Directions key to finding homes

Directions key to finding homes!

Dear listing agent,

I recently brought buyer clients to look at your listing.  We’ve tried to set up the appointment several times. After issues with your seller’s availability were worked out, we finally had a firm appointment set up to see the home.

The experience

We headed for the listing at 123 Main Street (not the real address).  We were excited.  This home sounded perfect in terms of meeting my clients’ needs.  We pulled into Main Street, and looked for 123.  Hmmmmmm.  We couldn’t find it.  We went back to the beginning of Main Street.  The first home was numbered 145.  So we parked the car and walked back a bit.  And the home before 145 was 627 South Street.  An entirely different street and different number.  The home before that was 619 South Street.

Trying to get assistance

I called your cell phone which went directly to voice mail. My message asked you to call me right back because we couldn’t find the house.

I had checked with an online mapping tool before I left my office. We were standing right at the spot where the house was supposed to be.

I had used my GPS device also, which agreed with the online tool.  We were right where the house was supposed to be.

Continuing the search

Not ready to give up yet, though, we thought perhaps the home was the other way and the numbers were wrong.  We continued to drive down the street and the numbers kept going up.  145, 151, etc.  No 123.  So then we thought maybe the entrance to the home was from an adjacent street. We did the entire block tour.  Nothing.  Then we tried again, just in case the three adults in the car made a mistake.  Nothing.

We couldn’t find the house.  You didn’t call back.  We went on to our next appointment.

Days later, you got back to me.  “Oh,” you said, “It wasn’t really on Main Street; that’s just the legal address.  It’s really on South Street.”

I took another ride to see if I could find the home.  I could.  It was on South Street, with a big number that said 663 South Street.  And a small number on the side of the house – “123”.  Luckily, my clients still wanted to see the house, so we scheduled another visit.

BUT, we could have just as easily found the right home on our prior trip.

Bottom line?

The Agents Remarks section on MLS is for just this type of information.  Is there anything that we, as the buyers’ agent, need to know?  If there is, that’s where it goes.  Or just as effective, when I call to make the appointment, this is the type of information that should be shared with me.

I can’t sell your listing if I can’t find it.   So please make sure your directions to the home are clear.  If they’re not, don’t wonder why agents and their clients don’t show up for appointments.  We simply can’t find the house. In many instances, there’s another home on our tour that will meet our client’s needs.  If we can’t find yours, yours won’t be the one.