I don't know of any homeowners in Land Park who own a gun. I suspect that guns are sort of a rarity in this neighborhood. I don't own one, and I live in Land Park. None of my neighbors has a gun, I don't think. I'm not really gung ho on guns. Although I did have a bit of change of heart after reading Deer Hunting With Jesus. Or, at least I understand the need of some people to own guns.
But you go to a rural place like Galt, and lots of homeowners have guns. Heck, many homeowners in Galt are police officers.
An agent tried to enter a short sale listing of mine in Galt last night at 9 PM. This home is in escrow. The agent didn't call, either. This is wrong on so many levels. My seller almost shot the agent, too. She was home alone with young children when her door knob started to jiggle. That would freak me out, for sure.
What part of active short contingent doesn't an agent understand? How difficult is it to understand showing instructions that read: Call First, Lockbox? I sent the agent a printout from the Supra lockbox and notified the broker, too. That agent could have been killed!
Here is a short sale that is not yet contingent. And it's showing instructions are Call First, Lockbox. This means you can call the seller, leave a message and go. It doesn't mean call the agent, but you're always free to call me if you have questions or just want to hear the sound of my lovely voice. As an agent who specializes in selling homes in Land Park and throughout the Sacramento area, I am almost always available, and I answer my phone.
If you've always wanted to buy a home in Land Park but could not afford Land Park prices, this home is truly affordable. It needs a little bit of work. It could probably use a new roof or at least to repair the roof over the hallway where it leaks. If this were my home, I would gut the bath and remodel it. I remodeled my bath after tearing it down to the studs for about $15,000.
It has two bedrooms, 1 bath and hardwood floors mostly throughout. There is a breakfast nook in the kitchen. The family room has a fireplace. The back yard is enormous. It's a Certified Wildlife Habitat, with actual certification from the city of Sacramento. This is the type of neighborhood where the neighbors all know each other. And it's situated very close to the railroad tracks, which some people love and some people could pass on.
2137 Bidwell Way, Sacramento, CA 95818, is offered exclusively by Lyon Real Estate as a short sale at $150,000. For more information, call your Land Park Agent, Elizabeth Weintraub, at 916 233 6759. For a private showing, call Linda Swanson at 916 607 0111.
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Certified HAFA Specialist
My Sacramento Real Estate Listings
Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for The New York Times-owned About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout the four-county Sacramento area. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. Broker-Associate at Lyon Real Estate. DRE License # 00697006.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, available at Amazon.com.
Lyon Real Estate is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender. Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan.
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The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of Lyon Real Estate.
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Agents need to adhere to showing instructions or face uncertain circumstances! That situation could have ended badly Elizabeth and I hope a lesson was learned!
I know, Wanda. What was that agent doing showing homes at 9 PM on Friday night anyway? The agent accessed that lockbox at 8:58. At 9 PM, it no longer works. Our Supra lockboxes are programmed to work up to 9 PM. Soon as daylight savings ends, that time is changed to 8 PM. Nobody should be out showing homes at that time of night anyway.
Entry into homes by agents ALWAYS needs to be a proceed with caution. 9 pm?? That is pretty late to be out. I agree that the lateness of the night is ridiculous. How about knocking or using the doorbell or phone???
Hi Elizabeth -That's pretty dangerous and stupid behavior. And if the agent had clients with him, so much worse. Just because we have a real estate license doesn't give us the right to enter homes at will. And, as bad as guns are, there are some really big (and a few little) dogs I wouldn't want to provoke.
Unfortunately there are a small percentage of agents that don't follow the rules. In some areas we have to use combo boxes. I've learned to change the box (different code) on vacant homes while it is pending due to some agents giving the buyer the code and letting them go unescorted to measure or do whatever whenever they please. Don't agents realize the neighbors are watching? I got tired of getting calls from angry sellers asking me who is in the house and what is going on - especially when the agent didn't even call for permission! My solution was to change the box to a different code so the appraiser can still get in and then I call them a few days before closing with the new code for the final walk thru. It's worth a little extra effort to avoid possible liability and angry phone calls. Just wish I could see them trying to open the new box!
Hi Gary: Yeah, ringing the doorbell is a good idea. But so is picking up the phone and calling, like MLS dictates on this particular listing. I suspect the agent didn't pull the MLS report. I suspect the agent was out showing homes and his buyer said, "Oh, there's one you didn't show us." Agent's brains tend to empty out at that point. They want to make their buyers happy and they don't stop to think there's a reason that home is not on their list, and it's not because it's bank owned.
Hi Dick: Well, my husband has informed this morning -- after reading my blog -- that he now he must go buy a gun. He doesn't want anybody to single out our house to rob because we have no gun. So listen up you would-be robbers and burglars -- MY HUSBAND IS BUYING A GUN!!! :) He also says that we most likely have a half dozen guns on our block. That just because our neighbors don't talk about guns to us doesn't mean they don't have them. And he is probably right.
Elizabeth, what's an agent doing there at 9:30 at night anyway? Tell them to get a life! And obviously there was someone home, so don't you at least announce yourself as real estate?
But to be fair, we own like 1 pistol, 2 shot guns, and 3 rifles. I think that's about it. You'd be surprised in this day and age exactly who owns a gun simply for protection. Of course, my boys all go hunting...
Hi Cynthia: Our MLS -- MetroList -- has an agreement with SUPRA lockboxes. Part of that agreement -- which most likely includes some sort of subsidy or payment to MetroList -- is that MetroList demands that every agent who puts a home into MLS with lockbox showing instructions install a SUPRA lockbox. We are not allowed to use contractor boxes with lockbox showing instructions. We can be fined. Maybe lose our MLS privileges. If that doesn't reek of a subsidy or under-the-table payment, I don't know what does.
SUPRA probably pays MetroList a lot for this exclusivity. Capitalism at work. Always making a buck off us agents, and our sellers are the ones who suffer because of it.
That's pretty bad...no appointment and trying to enter so late. As you said wrong on so many levels.
As far as guns, well, depends on the part of the country you are in. In Kennesaw GA, where I worked for a couple of years while attending Graduate School, there is a city ordinance that says every HOME OWNER must own a gun.
Here's the deal. It's a dumb rule and it's not enforced at all but if you're a crook and you're looking for a house to rob, are you going to take a chance that you're picking the house that ISN'T following the city ordinance? BTW, they have a very LOW crime rate...
Any agent who enters any home without permission is flirting with disaster. Enter an occupied home after dark and you're asking for disaster.
Elizabeth, I believe the real issue is that agents are CLUELESS ... meaning WITHOUT a CLUE! It would be a shame if an agent was shot ... but then again, if all agents were required to read and follow directions the likelihood of being shot for trespassing would be slim to none. I do believe the agent accessing the lockbox and ignoring the MLS instructions is trespassing!
How smart does one have to be to read: "Call first then go direct"? Why do agents call the listing agent and not the sellers? Is it really that hard to connect the dots ... call the sellers ... they are the one's living in the home!
Regarding Supra and lockbox requirements. I believe this is for tracking and security purposes. I am in complete support of disallowing combo boxes. I have had keys stolen from a combo box with no way of knowing who removed it. I am not an advocate of under-the-table payments :-)
I've been requested to show homes under contract, but I will ALWAYS call the agent first to make sure it's okay. And 9pm at night is just too late to show ANY home.
I can see the headlines now. . ."Seller Shoots Real Estate Agent After Dark While Entering Home With Key From Lockbox - But Hadn't Called First or Rang the Doorbell."