Expert: Dick Dennis - 10/17/2006

Question
i recently put my home up for sale wit foxtons real estate. Since july 11 they have had only two open houses and has brought nobody into my house. I asked them to let me out of my contract and they said no we dont do that. Is there anything i can do so i can sell my house but not be sued.


Answer
You'll know better next time, Chris, not to sign up for a listing for more than 90 days. Even in a slow market you should see your agent working. At least he/she should be reporting to you a minimum of once a week (I always do it three times a week). Even if the report is negative, your agent should contact you each week.

Try this little trick to see if it helps you: Write a letter to the office manager that you are totally dissatisfied with the service from your agent and that you want a more active and productive agent to serve you or you will simply take the sign down and not cooperate with ANY agent who tries to show the house until the listing expires. And if any of your neighbors ask why the sign is down, you will tell them what a poor job Foxtons has done with you. Please keep this in mind: There are only two productive real estate agents out of ten in an office. Only two out of every ten know what they are doing.

You are doing this because your agent has not lived up to his part of the listing.

I do wish you well.

Dick Dennis            dixiedee13@aol.com