There are many surprising ways a seller can lose the sale of a property in Costa Rica.
In Costa Rica, we do not have lockboxes. So, we need to organize a day of showing ahead of time and adjust our agenda (and our buyer’s agenda) to the availability of the sellers.
In Costa Rica real estate, it is always the listing agent who does the showing and not the buyer’s agent. Most of the time, the seller is present when the realtor shows the property.
Most sellers understand that they should make themselves invisible during the showing of their property. Unfortunately, the listing agents never tell them this. A lot of sellers of property in Costa Rica are not even aware they might be the reason a buyer is not interested in the house.
Other reasons that can lose the sale of a property could be the listing agent’s mistakes or even the caretaker of the property. Let’s have a look at these 3 examples:
1. The caretaker who wanted to keep his job
This is an email I received:
Ivo, Good Morning.
I just read your blog. I wanted to mention the people who have caretakers who will tell you anything and everything possible to sabotage the sale. They do this so they don’t lose their job.
Do you remember the one property we looked at? The one where the wife of the caretaker kept telling me there were snakes everywhere on the property? And for my poor baby’s sake, I shouldn’t buy the house because she didn’t want the snakes to bite my babies.
It would be wise if the sellers and their caretakers went off when there was a property showing. Especially if said caretaker really isn’t in the market to find a new job. When they will lose their comfy arrangement of free rent and a paycheck.
2. The lying listing agent
I was waiting with my clients in front of the condo in Santa Ana we were going to show. We were a little early. I texted the listing agent: “Where are you now?” That’s when I saw her earlier text giving a showing time 30 minutes later than planned.
Buyers and I knew she lived right across the street from the property we were going to show. Her car was in the parking. She texted back “I am in Escazu”. So we decided to wait, we didn’t have time to go for a cup of coffee anyway.
Right on the dot, the realtor drives out of her parking lot, straight into the driveway of the condo we were waiting at. When she saw us standing there, she said she had to go home for a minute to pay the maid. We were all aware that she had been at home all the time.
We caught her at several lies during the showing. She said that she had a client coming in who was planning to put an offer on that same property. Then my buyers had enough and she lost a sale right then.
3. The seller who did the showing
This seller had done everything to make her house look spic ‘n span, put the dogs away, put some cinnamon in the oven to make the house smell good, and made the whole family dress up like for the church. Unfortunately, the listing agent had never told the lady that she hired her to do the job of selling their property, which includes the tour of the house.
The lady of the house takes the lead and we all follow the buyer husband and wife, the seller husband & wife, the listing agent, and me, the buyer’s agent. For a while, I try to keep the seller’s husband away but the man wanted to be with his wife who was expertly showing their house.
While the whole crowd walked into a bedroom, I hear the lady of the house say to my clients “wouldn’t this room make for a great baby room?” She, of course, didn’t know my clients had just lost a baby. My clients immediately lost interest in that property and we were out of there in two minutes.
Don’t lose the sale!
I hope lots of sellers read this blog and that it will help them to decide they should make themselves invisible. Of course, that also means caretakers, housekeepers, gardeners, and anyone related to the seller. Any of those can lose the sale in a heartbeat.
Plus, a recommendation to all listing agents, always speak the truth when selling a property.
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I DO want to remind our readers that we appreciate any referrals you can send us. Also, please remember the GoDutch Realty agents when you talk about your home in Costa Rica, we appreciate it.
