Recently I had a conversation with one of my clients about my article from the May 2022 newsletter on how to find a good estate sale company.  I mentioned one estate sale company left my listing with the trash can full and non-recyclables mixed in the overflowing recycle bin.  My sellers had moved to Prescott so it would have been a long trip just to handle the trash and recycle. I said I sorted out the recycle bin, took as much off the property as possible, and had a friend that lived nearby put the bins back after they were empty.  She stated vehemently that this was not my job as a realtor.  I was surprised at this comment because we met when I cleaned out her neighbor’s house.  A family member and I spent hours sorting out the house because the owner was in ill health.  When I used this as an example of how I go the extra mile to help clients she said, “Well my neighbor needed the help and that is why you helped her.”  (Insert slapping sound as I hit my forehead with my hand.)

The more I thought about it the more I agreed that I was going far above the realtor’s job description. It clearly states in the listing agreement Section 7, Lines 128-129 “Broker is not responsible for the custody or condition of the Premises or its management (except under separate contract) upkeep, or repair.”  Technically speaking I should create a separate agreement that says I will be compensated X dollars in addition to the commission if I do anything above and beyond marketing the property for sale per the terms of the listing agreement.

I work with clients from all over the United States and the world. In May I listed a house for a client that lived in Australia.  I should have made him turn on the utilities once the tenant moved out.  Instead, I spent two hours contacting the utility companies and then had to do the bookkeeping to pay the bills and get reimbursed.  (Yes I could do it online but the last time I did this they combined the listing’s utilities with my personal utilities.  That created a bookkeeping nightmare to figure out the exact charges. Ugh.) 

My clients, who live in California, decided to sell their second home in Scottsdale.  The car they had in the garage was going to be shipped.  It had to be prepared, i.e. the gas tank had to be drained and the tires inflated.  I should not have met the tow truck driver who towed the car to the mechanic’s shop.  Victor and I should not have gone to the mechanic’s shop, picked up the car, ran it through the car wash, and dropped it back at the house. The seller was flying in at rush hour so it would have been painful to go all the way to Chandler and then back to Scottsdale.  I should have charged for this additional service as well as hauling donations to Goodwill and making sure the trash can got emptied and put back in the garage so the HOA did not fine them.

A realtor’s job is to research the value of the property, listen to the client’s goals so the property is marketed to meet their needs (i.e. price aggressively to sell fast or if they have time to try to get the maximum for the property), give them suggestions of things to do to make the property more desirable, prepare marketing materials, promote the property to attract as many buyers as possible and give them buyer feedback.  Nowhere in the listing agreement does it say the realtor is responsible for providing information to the appraiser to justify the price.  I send comps to the appraiser on all my listings.  I get this information ready as soon as I list the house. Feedback from one appraiser was “Wow that was fast!  Yes. This is exactly what I was looking for.  Many realtors don’t have comps because they know the sales price is too high so don’t submit any! I wish more would be prepared like you!”

I could provide more examples but I have to go to my vacant listing, get the mail, dump the skimmer basket and pick up the branches and fruit that came down in last night’s storm. Then I am taking the last of the donation items out of the garage to Goodwill.