Where can I find info on the top-selling realtors in Atlanta? (Vinings: transplants, sales)

[MovintoJax]

We have become increasingly dissatisfied with our realtor and are considering making a switch. I know this is a difficult market, but I am growing tired of the "difficult market" speech and numerous other excuses as to why my home is not selling.

On top of this, we are now getting some attitude from our realtor (who advises us to do one thing one week and changes her mind the following week...and gets upset when we ask why...)

I think we are realistic about our home and why it might not be perfect for some people, but we loved it. We always felt like our realtor did not like the home, did not hide her feelings very well and think this attitude probably came across to potential buyers.

I know there are a number of realtors on this board and I am not looking to enter into a debate about realty practices or the market, or to be pitched, but am wondering if there is a list somewhere that contains the top-selling agents in Atlanta, or reviews of agents. We just think we made the wrong choice and when our agreement with our current realtor expires, we are hoping to find someone who can really get the job done and treat us kindly while doing it.

[Buckhead_Broker]

First, there are a lot of Realtors who have impressive numbers and loads of listings, but they may not be the best for your situation. I've worked with two of the top agents in the city and can tell you they are not what they appear. Most often, they will come in and do an impressive presentation, get you to sign the listing and you'll never see them again. Your listing will be managed by a "team member" with little or no experience.

Another common ploy is for Realtors to come in and give you an unrealistically high price for your home to get the listing. Then after a few weeks they'll start hammering you to reduce the price. They figure you'll think it is easier to lower the price with that agent than to start the whole agent search over.

The best agents are very hard to find because the numbers that identify them arenot readily available to the public. I wouldn't look at how many listings an agent has, but what percentage of their listings actually close, and at what price relative to the initial list price. How many of their listings expire and are never renewed (this will tell you the seller wasn't happy with their performance). Also, how many of their listings were withdrawn during the listing period?

For example, in the last 6 years, I've had 5 listings withdrawn prior to the listing expiring. To date, only one of those 5 has ever sold. The other 4 are still on the market. That tells you it isn't the agent but a home with problems - or an unrealistic seller.

Best of success to you!

[IntownHomes247]

A lot of the "top-producing" agents in Atlanta are in Buckhead because the homes there sell for many times what an average price house sells for. This can kind of skew the data and unless your home is also in Buckhead it does you no good to find a great Buckhead agent.

What part of town are you in? You could probably call the Board of Realtors for your county (or the Atlanta Board if you're inside the city) and get their stats for last year's top-producing agents.

Or just look around your neighborhood. Is there an agent or a few agents who tend to have the lion's share of listings in your neighborhood? Are any of your neighbors in the process of selling? Ask them what they think of their agent.

[netdragon]

Realty companies and realtors that have a higher percentage of sold properties aren't necessarily better for you. I've noticed some realty companies like Keller Williams seem to have a pattern of underpricing houses. Of course, they will have higher volume. Same thing goes for individual agents.

[MovintoJax]

We are in Buckhead, but not in the $1 million+ range, so yeah, we don't necessarily need an agent that pulls in the most dollars. We are already working with someone who has sold houses in our neighborhood but that doesn't seem to be helping us at all.

Very frustrating because we are in a good school district and were priced (we thought and were told) on the low end when we started, yet we haven't even gotten any lowball offers after 6 months on the market, despite being told by other agents that the house shows well.

Buckhead Broker, is there any other way to find out what % of an agent's sales have closed and for how close to asking price than to ask individual realtors? It's hard for us to do because we have actually already moved out (boy, if that doesn't say we are willing to negotiate with potential buyers, I don't know what does! Although we have a home manager so the house is not vacant)...

[IntownHomes247]

Originally Posted by MovintoJax

We are in Buckhead, but not in the $1 million+ range, so yeah, we don't necessarily need an agent that pulls in the most dollars. We are already working with someone who has sold houses in our neighborhood but that doesn't seem to be helping us at all.

Very frustrating because we are in a good school district and were priced (we thought and were told) on the low end when we started, yet we haven't even gotten any lowball offers after 6 months on the market, despite being told by other agents that the house shows well.

Buckhead Broker, is there any other way to find out what % of an agent's sales have closed and for how close to asking price than to ask individual realtors? It's hard for us to do because we have actually already moved out (boy, if that doesn't say we are willing to negotiate with potential buyers, I don't know what does! Although we have a home manager so the house is not vacant)...

It sounds like you're doing everything right. Is your house "normal" or kind of quirky? By that I mean is it much the same as every other house in the area or is there something unusual in the floorplan, style, lot, etc.

Homes that are in good school districts (Sarah Smith?), well priced, and in top condition are still selling well (really desirable houses are still selling in under 30 days when they're priced right). But homes with any kind of objection at all (from busy street to unusual floorplan or not enough bathrooms, small backyard, or even just ugly paint or wallpaper, etc.) are just sitting because there's so much inventory in every neighborhood that no one has to deal with a house that has even the slightest objection.

As far as finding percentage of list to close, that's basically impossible to do. The listing services have some of that data, but they don't provide it to consumers (or even to agents, really, it's data that's provided to brokers). And even if you could somehow manage to convince a broker to look up data on agents in your area, what's to keep him or her from including or excluding data to make agents in his or her own office come out on top? Statistics are easy to manipulate.

I'd say your best alternative is to get as many referrals as you can from people you trust (preferably people who live near you, since there's no point in having a referral for a good agent from East Cobb or someplace), interview a number of agents, get specifics details about their marketing plan, and go with your gut about who gives you the best feedback about the house and whose personality fits best with yours.

It's a shame that you don't mesh well with your current agent. That's never pleasant and rarely helpful to the process.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by MovintoJax

We are in Buckhead, but not in the $1 million+ range, so yeah, we don't necessarily need an agent that pulls in the most dollars. We are already working with someone who has sold houses in our neighborhood but that doesn't seem to be helping us at all.

Very frustrating because we are in a good school district and were priced (we thought and were told) on the low end when we started, yet we haven't even gotten any lowball offers after 6 months on the market, despite being told by other agents that the house shows well.

Things will probably be better when the range of conventional loans is increased soon. Volume has decreased on high-end homes nationwide and the best thing to do for people that don't absolutely have to sell is just de-list and take the mortgage interest deductions on their taxes for a while. It's not just like this in Buckhead. Volume has decreased in Vinings as well. However, high-end homes never sold super-quickly anyway and the large number of transplants from the Northeast and California with a lot of money earlier this decade were making a volume level that was unsustainable.

Originally Posted by MovintoJax

Although we have a home manager so the house is not vacant)...

So you're renting? Is continuing to rent it not an option? You can deduct interest and taxes against your rental income this year or carry it forward against any profits when you eventually sell. I would talk to an accountant and see if you may have other options besides selling.

The one good thing about this housing slump for homeowners is that since less people qualify for houses, more people have to rent.

[itellyouthetruth]

you may want to try a discount broker or an agent that will offer commission to the buyer if your home sales, I know one that gives half of any commission earned rather you are buying or selling a home. (1.5% on new home)

[mmenomen]

This post is old (March 2008), perhaps by now they sold their house by now.

My suggestion with realtors is to go with referrals from your pickiest closest friends if possible. Though the poster here has probably moved on for sure to JAX, I know there are other factors at play that have already been mentioned here, but that has helped me personally. I have had some very disappointing agents in times past.

[Shagbark Hickory]

A better thing to do instead of looking at the numbers is to ask the potential agent what they are going to do to market the house. As you found out, you need someone who is positive, motivated and a good sales person because you are hiring them to sell your house.
Equally, if not more important is to find out will they be having open houses, advertising the house in places other than just the mls, will they be using directional signs and networking, do they specialize in your type of property or your area, will they become an expert on your property and give it high priority amongst their other listings?