ChitownLiving | Chicago Real Estate + Life

I was out with one of my buyer clients over the past two weeks and in the area we were house hunting, the custom is to have sellers show their own property, all owners, not just for sale by owners or those represented by limited service brokerages.  Two situations struck me and prompted this post to underline the fact that many sellers really do need representation. The Gabber - On the first showing we came across a seller I will label ”The Gabber”.  The Gabber is waiting for us in the lobby as we arrive.  My client and I are their social interaction for the day.  They love to talk and no detail about their property is too small to leave out.  On this trip we learn the seller is a huge smoker and they had to have the place painted and cleaned from top to bottom before showings.  We also learn that the washer/dryer is broken, repair men will be out later that day.  The seller actually asks us if we want to see the broken parts.  They also describe each of the (mid 1990) appliances in detail.  While pulling open the fridge, the handle actually comes loose from the door.  Before leaving we obtained a huge amount of information that would be of great benefit in any negotiation and the best part is we didn’t have to ask a single question. Foot in Mouth - On the second showing we encountered a seller I will term “Foot in Mouth”.  Foot in Mouth is a seller who understands the process, but is very poor at verbal communication.  As such, they do not speak until spoken to.  Avoidance is their goal, so we ask many questions while on our showing.  Some we have to shout from another room as Foot in Mouth always leaves each room we enter.  On this outing, we learn that the client is being relocated out of the country.  They are actually going back home and need to be there before the X-Mas season.  Time is on our side and the clock is ticking.  They can not transfer their furniture as it would cost too much to ship it so it is being offered as part of the deal.  We also learn that they will work with any offer.  In fact, we are almost begged to make an offer as the place has been on the market almost 160 days.  Normally when an agent begs for an offer, I chaulk it up to salesmanship, but in this case we are speaking to the SELLER directly.  They want an offer.  All great information to be used during negotiation. What saddens me about these two encounters is that they are both paying for full service representation, with full service brokerages, yet receiving limited or no service.  A poor reflection on the industry.  Heck, with this type of representation why not go fee for service or For Sale By Owner?  However, on the buy side, my client and I can’t ask for a better situation.  We were able to uncover precious nuggets of information that can be used to achieve the best price and terms for my client.  This, after all, is what representation is all about.