2 years ago I put my house on the market with my close relative as the listing agent. Not one offer was received after the contract was up. It was a long 3 months!! My relative said she thinks the reason it didn't sell b/c of the listing price and the economy was down. She said that any house will sell if set at the right price. Also- my relative works more with clients that sell/buy in a neighboring suburb of high valued homes. I am now about to put my house on the market again soon. Two friends have used a reputable realtor in the town I live in and I am almost tempted to have this other realtor as my listing agent and use my relative as my buying agent. On one hand I feel like I should give my relative another shake at listing my house, but then this other realtor gets her homes with a contract within 2 weeks! That is more appealing. Need some advice here!!

3 months without one offer!!!!!! How many showings did you have?! Was the home marketed properly?

I am going to be overly simplistic here but generally if a mid-price home is properly marketed and 1-2 weeks after a home is on the market there are no showings, the price is too high. If there are showings but no offer is produced, the feedback from the showing agents should tell you where the problem lies to which you need to fix the problem or if cannot be fixed, reduce the price.
If your agent did not explain to you how the marketing of your home was to be done, did not discuss with you the feedback responses from showing agents and did not discuss your options than it probably would make sense to work with an agent who will.

I would tend to go with the agent with a good track record of selling --- regardless of familial relationship. But that's just me.

OTOH, to be fair to your agent relative, I don't know your market back when you tried to sell your home. Some parts of the country just have a lousy market for a number of reasons.

------------------
Ruperto Elpusan, MBA, e-Pro
Broker/Officer
Beverly Hills-Malibu-Palos Verdes Real Estate
Torrance/South Bay Real Estate

After one month, we did lower our price and even tried an open house and realtor luncheon to get more feedback from other realtors that worked in the same office as my relative. We also live on a corner lot of a semi-busy street. We are the 1st nice house that people see when they enter our neighborhood, but the neighborhood directly behind us are smaller homes that need sprucing up and also down the street in that same direction are undesirable apartment complexes. In the 1960s-1980s our neighbor was very reputable!

Have your relative run the comps for your area.

This information (listed/sold prices, features, days on market, trends) is where you'll derive market value.

Because there are so many factors that encompass a local economy, it's hard to make a blanket statement that any home will sell if it's priced right. That's simply not reality.

Selling property is a pure Business proposition not a family / friends adventure.

Select an agent that you know is knowledgeable and will represent your property, and have no problem in telling you what and where the problems are... before they occur.

Also select one, you will feel you have a free hand in expressing your true feeling and desires.

all right, here what i think
I say go with the realtor that is your relative
only if
1)she give u a good commission rate(remeber they are in business for themselves
2) Be realistic, you might think you have the best house on the block but if your selling a house w/ 15 year old appliances, heat etc etc.....it wont transfer well, also paint makes thing look new,
3) be patient, a 3month contract is a short time & the market might have turn around since then

Interview both of them. Go thru what marketing strategy they both are using.
After the meeting make your own notes about the agents.
The agent who feel will be best for you in terms of time, effort and communication go with that agent.

This will make you feel fair and give second chance to your relative. Make sure she/he understands that she/he is in competition against other agents to list your home.

Hope this helps
Ritu



------------------
Ritu Desai
Full Professional Service with Great Savings!
Samson Realty
4%-4.5% FULL SERVICE LISTINGS
&
CASH BACK TO ALL MY HOMEBUYERS

Cell - 703-625-4949
Office: 703-896-5775
Email - rituadesai@yahoo.com
On the web: http://www.homesdatabase.com/ritu