Contact the Listing Agent

I got a call this morning (just before noon) from a buyer's agent to see if Mark could do an inspection before Christmas. As it happens, this afternoon and tomorrow morning were both available. We want to take Christmas Eve off so our preference was this afternoon.

The next step was for me to contact the client (buyer), leave a voice mail and wait. After the discussion with the buyer, we decided to go for this afternoon.

Scheduling most inspections is easy. A simple call to Centralized Showing Service (CSS) and I'm told whether it is on supra (an electronic keybox) or a combination lock. I'm given any security codes that are needed to access the property and informed on whether there are any pets in the home. And we're good to go! Most of the time.

But every now and then (more often that I'd like) I'm told that I'll have to contact the listing agent. CSS gives me the listing agent's name and phone number and I make an "extra" phone call. It's all good when the agent answers his or her phone. Typically no problem at all. But sometimes you get their voice mail - then you're playing a waiting game. Today I was given the agent's office number rather than cell number. I'm somewhat familiar with the office in question. I know it is small and doesn't have a full-time receptionist. So when I got the office voice mail, I had no confidence that anyone, much less a specific agent would return my call in less than an hour - not on the Friday before a holiday.

I called CSS back to see if they could give me the agent's cell phone number.

"I'm sorry, we're not permitted to give out that number."

What!! The agent has a pending sale, a potential payday, but can't be bothered by phone calls? What is with some of these agents? They don't want CSS to handle it for them but they don't want anyone to have their phone number, either. I don't get it. But then I don't have to. My job is to get the inspection scheduled for the afternoon, or failing that, tomorrow morning.

The charming CSS representative offered to call the listing agent and have her call me. "Yes, please do. If we're to do it today, I'll need to know within 30 minutes." Not because I'm being a pain, but because it's the winter solstice - the shortest day of the year. If he's not started by 2 PM, he will run out of daylight.

The CSS representative called me back to let me know that she had been unable to reach the listing agent.

"I'm shocked!"

The CSS agent giggled and told me that she'd left a detailed message and instructions to phone me."

Wanting to cover all the bases, I called the buyer's agent. She did not have any rules about giving out the listing agent's phone number. In addition to giving me the phone number, she was able to contact the listing agent who told her that attempts were made to call me and my voice mail box was full. (Well, I wasn't on the phone when she was trying to call AND my voice mail box is NOT full AND my phone shows no missed calls.) But not a problem - I just want to set the appointment. I was prepared to give the listing agent a call. That call took less than two minutes. "Two o'clock is fine. The house is on supra and the nanny is home with twins."

It took nearly two hours from the first call until the inspector was on his way for reasons known only to the listing agent. And I thought I was going to spend the day wrapping presents.