Is it unusual for your agent to take a neighbors listing?

**nothappy12** · 12-17-2011, 05:40 PM

I am at a loss on what to with the agent I have signed with. I sign with this agent with Coldwell banker to sell my home and a week after being on the market he takes the listing right across the street. Its a culd de sac of about 9 homes all similar but different if that makes sense. When I signed my agent had told me that things were in my favor being a small town and no similar homes on the market near the same price range. Now not only am I competing against the house across from me I feel as if i'm competing with my own agent. Her home was priced $40,000 less than mine different floorplan around the same sq ft and mine is updated in many more aspects. My home has only been on the market for two weeks last week he forgot to call me to tell me another agent was bringing a client by. They show up things were cleaned up but not totally in showing condition. I confronted him about how uncomfortable it was and embarrassing. Every since he has been very hostile towards me and paying much more attention to her home. Only after getting her listing he brings other agents to preview both homes. This after me confronting him about saying he had a buyer for my home and still nothing. My question is this unusual for an agent to take a neighbors listing? And would I be able to go to his broker and request another agent being that the situation is very hostile and uncomfortable?

**Greg** · 12-18-2011, 04:35 AM

Your agent did nothing wrong by listing the house across the street. We have to make a living selling homes and there is no one house that can provide the income needed to live.

What your agent did that was wrong was to tell you he had a buyer for your house to get you to sign the listing agreement. This is the reason why you want another agent. He lied to get your listing and probably lied to your neighbor.

When an agent has a buyer that they are trying to find a house for they automatically become that persons buyer agent. Making you sign a listing agreement before they would bring the buyer to your house broke the agency agreement he had with that buyer.

Whenever an agent says they have a buyer for your house all you need to do is sign a one time showing agreement where you agree to pay the agent if their buyer buys your house. If they start talking about a listing agreement then find another agent.

**CC Lifestyle Realty** · 12-19-2011, 07:33 AM

Greg answered your first question. To answer your second question you can request with the broker to switch agents.

One point I would make is if your agent brings a prospective buyer to your house, or at minimum if he provides you with an offer, you ask him who he is currently representing. Regardless what was signed (there are various types of agreements) and presented to parties have him verbally inform you if he is in a dual agency relationship. I would then verify this situation with his broker. This is your house and being fully aware of his role is more important than anything. Also the agent has ethics and rules by which he MUST abide. If not you have the ability to report him.

**Akilcoyne** · 01-01-2012, 05:17 PM

I think you are obviously upset with your agent, but this really is a good situation. I don't know why there is a large price discrepancy between your home and the neighbors. Maybe they are more motivated to sell and if they are it would have been listed by someone else and still your competition. If someone else had the listing they would only been setting up showings for your neighbors.

With the same agent with both, everytime they get a showing for the one home they will tell the agent to show the other home. Now if a client found your neighbor's house online and sent the address to thier agent, normally they would just see that home, but since your agent has both homes they can direct more buyers to your home.

Sometimes mistakes happen and there is a mishap with a showing, people come when you don't know or don't come at all, sadly I personally haven't found a foolproof plan for avoiding this 100%.

Best of luck!

**YourTampaRealEState** · 01-02-2012, 04:55 AM

One good thing about the neighbors listing is that when someone looks at their house, they will automatically see yours for sale too, or the agent showing theirs will show yours at the same time. Yours, if not over priced will appear as an upgrade to the neighbors home. So you could possibly get exposure to a lower price ranged buyer who's coming to see the other home, but get interested in your instead.

**duckwall** · 01-07-2012, 08:52 PM

No it is not unusual, especially if he had a sign in your yard; it is like a little billboard for him. In some circumstances it could be beneficial to you as he is bringing people through your place who may have not seen it if another agent had it listed. Either way the person next door was going to list their home and list it for a price that worked for them. If this happens to be less than yours you can either drop your price or wait until theirs sells. All this being said this does not excuse his behavior towards you. I would just have a talk with him, I know it can be uncomfortable but people should know when their behavior bothers clients of theirs otherwise if you don’t say anything he may just keep on doing it to others. You always have the option to cancel the listing with your agent and find another and even if you do this I would still mention his behavior to him.

**LVrealestateHELP** · 01-09-2012, 12:22 AM

If anything it should help. Now your agent is bringing more buyers to your neighborhood and who knows maybe he shows your neighbors home and they dont like it and then your agent spins the buyers off to your home.