Nosey Neighbors can kill a sale.
When preparing to list a home, it's important to ask questions that can, of course, protect your sale, but most realtors won't ask questions that may Kill the sale. Why? We don't want to jeopardize getting to the closing table. While that's true, a nosey neighbor can kill the deal in the final hour if not addressed up front. Airplanes, barking dogs. That's obvious. What about neighbors who fight all the time? Or the teenagers muffler that will wake you at midnight 5 days a week?
Imagine the Buyers doing their final walk through with their agent. You're not there cause Listing agents don't go to these typically. You didn't ask your seller about their neighbors at all. And who comes strolling into the front yard to meet their new neighbors and wanna sound like they know everything and they “just wanna share”? That nosey neighbor.
Then they say, “ya know, we've had LOTS of flooding on this street. Our curbs are too low. We've asked the city to fix it, but since it's involving personal property, they won't deal with it. So you will flood every spring, just wanna give you a heads up.”
Um, WHAT?" says the new buyer! If this was before the sale, consider this halted. After the sale, hope you've got good E&O insurance!
Be sure to ask your Sellers who their “nosey neighbors” are and introducing yourself to these neighbors up front can protect everyone. Don't let that nosey neighbor on Neighborhood Watch know more than you!
