting the signs on the sidewalk. Are you walking, perhaps, on someone else's property and that's the only safe route you can take when walking? If that's the case then you could be trespassing. Think about your dog also, is he/she being tangled in the sign and it's an inconvenience for you so you take the sign down even though your dog maybe the one trespassing on the grass. Usually signs have metal prongs that stick into the ground and you can only do that if its soft (not concrete). You're not right for taking down the signs. It's not your neighborhood...you're just a renter. - Sat Mar 29 2008, 10:00