Pesky Realtors

[kib]

This might be more of a rant than a question, but it anyone's got some snappy comebacks, I'd love to hear them.

I have a piece of property (raw land) I'm going to be selling FSBO. It's just land and I've never had a need for a realtor, even when selling homes I prefer not to use them. I made the apparent mistake of listing this on Zillow on a whim, I didn't really put any thought into the listing or pix because I wasn't serious, just testing the water, and now I'm getting 10 calls a day. Unfortunately they're all cold calls from realtors.

"Hi, I'm calling about your listing on Calle Habanero, is it still for sale?" Yes. "Oh, good. Well let me ask you a couple of questions ..." Assuming this is an interested buyer, I give them some details, only to hear, 'Well I would like to list this at $x, blah blah blah."

Now if I wanted to use a realtor, I could throw a stone and hit one - in other words, I'd already have a realtor. And the market here is finally really taking off. WHY on earth would I list with a total stranger? After stealing half an hour a day of my life, these people act like they're offering a service I've never heard of, like maybe I'm FSBO because I think that's the only way to sell real estate. I sort of feel sorry for these people but I also can't believe they're even bothering ... and they are bothering, in both meanings.

[catherine]

can you change your voice mail greeting to say "Hello, this is kib. If you are anyone other than a licensed realtor please leave a message. If you are a licensed realtor, F off. If you leave me a message I'll track you down on Yelp and leave a 1 star rating."

[Tybee]

Kind of an unrelated question, but why are you selling the land? I ask because I have been thinking of buying some land out here in case we leave the area and I need a long-term bolthole. I just like this area so much.

[kib]

Catherine, Lol, thank you. I guess I'm just greedy, I don't want to alienate an actual buyer.

Tybee, I bought this land impulsively, because I had the idea we could go 'back to the land' and still be in the center of a relatively large city. Reality intruded: a. there's no way I'm building a house from scratch with my husband, we can't even agree on a movie to watch. b. this particular piece of land is located in a place with lovely, one of a kind site built homes, and even though it's in the middle of the city it's rather inaccessible and not ideal for building, which all translates into a much more expensive process than I first envisioned. It would be a whole-life choice, made with someone who has a very different idea of what that whole-life should be like.

The idea of owning land, per se, appeals to me very much, but I could find something on the outskirts of town that would serve a bolt-hole purpose for about 25% of the value of this piece - and I am not in love with this area, so if I ever did buy a getaway plot, I can think of a hundred places I'd rather live. This needs to go to someone else.

[Teacher Terry]

Let the calls go to voicemail. If it’s a buyer you can call them back.

[Tybee]

Catherine, Lol, thank you. I guess I'm just greedy, I don't want to alienate an actual buyer.

Tybee, I bought this land impulsively, because I had the idea we could go 'back to the land' and still be in the center of a relatively large city. Reality intruded: a. there's no way I'm building a house from scratch with my husband, we can't even agree on a movie to watch. b. this particular piece of land is located in a place with lovely, one of a kind site built homes, and even though it's in the middle of the city it's rather inaccessible and not ideal for building, which all translates into a much more expensive process than I first envisioned. It would be a whole-life choice, made with someone who has a very different idea of what that whole-life should be like.

The idea of owning land, per se, appeals to me very much, but I could find something on the outskirts of town that would serve a bolt-hole purpose for about 25% of the value of this piece - and I am not in love with this area, so if I ever did buy a getaway plot, I can think of a hundred places I'd rather live. This needs to go to someone else.

That makes so much sense. I am stopped in buying some of these lots for sale by exactly the same thought--boltholes don't require 2500 sq foot new construction homes, for example, with HOA requirements.

But I still have this yearning-- you know Lily Langtry survived because she had bought a lot of land in the American West.

Why I identify with Lily Langtry, I don't know.

[kib]

Tybee, wow, that was worth the diversion! https://clickamericana.com/topics/celebrities-famous-people/lillie-langtry-the-scandalous-jersey-lily-1958

In a more prosaic life, I think what could work for me is a "bug-out" mostly self sufficient RV and a plot of land farther north. Be a Lily White snowbird, or go to ground if I had to.

[razz]

Sounds like a property that a smart realtor would buy and develop.

You wanted a smart comeback - what about, "It is for sale, bring me your offer of purchase with a deposit of $xxxx."

[pinkytoe]

Sneaky realtors are lurking on zillow, reddit, next-door, craigslist, meet up investment groups and other forums - just waiting to pounce on FSBO listings.