My Pet Peeves With Realtors

[Jo Ann Meyer Stratton]

Never depend on information obtained from a real estate broker---or any other second hand source!! Get zoning information directly from the zoning department. Get permit information directly from the building department. Get homeowner's association information from an officer in the association. Etc, Etc, Etc, Etc!!

Due diligence on the part of the appraiser means diligence in researching the appropriate resources--not relying on word of month from a second or third or fourth hand source!

 

[Bobby Bucks]

It depends on the agent and quite often the individual who enters the information into MLS. The Buddy Kane types who have an assistant or 4 to enter it are the worst....which is why it's good to have 2 sources.

 

[Carnivore]

I am going to give a strong second to Jo Ann's comment. Never, never rely on 2nd hand info for Factual information. Its bad enough to put up with puffing from realtors on subjective information let alone being as lazy as many realtors are.

Many times MLS info is inaccurate because the system will not allow a blank to remain blank as they fill out the online listing. So what is there solution, simple, put anything to "Git-R-Done" as larry the cable guy would say. Then plan on coming back later to fix it. Which never happens.

 

[Mountain Man]

The only thing I use MLS for is to do an initial search, glance at the photos, and read the comments. The rest of my data WILL come from other sources. You've got to understand, the only thing they teach in sales school is how to not break the laws. They don't teach any "how to's" in those licensure classes. The "how to's" are to be provided by the training broker. Now somewhat like appraising, a sloppy or short sighted mentor...... well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

 

[Bill Rose]

Take comfort in the knowledge that most underwriters don't know the difference, either!!

 

[Bill Rose]

Terrel,

Those are hysterical! We here in the metro don't see that kind of thing. You should collect them and publish a book. I'd buy it!!

 

[Steve Owen]

Jo Ann and Andrew, Missouri is a non-disclosure state. In my area there often is no other source. I have not worked in Benton or Washington County Arkansas, but I suspect it is much the same for Terril.

Here's what I do:

Rural property improperly granted zoning by the MLS (or any rural property, for that matter) gets this comment:

??? County does not have county-wide zoning. However, the subject property is located within a neighborhood of similar residential uses.

Or possibly, this comment:

???City does not have zoning, but does have building and lot size restrictions. The subject property is located within a neighborhood of similar residential uses and land use change is considered unlikely.

Or possibly, some other approariate comment.

Usually, when I find incorrect data in MLS, I know it is incorrect, as Terril obviously does. I just put in what is right and move on, no one has ever called me on it yet. If they do, I will politely explain why what I put there is correct.

Alternatively, sales are often input by a listing agent. Wrong info? Call the selling agent. The commenter who stated that the worst offenders are the types with assistants inputting data is correct to a point. The very worst offenders are rookies. It also doesn't take long to learn who you can trust and who you can't.

The most common offense I have found is incorrect area locators. Therefore, if Skippy comes into the area and does a search for a particular area, where the subject is, he may miss the sale that was put in the adjacent area by error.

We are lucky in Joplin to have a fabulous Board of Realtors executive director who tries to understand all sides of a problem. We also have an MLS director who is better than any I've run into in other systems. When I find something like one of the things Terril listed (which is almost daily) I send an e-mail to the MLS director and she gets it corrected. She is always happy to hear from me (or else she is a really good politician and liar :rainfro: )

My suggestion is to become active in your board. Remember that most realtors don't give a hoot about anything beyond selling the property or getting the listing. Even the most professional ones make a mistake now and then. If you are active and the board office staff know you you will have a better chance to get something done.

 

[Jo Ann Meyer Stratton]

Even in non-disclosure states, MLS or a realtor should not be your source of information for zoning, building permits, taxes, assessments, etc. After all they should be contacting a government office for the information--why can't the appraiser? In fact, it is more the appraiser's responsibility to get the factual data from a government source than it is the realtors! Realtors sell property for the highest price they can find--appraisers practice due diligence and have to have supportable data.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

when i read wpa road

That's the one Blake. Gentry '68.

I certainly do not rely upon MLS data on zoning, but obviously our Realtors don't rely upon Planning Boards to determine zoning. They are filling in these fields by PFA, pulled from .... No we don't have auditor #'s to deal with. It should not take a very bright agent to understand that rural properties are not zoned, yet...it is being considered.

Zoning maps for Siloam Springs are on line. I have paper maps for Gentry and other towns. There is no zoning outside a city limit. The county does have some say-so over "rurban" developments (more than 4 lots, or lots smaller than 5 acres) but deed restrictions are the norm there.

 

[Paul Isolda]

There is very little data on a MLS listing that I rely on but it is very frustrating when I'm using the MLS mostly to get a group of sales to research and the data is wrong. This makes sales fall within my parameters that should not and excludes data that should come up in my search. I have learned a lot of the tricks to find the data I need and exclude the irrelevant sales but it makes it more difficult than it needs to be. I especially get mad when the square footage on the listing is 50% or even 75% more than what the tax card says. Why are these agents not accountable for this fradulant data? It also does not help that some of the people out there collecting data for revaluations have never leasured a house before. Then some one questions where we get data they don't agree with. When the best source available stinks, what do you expect?