AJIJICLADY Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 I would like to know if there are rules that a realtor should follow in the Chapala area and if you have a problem, who should be contacted. thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RVGRINGO Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 I do not think that Mexico has any specific rules governing real estate practices. There is no licensing of realtors or sales people. However, the various realtors do have a couple of organizations to which they belong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doberwoman Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 PROFECO http://www.profeco.gob.mx/english.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 As many people have discovered the hard way, things do not work the same in Mexico as they do in the U.S.A. with it's licensing requirements and disclosure documents....some of the latter were up to 30 pages by the time we left nearly ten years ago. Since then we have been involved in the buying and selling of one property and the buying of another, our current home. Since there are no disclosure requirements........no one will tell you about defects, potential soil instability, flooding potential, earthquake faults, plumbing or wiring problems, roof leaks or anything else. The seller is required to "separate the utilities"; meaning cases where you are supplying electricity, water or other utilities to another property, but they don't always follow through on that and getting justice there is uncertain. We know. You have an "inspection period" if you designate one and after that........too bad. Suggestion: get the very best inspector you can, and be sure everything is covered. Even the roof. Because, basically, you are on your own. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJIJICLADY Posted June 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Thanks for the information. I am mainly concerned with the realtor office and how they train their agents. If the office is told a specific rule that the seller wants enforced, say for instance, they do not want open houses, large groups of people tramping through the house, etc. There is a web site that promotes our area by bringing groups of people down and spending time showing them around our area. This group does not have a real estate license and has to have a licensed real estate office with them. We have had this happen to us and we find these people are not really interested in buying real estate and come with cameras and plow through the house without any real oversite. We now will not let them in our home. We feel it is up to us as home owners to eliminate this problem. As homeowners with a home for sale, you as a homeowner, will make sure your home shows well and will want it shown to its best advantage. When this group comes in, the realtor just stands, does not sell the home and acts like it is just another home on the "TOUR' as if we have nothing better to do. We are aware of the problems that might occure when buying or selling a home and that it is up to us to be aware. We feel we can handle that. When we notified the real estate office that we did not want people through our home from this specific web site, it was ignored and the real estate office brought people through twice. Yes, I know, shame on them, then shame on us. We have lived here long enough to know and have spoken to many of our friends that have gone through selling and buying homes that this type of behaviour is unexceptable to all of us. What we are asking for is someone (the realty (mls) board to look into this so it can be stopped. We don't want to hear that a buyer may be in the group....have not seen any statistics that prove that. We will take care of this problem ourselves in this case, but people should be aware that this is going on. Thanks for your attention. We really appreciate you comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 That's really bad behavior on the part of the office and I wouldn't stand for it, either. "Open Houses" and House Tours don't sell real estate, they just give the agents more names in their collection of potential clients for SOME property........not necessarily yours. The GIL real estate Assn. might help get this under control if the agent is a member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bournemouth Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 GIL no longer exists. It is now the Chapala Association of Realtors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 GIL no longer exists. It is now the Chapala Association of Realtors. I stand corrected. Forgot about the change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 If your agent (and/or that agent's office) aren't respecting your request to not hold open houses or include your house on a tour, fire them. In your next listing contract, include that provision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joco Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 This group does not have a real estate license and has to have a licensed real estate office with them. There aren't any real estate licenses in Mexico that I know of. Anyone can open an office and start selling real estate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 PROFECO http://www.profeco.gob.mx/english.htm PROFECO does not deal in real estate matters - only consumer complaints not involving real estate and even then this is a joke. You are on your own here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tadpole Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 I could get banned for what I am thinking right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 No, you can only get banned for typing what you're thinking. LOL When it comes to real estate here it is CAVEAT EMPTOR. In capitals! And that includes both the agents and the houses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 The word "Oxymoron" comes to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el bartman Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 I would like to know if there are rules that a realtor should follow in the Chapala area and if you have a problem, who should be contacted. thanks! Yes, Chapala MLS. First and foremost, you picked the agent and broker with which you wanted to work. You've lived here a long time so what made you trust them? You have lots of friends who've bought and sold houses so, if you followed their recommendation, what made you trust them? While I agree the scenario you described is absolutely deplorable - you made your bed! There is a chain of command. If your agent did a bad job talk to the broker. If the broker is not sympathetic then don't recommend. Can you cancel the listing? Personally I would ask the broker to give me back the keys and cancel your contract under the best threat you can think of! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakeside7 Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 Thanks for the information. I am mainly concerned with the realtor office and how they train their agents. If the office is told a specific rule that the seller wants enforced, say for instance, they do not want open houses, large groups of people tramping through the house, etc. There is a web site that promotes our area by bringing groups of people down and spending time showing them around our area. This group does not have a real estate license and has to have a licensed real estate office with them. We have had this happen to us and we find these people are not really interested in buying real estate and come with cameras and plow through the house without any real oversite. We now will not let them in our home. We feel it is up to us as home owners to eliminate this problem. As homeowners with a home for sale, you as a homeowner, will make sure your home shows well and will want it shown to its best advantage. When this group comes in, the realtor just stands, does not sell the home and acts like it is just another home on the "TOUR' as if we have nothing better to do. We are aware of the problems that might occure when buying or selling a home and that it is up to us to be aware. We feel we can handle that. When we notified the real estate office that we did not want people through our home from this specific web site, it was ignored and the real estate office brought people through twice. Yes, I know, shame on them, then shame on us. We have lived here long enough to know and have spoken to many of our friends that have gone through selling and buying homes that this type of behaviour is unexceptable to all of us. What we are asking for is someone (the realty (mls) board to look into this so it can be stopped. We don't want to hear that a buyer may be in the group....have not seen any statistics that prove that. We will take care of this problem ourselves in this case, but people should be aware that this is going on. Thanks for your attention. We really appreciate you comments. My guess is there is a stronger probibility that there is a potential buyer in that group...I have spoken with three folks who have purchased after coming in with a tour party..but it is your house and your rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 I have heard the comment several times that tours and open houses never sell a house. The house we sold in Chapala Haciendas was sold to people that were in a tour. Yes, they did come back 3 other times over a 2 month period ... but they initially saw it while on a tour. We sold 2 houses in the states by open houses ... I will say that one was for sale by us but the other was listed with a realtor. That being said... both times I was there to talk and point out things that the realtors just stood by and did not do. The Realtors don't like you being at home but I found very few of them do their jobs very well either here or in the States. Many of them do not follow their clients around and watch them either. I do not like people coming through my house without supervision ... and sometimes the tours can have too many people to be able for 1 person to supervise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajijic Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 As a former broker in Ontario and New Mexico as some others have stated I have on several occasions sold properties through open houses. In selling real estate, especially in a slow market, there is no magic bullet but everything helps. Maybe someone from a tour or open house will buy but also they tell others and the word spreads. If I was anxious to sell and get on with my life I would do most anything to get exposure. On a side note: this would include a helium filled balloon on days of an open house that stated "OPEN HOUSE" if allowed and not too expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valbogyo Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 I bought two homes after just driving by and seeing an Open House sign. I was with a Focus tour, back in 2008, and they took us through a couple of homes. One of the ladies did go back to look at one we saw on the tour. It was a little above her price range, but it sure caught her attention. If I had a house for sale, I would allow this, but I would want plenty of notice and only for groups that could afford a house in the range mine was selling for. I think it is terrible if you told your agent "no tours" for them to have done that. I would fire them and find someone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJIJICLADY Posted June 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 I understand open houses, my experience was not with an open house, but with people coming through our home in the guise of showing our home to someone interested in actually "seeing" our home for their consideration. The agents office had been specifically told that we did not want groups of people coming through our home. Where do these groups come from and do they have to pay for this tour of homes? The agent that brought the gourp through our home was not our agent. Their office, however, was put on notice that we did not want this type of behaviour. It takes time and effort to make your home perfect for showing if you care at all about your home. We just feel that selling one home from this group is not a "high" return on investment of time and effort by any of us. If the agent wants to show a home, show his own, throw a cocktail party for them...let them take all the pictures and video they want. ya as if that will happen. Thanks for listenting, it is just too bad that we have to be put upon like this. It will not happen to us again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJIJICLADY Posted June 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 The trouble with a group tour is that they are not in the group to buy a home. We have had to follow them around because the agent just sat in a chair, did not "sell" our home. The comments from the group was positive, however, they were there for photos and video...you can see these on the web site on GIL. Why disrupt someone's home when they are not in the market? The realtor's showing the home should find out more about the people he is showing the house to. How can you sell a home when you have 9 - 12 people running around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJIJICLADY Posted June 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 CAVEAT EMPTOR - Beware beware. Is this not a truism all over the world? One just feels that people are more truthful and happy here! We all seem to want to give and enjoy this wonderful place we live in. We (at least our family does) that we are living in a very special place and meeting special people. It is too bad that some want to spoil it, but that's life! So sorry and such a shame! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 Are we talking about potential clients, or agents? Caravans for agents are a regular part of the business, so each agent can see a house first-hand, and come up with a price range and an idea for selling. Trust me, very few agents actually like caravans. 10 or 14 houses in a single few hours? On a hot, hot day? Naaaah.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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