What would you do if you were in my shoes?

Here is the situation....





Our house has been on the market for almost six weeks now, with not one looker! We are building our dream home on 46.5 acres we purchased. While we can swing two payments for a little while, it will put a crunch on us. What would you do? Would you rent your house you are trying to sell? Get a different agent...mine is my sis-n-law ( I know, tell me about it!). She is okay I guess, but she knows everything, if I have an idea she knocks it down. She just won't listen. I am even helping pay for some of our advertising. My mom was in real estate for 20+ years so I am not dumb to the business. Our house is clean and neat, and from what others have said reasonalby priced. Please help with suggestions.

What would you do if you were in my shoes?
I'd buy new shoes. ;-)





Change agents. The only thing worse than having your house on the market for 6 weeks with an agent that isn't working with you is to have it on the market 6 weeks and one day with an agent that isn't working with you.





No hard feelings, going to work with someone local, thanks for everything, and try to smile sincerely. That way everyone can be civil at the family gatherings.





We are coming into the slow season and if it doesn't get a buyer within the next month or so, you are probably stuck with it until after the holidays.





Good luck to you!
Reply:Your agent is an idiot. Get a new one.
Reply:Selling your home is not the time to make friends...it's a BUSINESS decision...if you think she is knocking the home then she probably is.





Get another Realtor. I can understand no offers in 6 weeks in this market, but no lookers? Something's wrong.
Reply:Before I decided to rent, I'd go with another agent. Just see if it gets you anywhere. Renting is a scary thing, who knows WHO you may end up with in your home (ever seen the movie Pacific Heights with Michael Keaton ,SCARY). Try listing it with a different agent, could be because she's family, she may be a little more relaxed and not pursuing it like she should be.





Good luck, Lynn
Reply:Sorry time to dump the sis-in-law. If you can only hold your current house for a little while don't rent it out. You need one of the top producers in your area and sell the house fast -





Tenants will not show the house as nicely as you do - this will effect the selling price or the time it takes to sell. If on the other hand you can keep the orginal house as an investment property that you can rent out - then drop the listing and rent it out. - Don't forget to screen tenants carefully use a free service like www.bad-tenat.org
Reply:the samething happen to me, so i just rented it and it rented quick, before that i changed agents and that does not work so don't do that
Reply:Fire the sis n law, sell the property at a 35% discount, and don;t look back.
Reply:Why would you want to rent the house and end up with a bigger problem in a year. The market is going down not up. I suggest lowering the price 5% every two weeks until it sells. Then take your equity and put it in something that is appreciating.
Reply:First I would get a construction loan that doesn't have payments to make until the house is built and finished.





You should only have your house payment while building.





Then I would rent it out after moving into the new home if it will cover my expenses or close to it.





You sis in law is taking advantage of you......listing but expecting to do nothing and get the commission.





Sounds like her broker isnt willing to let your contract with them go if his resolution would be to assign you to another agent.





Good Luck





Open Book Advisor™
Reply:In this market you can't hope to sell if you are fairly priced. Six months ago if there were 10 houses priced like yours there would be 15 buyrs so no problem selling. Now, though, you probably have 20 houses priced like yours with only 10 buyers.





You not only have to look at your house, but look at all the other houses that are similar to yours in price and size and location. If you are one of 20, then you are just another house in the crowd. the ones that are going to be seen first are the ones that have a "Wow" factor. It is either the most dazzling house on the market, or it is priced better than any other. If that happens people will look and make offers.





If the best thing you can say is that it is clean and neat and people say it is priced all right, for me that is screaming "NOTHING SPECIAL HERE" if you need a timely sale. You either need to do something to really schnazz up the house, or drop the price, so that people will sit up and take notice.





First, don't just drop the price blind. Get your sis-n-law to run up all the houses like yours now on the market. Go visit them. See what they have that yours doesn't. Then figure a way to make your house a clearly better deal then all the others - a better price - better terms - or a knock-down-dead, Better-Homes%26amp;Gardens display.





Then you'll sell fairly quickly. Good luck
Reply:With the market in a downswing I would opt to rent for at least a year. Why undersell the property if you can rent it until the value goes back up? That is if you can easily rent it.
Reply:A property is simply a commodity. If it is at the right price, it sells. Some states let you pay the selling broker a little extra cash under the table, like say $1K following the sale. Some do not. If your property isn't selling, it's either too expensive or your broker isn't sharing the listing, trying to take both ends of the transaction. I'd dump her butt and hire someone who will work for you, not take advantage of you. When will people learn? There is no room for family in business.





Sooner or later, things don't work out, and you have unavoidable problems that LAST.
Reply:right now the market sucks. i would do a rent to own option. that would help elviate some of the stress.
Reply:first of all...this is all business. AND you need to tell that to her with your husband there.





this is YOUR HOUSE, YOUR CREDIT, your income, YOUR LIFE.....most realtors are OPEN to ideas...especially if it wont kill the deal.





Another thing is that you have to look at how long the contract is for. If it's going to expire then tell her that you dont plan on renewing with her.





You are the boss....dont play games especially when you're DOING HER a favor.
Reply:have you had open houses? My friend is trying to sell her house and it has been on the market for a while and some lookers and no buyers. Apparently you know some things about real estate and selling it but that is the only thing that I can think of. You have probably already thought of this but if not I hope it helps. Good luck selling you house!