A day in the life of an agent

Two weeks ago, I posted a teaser photo of a house I was getting ready to list.  I had just been awarded a contract to list fifteen to twenty houses.  You can imagine my excitement and the "dollah $ dollah $" signs I had dancing in my head.  I met with my new clients on a Monday.  By the following Wednesday, I had the house staged, photos taken and flyers designed.  We were ready to hit the market and I was excited.

Except for one problem.  We couldn't come to terms on the listing contract.  The listing contract was signed and submitted before I staged and photographed the house.  Then came the revisions to the contract.

I worked with this group previously with no major alterations to the listing contract.  The contract used is the standard contract utilized in DC, MD and VA.  I assumed it would progress as it had formerly.  It didn't.  Attorneys got involved and ultimately, my side decided the revisions to the contract were too risky.  All the liability was placed on the listing agent and none on the sellers.  The clients would not budge on their language even though they had altered the standard real estate contract.  No reputable real estate firm (or their legal department) would agree to these revisions.

There were other problems.  As the listing agent, it's my job to present comparable sold properties and determine the list price.  The sellers wanting to list the house for $50,000 over the neighborhoods comparable values and what I recommended.  No matter what material I presented, they were fixated on that price.

So it's over.

I'm not taking this well and I'm pretty annoyed for many different reasons.  I'm angry first and foremost at myself as I foolishly tried to meet the clients deadline for listing the house.  The necessary paperwork was signed but there was ongoing discussions about the amendments to the contract.  I erroneously believed everything would work out.  Silly me.

Meanwhile, business as usual.  I had property to show, a home inspection to attend and a listing to input.  Does the minutia of the other tasks help?  Not really.  Isn't life as an agent grand?