Buy Alexandria Real Estate: Reason #19 to Hire a Local Experienced Listing Agent to Sell Your Home

There are many reasons why you should hire a local experienced real estate professional to list and sell your home.  You can probably think up some of these reasons on your own.

Here's Reason #19:  They will make sure your home gets maximum exposure on the market by ensuring that other local agents can access your property.

Let me explain. 

But first let me preface the explanation with this:  I am not a ranter and a raver.  I rarely if ever complain about another agent.  It takes a lot to get me upset, frustrated, or angry.  And I have never nor would I ever call out somebody publicly.  Thus the guilty agent's name has been withheld to protect his/her... ahem... guilt.

The saga began this afternoon.  I was scheduling some condo showings in Alexandria, Virginia for a client who wants (and needs) to buy a condo (and soon).  On one particular property, the showing instructions required calling a showing service (these companies, such as Accushow, have become more popular as of late). 

I was told that showing the property was no problem at the desired time, but that I would need to have Maryland lockbox access. 

Wait a second!  This condo is in Alexandria -- at least a good 8 mile, 20 minute drive across the Potomac River from Maryland.  I mentioned this to the showing service and they suggested that I call the listing agent for access to the property.

Next, I called the listing agent hours before the showing.  Left a voicemail.  Never heard back.  Called again hours later and found the agent's voicemail full.

At 3:30 p.m., I met my client and showed them several condos in the same area.  Then we went to try and see the condo in question.  Sure enough, my Virginia lockbox card did not open the lockbox.  This is the condo that my client is most interested in possibly purchasing (and before the tax credit expires on Friday).  Again I tried calling the listing agent to no avail.

This condo has been on the market for 17 days.  Though that's not a long time in this market, there's no question why.  Other agents cannot show the condo!  Most buyers and agents for this particular condo will be in Virginia and licensed in Virginia and they may or may not have Maryland lockbox access.  It's an easy fix that the listing agent can perform to make this lockbox Virginia compatible, but in 17 days on the market they have not done so!

By the way, I looked up this agent, and out of a total of 29 sales (listings and buyer representation) over several years, they've only sold 2 in Virginia -- all the rest are in Maryland.

Now, imagine for the moment that you've hired this listing agent.  They put your home on the market, priced it pretty well and advertised it.  17 days have gone by and not a single agent or buyer has seen your home!  Why?  Because the agent does not permit access to those who want to see it.

Ready to sell your Northern Virginia home?  I've just given you reason #19 to hire a local experienced listing agent to sell your home.  Contact me and we can discuss reasons 1 through 18!