The 4,000-square-foot contemporary was an odd duck. Outside, the house was a hodgepodge of stone, brick and redwood. Inside, it was strangely decorated with frilly furnishings, lavender carpeting and ornate gold bathroom fixtures.
“To me it was just a yucky house. It had a bad aura,” recalls Karl Breckenridge, the listing agent and real estate author.
After the decor was changed, Breckenridge overcame his disdain for the contemporary and quickly sold the house. But many homes that are unloved by their agents linger on the market for weeks longer than they should.
Obviously, it’s unwise to hire an agent who dislikes your house, realty specialists stress.
“It can be easier to get rid of an unloved spouse than an unloved house,” Breckenridge cautions.
Is your home despised by the very person you’ve engaged to promote its sale? If so, there may have been subtle clues along the way.
An agent who dislikes a house may betray his sentiments in facial expressions and body language when he first sees the place. He may openly deride the house in conversations with the owner.
What’s more, an agent may show his disdain in the way he writes advertising for the house.
“There’s no pizazz in the ads or the fliers-a steak but no sizzle,” Breckenridge says.
Over time, the agent will convey his lack of enthusiasm when he reports on showings to the owner. And the longer the house stays on the market, the less energy he is likely to summon for its promotion.
A doctor may be perfectly able to perform surgery on a patient he dislikes. By the same token, a barber may give a fine haircut to a client he finds unpleasant.
But home selling is an emotional business. And there’s always a chance that an agent who dislikes a property will diminish its chances for a favorable sale, real estate experts say.
“It’s not an agent’s job to love every house. But he shouldn’t dislike it, either,” Breckenridge says.
How can you be certain your house will be in caring hands when it goes on the market? The experts offer these pointers:
– Make sure the agent visits your home before you give him the listing.
“When the agent comes over, you can tell very quickly if there’s a rapport with you and your house,” says Monte Helme, a vice president with the Century 21 chain.
Seeking out the right agent is especially important if you own an unusual or oddball house, Breckenridge says. Like all human beings, agents have their preferences.
“There’s a house for every taste,” he says.
– Distinguish between constructive criticism and disparaging remarks.
Does the agent you’re considering belittle your one-bedroom condominium on the basis that it’s too close to the elevator? Does he speak sarcastically about the condo’s view overlooking the parking lot? Does he condemn the neighborhood for having too much traffic?
Then the agent’s critique is not a constructive one.
In truth, your home may be troubled by some “incurable defects,” as they’re known to the realty industry. But an agent who focuses more on the minuses than the pluses is not the one you want to hire, says Norman D. Flynn, a realty executive and past president of the National Association of Realtors.
On the other hand, you don’t want to reject an agent for offering a realistic analysis of the pros and cons of your property. It’s important to know, for instance, that your condo needs painting and new kitchen cabinets to fetch the best possible price.
– Don’t blame the agent if you’re the one who has let the house become unlovable.
Have your canines been giving a bad odor to the carpet? Do your draperies hang limply because they haven’t been cleaned or replaced in a decade? Would it take a cleaning crew to get the grease and food stains off the walls in your kitchen? Then you can understand why an agent might lack affection for your house.
An agent may admire your landscaping or the floor plan of your home. But if the house gives off a foul-smelling odor or is unclean, you can assume your poor housekeeping will be a turnoff to agents and buyers.
Why not do what you know needs to be done-such as cleaning-before you bring agents in for interviews? That way you’ll get a better test of their true sentiments for the house.
– Don’t let your own negative feelings about your house color your agent’s sentiments.
Negativism is contagious. You may dislike myriad elements of your house, ranging from its overall design to the neighborhood where it’s located.
But if you concentrate on the negatives, your agent’s attitude is likely to be colored by your views. Instead, try to focus on the elements of the property that prompted you to buy the house in the first place.
Did you purchase the place for its cheery country kitchen, large dining room and spacious mother-in-law suite? Then make a list of these positives and talk them up with your agent, Breckenridge advises.
“Focus on the good things that caused you to buy the house. That way you’ll at least have a chink in the armor to help you sell,” he says.
