I am in the process of selling my house and trying to relocate from MA to AZ. My realtor has been a total slacker, to say the least. I work full time in pharmaceutical sales but would like to someday get into real estate (when I move to AZ). I have my MA real estate license but need to take a CE course to renew it.

Here's what I'm thinking: I'm taking the course tomorrow and renewing my license. I want to fire my realtor and get a job part-time with a firm so I can list and sell my house myself. Is is worth all the time and effort to sell it myself and work part-time when I plan on moving once it's sold? AZ is not a reciprocal state so my license will be useless once I move - my thinking is I will at least get some experience in the field, even if it's just for a few months. Would any broker hire me if they knew I would be moving once the house is sold? Any advice would be appreciated. From what I've seen, my local realtors are lazy and I could sell circles around them.

Probably not "useless"; You should be able to have an Arizona License issued just be Passing the Arizona State Licensing Exam and not repeat the National (Interstate) or General portion of the Exam.

Someone from Arizona can clarify that for you.

If you already have a Massachusetts License, then it is hanging under the Sponsorship of some Broker in Massachusetts; so you are already "Hired".

Foolish I would say..

If you are unhappy request a different agent or have the broker handle it directly.Would you as a broker put in alot of time with a new agent knowing they were leaving? Of course not.

Well, who said they would have to know I was leaving? Just a thought....

you could tell them that you don't want training, don't want leads or floor time, just want to do your own transactions. let them know up front that you aren't interested in any of the perks they may offer then it won't be any skin off their nose when you leave....

In whose Office is your License hanging now ?

Perky, that is really what I want to do anyways. I just want to get some experience and have the opportunity to sell my own house. I wouldn't expect to get all of the perks and tons of training - just enough to get my house sold and maybe help a few buyers along the way.

My license has been inactive for 10 years, so I do not work in the industry at this time. I need to take 12 hours of CE, which I'm doing today, so my license will be active again. I hae plenty of time to do the business part-time and really want to get into it full time once I move. The market is horrible in MA and it will probably be several months before my house sells, so I could get plenty of experience while I'm waiting to move.

I am just really unhappy with the lack of professionalism and motivation from the local realtors. I am currently in sales and know how to market to get results. My realtor has really gotten under my skin with his lack of motivation. It took him over a week to refill my info box on the for sale sign and add the "duplex" sign. He drives by my house everyday on his way home, yet couldn't stop to refill the box. He knew I was going away on vacation for the week, but my mom was home and he waited until I got back to refill the box. Also, he was supposed to place my house in a popular regional horse publication (it's a duplex/horse farm). Well, I just got this months issue and guess what,it's not there! I'm not asking for much, just some effort. It's a unique property that needs a certain type of buyer. Just listing it on realtor.com isn't going to get the job done. It hasn't even been listed in the local paper. Thanks for listening.... I just needed to vent a little.

You're very lucky if you can re-activate a License that has lapsed for 10 years. In Vermont, you would have to start all over, from scratch, with new State and National Examinations, once you (Broker or SalesPerson) have been in "Lapsed" status for 5 years or more.

A License for a SalesPerson is actually issued to the Broker for the SalesPerson, once the Broker has decided to allow the SalesPerson to affilliate with the Brokerage, and take on responsibility for his/her actions. The License is not issued directly to the SalesPerson.

A duplex horse farm - wow, that's different!

I think I would de-emphasize the Duplex aspect and say something like In-Law Apartment, Living Quarters for Raaanch Hands, Farrier, Maid, Grounds Keeper etc. . . . whatever would be attractive in that area.

Most of my Customers for Farms of any kind want their "Privacy" which a Duplex certainly does not project.

Duplex just sounds bizarre in connection to a horse farm.

Perhaps your realtor was trying to do you a favor by not wanting to put up the duplex sign. To me a duplex talks of the suburbs or in town - something a would be investor would want to buy to rent out.

I also find it hard to believe that there isn't one single professional agent in the area to satisfy you - though I will say I will never, ever work for a former agent again (or someone who is an agent in another region). There is no pleasing them. Kind of like a doctor trying to treat another doctor. Doesn't work out too well.

You may be better off just doing it yourself.

Coda maybe it would be better to list it yourself.Clearly you will benefit more from the sale fo your property than anyone else.

The classic mistake I see ALL the time is there is no clear communication upfront about what will happen and not happen with the listing. Everything is usually verbalized but nothing specific is put in writing.

My old broker always said to underpromise and overdeliver and you will always exceed expectations.Most agents/brokers overpromise and underdeliver to get business.

INTEGRITY is a lost art in this business. The key is to tell the seller upfront as a broker "I beleive your property is overpriced therefore I will not pour tons of money into it when I think it won't sell"

Nobody ever wants confrontation upfront but it's best to be clear from the beginning.

This is a classic example of the seller feeling enough is not being done to market there property in a slow market.Talk to your agent and find out WHY x,y, and z wasn't completed.

Go over your listing contract usually there are duties spelled out the broke rmust be completing if not the seller can terminate based on those grounds.

good luck

Thank you for all of the advice. Our property was just a duplex when we bought it back in 97. We cleared the land and made it into horse property. Our town is known for horse farms and acreage - not many multi-families or rental properties around here, so it is an advantage.

I made the mistake of taking my realtor at his word because I've known him for over 15 years. Here's the sad part - he never gave me a copy of the listing agreement and I never asked for specifics on how he would market the property. I just assumed he would do a great job. My mother and husband tried to warn me that he didn't seem very motivated, but I ignored them. He told me he had a couple of buyers lined up before I listed with him and he did agree to put it in the local horse magazine (nothing in writing).

So, I am just as much to blame for this mess. I know nothing is moving in this market, but I need to set him straight on my expectations. I think I would do a better job selling it myself and my license is still valid after 10 years - I just need to send the state a nice, hefty check for over $400 in back dues. I will call him tomorrow and set things straight. If I don't get the results I want, I will just sell it myself.

Coda is right...he needs to take the COE and pay the back license fees. He does NOT need to hang it with a broker right away. In MA, that is just not true - the license IS issued directly to the Salesperson. There are loads of licensed agents out there who took the classes, passed the test, and are not hanging their license with a broker.

Coda - You're right the market is horrible here in MA. My guess is that you might be in the Western part of the state - even worse. You really need to be priced right - a duplex on a farm is tough to comp and would only appeal to a certain buyer. Average days on market in MA is 150+ - how long have you been listed?

Newspaper ad are extremely expensive and not real effective - unless you're a high end property, it would not be worth a listing agents' money to advertise in the newspaper.

What about the real estate catalogs that buyers pick up in the market and pizza shops? I find those get much better results although, honestly, it is all about PRICE! You'd be surprised sometimes what even a small reduction will do for activity.

I'd be curious to look about your property on MLS....PM me the address if you like.