Yesterday we found a flyer in our front door from a realtor (or real estate agent) that advertises "I will sell your home in 39 days or I'll sell it for free"

Now I'm not in the market to sell my home, but I do know that it's pretty rare to sell a home that quickly- even when it's priced low.

So I had to wonder- what is the catch? It seems that the seller would have to agree to the agent's price- and even if the house didn't sell within that time, the agent might wave their fee- but those aren't the only costs to the seller, right?

Also.... where did the "39 days" come from?

Just interested in what anyone thinks of this strategy.

Sounds like if you agree to "his price" and it sells in 39 days he waives his fee. His fee could be 25-50% of total listing fee because if it sold by another Realtor that 25-50% would belong to them on a co-operating basis. There are always catches and fine print to something like this. Also you would still have the typical selling expenses to pay.

Here's what I guarantee -- MY EFFORTS!

Here's what you should guarantee yourself as a seller-- to hire a good Realtor who provides good COMPS!! Good Realtors don't need gimmicks
and don't use them.

By the way.. I'm poop-ed ..business is brisk in Tampa Bay, Florida. I even worked through the Memorial holiday weekend!


<<< BTW My head really isn't this big!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: real estate lady,

IME, the sole purpose of every one of these various come-ons is to generate calls to the realtor's office, period. My personal favorite is the "I have a buyer for your house" flyer. Every time one of my friends/family or clients coincidentally lists their home with a professional realtor shortly thereafter, the advertising agent never shows their home to said mystery buyer!

I do understand how difficult it is for many new agents to build up their clientele. If it generates good leads and (eventually) referral business, no problem. If you're a new (or any) realtor, I would encourage you, however, to consider your own personal brand before using these methods.

JMHO.

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Personally, if it was me? I would shred the advertisement and never look back. I know you aren't in the market but you did wonder why others might fall for this so-called "Guarantee" - ???"

Because they are desperate - I hope you aren't one of them! Bottom line, never fall or call back someone who promises a "guarantee" - there is no such thing in legitimate business especially in real estate. Pass this on to all of your friends....

Any time anyone offers me something for "free" that is usually quite expensive,I run for the hills.

I'd love to know what the catch is to that flyer but who has the time and energy to pursue it?

RElady, did you ever work for Suncoast Realty on Dale Mabry?

..not in my memory bank. Course I was born a Realtor..so maybe in the crawling years (LOL) PM me if you'd like.

RE...actually, I meant "Sun Cove Reality". You look like someone I knew that worked there but that was back in the 80's and I think you are too young to have been her.

Yes, I know Sun Cove well. The "Green" family... I never worked for them. They closed a few years back. Mike sells nothing but homes over a mil. these days, and is with another company.


Actually, we may have crossed paths as I started
out in 1974 -the second worst market of my careet. My first sale was a trailer park on the Hillsborough river with an alligator. You heard that story here!

The market didn't stop me and quickly became #1 in real estate sales over all men salemen which was a major feat back then...as few women here were in the business back in the 70's.

I tried to buy out 50% of my second office from my Broker because I was making more money than his office..and when he said no, I opened mty own across the street. It wasn't like I dreamed it up, he gave me unreachable goals and I met them and this was his promise.


I hired all women and a male sec'y and assisted buying them luxury cars with car phones in the late 70's and bought 400 ft. on Busch blvd. in Carrollwood on a lake. for an office. Loved it!

Back then we were called in our THEN so called cracker barrel state. .Realtors..were officiated on our state license as .."real estate salesman" - yea right. I was destined to change all that crap by creating an all women sales force to create notice, hah. I then named the company after a famous womans magazine..which is another whole chapter. Yes I was a huge part of the equal rights revo-lu-tion. These were days when I went into a bank and couldn't get a business loan because I was a woman.

I retired at 35 and went bank into the business some years later..........
because I was bored.

So I have quite a history is this town! I call it my fiarst life and my second life. haha.

Having a name like that of a famous singer..is also a blessing.

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REL

I too worked for an all female company, which when I started in 1981 was an oddity. Our competition tried bad mouthing us as "bored housewives" but our staff of 20+ agents soon showed them we were all business and rose to #1 in our area for many years to follow. It was a
great job for almost30 yrs and the only thing I miss today are the people/clients.

Mama- Selling real estate in the 70's and eighty's was the most fantastic time in my career..and challenging!! Women in a so-called man's world in real estate in Tampa was too much for our males!!

Women here locally insisted upon offices changed to a more inviting atmosphere with a women's touch as opposed cuby hole work stations in a office overwhelmed with "Old Spice".

It was changing times in the industry here for sure. Just for fun.. we used to drop off pink paint to our fellow women Realtors who worked in male dominated offices. Many marketing brochures went out with that Realtor in their new pink office.

Ahhh, memories.

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RE...we bought our house in Tampa in 1985 and lived there till 1989. My husband was stationed at MacDill AFB.
I'm an RN but decided to get my real estate license to try something different. I worked for Sun Cove for a year and then quit. Let's just say the Greens weren't my style.

You have a real success story! Congratulations on perserving in such a difficult and demanding field of work!

We've been back to Tampa many times to see some dear friends (he's a real estate attorney so you might actually know him). Tampa has changed SO much since we lived there. It just exploded with growth. I especailly can't get over Ybor city! When we were there they had renovated the main cigar factory and it was beautiful. The rest of the place was decrepit buildings and little artist houses (shacks).

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I have seen so called Realtor listing incentives here...the best incentive is a good reputable no-nonsense Realtor.

My dog--

In l985 I would say the big hitters in the Carrollwood area were Carollwood Village Realty and Tambay. Suncove was a "family" business..or a lot of family business..whichever way you want to put it.

Closed now. They got divorced. Mike the son does well in the upscale market.

As for Metro Tampa we have had some pretty aggressive mayors- upscale housing in blight areas, downtown highrises, ybor City development. I don't know half the Realtors now the martketplace is so big!

We even have a new city called New Tampa!

BTW - Tell your DH that my Dad built the Strike Command.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: real estate lady,

That's really neat that your Dad built that!
MacDill is a beautiful base being right on the water.
We saw New Tampa last year when we were down there. Amazing!

The interesting thing about Tampa now is that everything looks new. Not much of old Tampa exists anymore it seems.
We lived just north of Carrollwood and really liked it there.

Tomatoqueen...sorry to have hijacked this thread! I didn't mean too..just one comment led to another.

I think the agent's pitch is very simple and probably quite similar to a company's pitch here in the DC area, who claims "we'll sell your house in 7 days." I'm sure they do--for far less than it is worth.

This agent will just give you a very low price and when you refuse to list it at that price, he'll tell you that then the 39 day guarantee does not apply.

Hey, even I could sell your house in one day if price is no concern, and I have no experience or ability to sell. Just let me list it for $100!