Unhelpful agent feedback - why bother?

[Anonymous]

Selling our home and 90% of the feedback has been great. 5% was somewhat critical but nothing major. Then there is just the totally unhelpful agent feedback the goes to justify everything people thing is wrong with agents. Today was a perfect example. Got a long, rambling email from a agent that started by saying their client was not interested in the house but then went on for 3 paragraphs with items about our home they didn't like, none of which are helpful or fixable (we want more baths, we don't like the color of your siding, etc). 3 paragraphs, not one helpful piece of feedback. Oh, but apparently we are priced right.

Seriously, why? As if selling a home isn't stressful enough. What is an agent thinking when they submit this? Isn't "the home doesn't work for my clients" enough?

Just venting.

[Anonymous]

We had bizarre feedback as well, namely "not enough square footage" and "client wanted 3 bathroom, not 2."
Which were clearly stated on the listing, sooooo.....?

[Anonymous]

Why are you getting feedback at all? Are you working with an agent? I ask because my parents are selling their house and I want to do what I can to protect them from negative comments. To me one of the reasons for using an agent is to create a buffer from direct contact. Now I'm wondering if I need to prepare them. Sorry OP. Back to your post. So rude!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are you getting feedback at all? Are you working with an agent? I ask because my parents are selling their house and I want to do what I can to protect them from negative comments. To me one of the reasons for using an agent is to create a buffer from direct contact. Now I'm wondering if I need to prepare them. Sorry OP. Back to your post. So rude!

Agree. Sounds like you are not using an agent as you are receiving direct feedback from agents. If your agent is stupid enough to forward emails to you, tell the agent to stop. The agent is being paid to sell your house and part of it is to keep you postive, not to make you feel bad because people don't like the color of your siding. Either way, you or the agent should be responding and saying "fortunately, there is a new product at Lowe's which enables you to paint vinyl or metal siding in a color you like" or "fortunately, HardiPlank siding can be painted.

[Anonymous]

I am using an agent. We get automatic feedback when it is linked through showings.com

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are you getting feedback at all? Are you working with an agent? I ask because my parents are selling their house and I want to do what I can to protect them from negative comments. To me one of the reasons for using an agent is to create a buffer from direct contact. Now I'm wondering if I need to prepare them. Sorry OP. Back to your post. So rude!

You can just hire a child to delete all the negative comments and give hem a print out of only he positive ones.

See latest episode of South Park

[Anonymous]

Are comments enabled on your listing? I remember that being an option when we listed our house and our realtor said that most people didn't allow it because they wouldn't want someone to highlight a flaw that someone else might have otherwise missed/overlooked. We never heard directly from agents, our agent just shared feedback. We NEVER got anything useful, which was frustrating. People didn't like the location within the community, but there was nothing we could do about it, so why bother telling us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had bizarre feedback as well, namely "not enough square footage" and "client wanted 3 bathroom, not 2."
Which were clearly stated on the listing, sooooo.....?

This is the kind of stuff we got as well. I don't know why anyone would think someone seeing the auto feedback from the showing doesn't have an agent. I have used 2 different agents and got it both times. Feedback from open houses and the broker's open was summarized via email but the showing information was automatic. And honestly, if an agent doesn't realize a seller might see that they are pretty dumb. Regardless, they should right it with some knowledge that they are putting their views (and therefore their clients views) on paper - and that may come back to bite them later. Some of the feedback also showed the writing skills of a child.

One agent said their client didn't like my house but wondered if I would turn over my renovation plans and cost estimates. Seriously?

[Anonymous]

***write it - sorry - phone. Stupid autocorrect when I am criticizing others writing skills!

[Anonymous]

I would respond with "Why did they look?"

Then disable comments. You can get useful feedback from your agent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am using an agent. We get automatic feedback when it is linked through showings.com

You have a lazy agent. Again the agent should be reading the feedback and responding. This is the problem with automating a process. Great misinterpretation occurs. Your question to your agent should be "how did you respond to this feedback?" You are paying an agent very well to be involved in the process, not to evade work. Incidentally, I am an agent and would never let a seller be slammed with this raw feedback. It is like agents who set up automatic searches for people who then get flooded with info on houses because they are in a price range but not what they want.

When people on this board criticize agents, it is for this very reason. If the public dislikes lazy agents, imagine trying to work with them

[Anonymous]

If I want 3 bathrooms, why on earth would my agent waste my !@#$ time showing me places with 2 bathrooms?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am using an agent. We get automatic feedback when it is linked through showings.com

You have a lazy agent. Again the agent should be reading the feedback and responding. This is the problem with automating a process. Great misinterpretation occurs. Your question to your agent should be "how did you respond to this feedback?" You are paying an agent very well to be involved in the process, not to evade work. Incidentally, I am an agent and would never let a seller be slammed with this raw feedback. It is like agents who set up automatic searches for people who then get flooded with info on houses because they are in a price range but not what they want.

When people on this board criticize agents, it is for this very reason. If the public dislikes lazy agents, imagine trying to work with them

As a buyer who is now under contract, I would be crazy mad if my agent did not insure I got every home in my price range that meet a basic set of criteria. Some houses move fast and every time I have bought and sold, I have ended up compromising on things that I didn't realize I was willing to compromise on - if I missed a house in my target area, in my price range because my agent didn't forward it you me, there would be hell to pay.

But let's be real, most educated buyers already have the redfin app plugged into their phones regardless of who the agent is - because this is no longer the 1980s and we don't have to place 100% trust in the agent's hand.

The bigger question is, why are some of these agents even offering unhelpful feedback - if they were halfway good at their jobs they would know the feedback is unhelpful. I shouldn't need my agent to filter the feedback from stupid agents - the stupid agents should be trained and/or have the knowledge to think before they type.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am using an agent. We get automatic feedback when it is linked through showings.com

You have a lazy agent. Again the agent should be reading the feedback and responding. This is the problem with automating a process. Great misinterpretation occurs. Your question to your agent should be "how did you respond to this feedback?" You are paying an agent very well to be involved in the process, not to evade work. Incidentally, I am an agent and would never let a seller be slammed with this raw feedback. It is like agents who set up automatic searches for people who then get flooded with info on houses because they are in a price range but not what they want.

When people on this board criticize agents, it is for this very reason. If the public dislikes lazy agents, imagine trying to work with them

if I missed a house in my target area, in my price range because my agent didn't forward it you me, there would be hell to pay.

No, there wouldn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am using an agent. We get automatic feedback when it is linked through showings.com

You have a lazy agent. Again the agent should be reading the feedback and responding. This is the problem with automating a process. Great misinterpretation occurs. Your question to your agent should be "how did you respond to this feedback?" You are paying an agent very well to be involved in the process, not to evade work. Incidentally, I am an agent and would never let a seller be slammed with this raw feedback. It is like agents who set up automatic searches for people who then get flooded with info on houses because they are in a price range but not what they want.

When people on this board criticize agents, it is for this very reason. If the public dislikes lazy agents, imagine trying to work with them

if I missed a house in my target area, in my price range because my agent didn't forward it you me, there would be hell to pay.

No, there wouldn't.

Actually, if it caused someone to drop their agent, it would. Bad word of mouth hurts agents as much as good word of mouth. I worked with a really difficult local agent selling a previous home - whenever someone asks me for a rec - I direct them away from her.