[interested]

After your lifestyle visit, how much contact have you had from your realtor and the villages?

[Mallory]

I think it depends on what instructions you leave with your representative. Ours knew what we were looking for and contacted us when a property, either new & preowned, that fit into our guidelines became available. If we spotted something on-line that we thought might fit, we called him and he checked it out and let us know the pros and cons.

As I've said before, Ron Delk of The Villages hit the nail on the head for us. We bought from the digital pictures he sent us.

On the other hand, if you're not that interested or aren't sure if the time is right, our experience is that they won't bother you.

[Safe Home Watch Mary Edwards]

Originally Posted by Mallory

I think it depends on what instructions you leave with your representative. Ours knew what we were looking for and contacted us when a property, either new & preowned, that fit into our guidelines became available. If we spotted something on-line that we thought might fit, we called him and he checked it out and let us know the pros and cons.

As I've said before, Ron Delk of The Villages hit the nail on the head for us. We bought from the digital pictures he sent us.

On the other hand, if you're not that interested or aren't sure if the time is right, our experience is that they won't bother you.

Hi, We used the Lifestyle program 4 times, Penny TV Realtor was just great. She took us around and showed everything she had for months.Ended up sending us a photo of a lot overlooking the Havana C.C. The lots just came opened up and wouldn't last long.So we loved it and bought it. No bother from anyone, very nice people to work with and helpful along the way. Hope you find the same results. Mary

[Dirigo]

Originally Posted by interested

After your lifestyle visit, how much contact have you had from your realtor and the villages?

We've been back for over a month from our first LSP and when the phone's not ringing, that's TV sales people calling.

Zero calls.

Dirigo

[Niels]

Originally Posted by interested

After your lifestyle visit, how much contact have you had from your realtor and the villages?

My wife and I did a lifestyle visit last July. At that time, I told our sales representative that we were undecided what we wanted to do. The only contact I have heard from her since then was a short note that she sent us in December stating that she had not forgotten about us and that if she could do anything for us that we should contact her.

I agree with Mallory's comments that it depends on what instructions you give them.

[JoeB1]

Two lifestyle visits and two sets of instructions. The first was 'maybe we will come back' and we never heard from them for over 6 months. When we put money down on a lot this last time we told Chris to keep us updated on the pricing and other issues. We've heard from him every month since. That's one call or e-mail a month and no more. Very professional and it's what you want from them, not the other way around. They seem busy enough that they don't need to do cold calls to protential clients.

[Boomer]

We have not yet done a Lifestyle. We have been to TV once. We rented for a month because we have the place under serious consideration and wanted to take some time.

Our rep was professional and gracious during the visit. And so were we. We visited a lot of Open Houses on our own to get a general idea of what was available. When scheduled with the rep, we did not waste her time or ours having her show us anything out of the price range we established. I really try to be conscious of not wasting people's work time.

I asked quite a few specific questions about taxes, contingencies, inspections, title insurance. I was just trying to get my head around the differences between buying in Ohio and buying in Florida. I have bought and sold FSBO a few times and held a license a thousand years ago, but I did not quit my day job. I just wanted to understand real estate better so I got a license. Therefore, I may have had more specific questions than she was used to being asked.

Anyway, I asked the questions, nicely, of course. She answered them nicely. But I have a feeling that maybe she thought I was a PITA. The market was just beginning the slow down. And I think during the peak of the market the questions may not have had time to be asked. Don't know.

We told her that we would be back but would not be buying on that trip. I did not say anything about contact. We left on a nice note. (She was not the same rep as the one in an Open House who told me I would be "sorry" if I did not buy.) The rep we were scheduled with seemed really professional. Maybe she just got way busy or something. It really surprised me that there was no follow-through.

We have never heard from her. That would be OK except for one thing which I found a little odd. We introduced her to people who did buy. She closed a deal on a home for them. Wouldn't you have thought I would have received a little email note thanking me for the referral? That's how I would have handled it had I been on the rep end of it.

I had asked very specific questions about the business end of how real estate sales were handled in Florida. I was asking those questions as a potentially interested buyer. Was asking a lot of business-end questions a blunder of some sort?

I am probably coming off like I am in a snit or like I think I am Miss Manners. Quite simply put though, it mystified me. She did not get business from me but she got business through me. The manners issue is not really the issue here as much as the business issue. Someone who helps you to do business should get a thank you. Thanking someone for the business or for sending the business gets more business. Right?

So anyway, we will return sometime during this year. So we will see what happens. And btw, the MLS rep was great.

ohdearohdearohdearohdear Now I sound like a PITA Miss Manners clone in a snit. Really, really I'm not like that at all. Really. I'm just a little mystified.

Cordially,
Ms. Boomer Emily Amy Vanderbilt Post

[graciegirl]

I have a sneaking suspicion Boomer that your rep didn't connect the people who bought from her with you.

Good manners is the hallmark of the sales staff, from our own observation and according to everyone I have talked to about it. Our rep was very gracious and helpful and even went in to measure my windows after I left town at my request for info. (I thought it would be on some computer information somewhere, but it wasn't)

I also believe that the directions from "ON HIGH" in the sales department, right from the initiation of sales staff is to keep waaaaay back from pushing. May be why they don't hire realtors to sell for them.

I love the difference between that and being hounded.

However, we waited for three hours for someone, anyone, to get back to us when we found the house on our own.I was sure that someone else was gonna buy it. We missed buying the house next door that we wanted first by a half hour.

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I have a sneaking suspicion Boomer that your rep didn't connect the people who bought from her with you.

Good manners is the hallmark of the sales staff, from our own observation and according to everyone I have talked to about it. Our rep was very gracious and helpful and even went in to measure my windows after I left town at my request for info. (I thought it would be on some computer information somewhere, but it wasn't)

I also believe that the directions from "ON HIGH" in the sales department, right from the initiation of sales staff is to keep waaaaay back from pushing. May be why they don't hire realtors to sell for them.

I love the difference between that and being hounded.

However, we waited for three hours for someone, anyone, to get back to us when we found the house on our own.I was sure that someone else was gonna buy it. We missed buying the house next door that we wanted first by a half hour.

When they say "no pressure" they really mean it and I love it that way. Our Villages sales guy, Ira Miller, was awesome and continues to be so 5+ years later. We came in 2002 and decided to build in 2003. In 2002 my husband suffered a stroke and I cancelled all plans for moving. He got better and back into golf but I still wasn't sure. I called Ira to tell him that we would not be coming. He assured me that this would be wonderful for him and he was so right. Ira got us all kinds of information but still no pressure. He continued to keep in touch and we returned late 2003, picked out a lot, built, and moved in early 2004. We have not regretted it one iota. At least once a year, Ira has a wonderful party for all his clients and still keeps in touch. He is always available and never fails to return a call.

[bsliny]

I had the samething happen to me I recomended my wifes cousin to my sales rep and they bought a house for close to $300,000 I never heard a word of thanks from my sales rep And she new it was my wifes cousin that we recomended

[collie1228]

Like Dilly, our guy was Ira Miller and we couldn't have been more pleased. I was up-front with him that we would only be familiarizing ourselves with TV; that we wanted to look a few representative properties, and that a purchase would be 2-3 years down the road. It was no problem, and he took us around one afternoon to six or seven new places of interest to us. He was kind enough to stop at the Savannah Center and gave us a twenty minute tour. He also pointed us toward open houses on pre-owned places he thought we might want to see on our own time. No sales pressure whatsoever. He even gave us a TV map; the one that the stores sell for $5.00. Maybe they all do that, I don't know, but I was appreciative. My only contact with Ira since our visit was a return email when I asked him a specific question earlier this year. He responded in the same day, with the same good cheer and friendliness. I would recommend him to anyone looking for property in TV.

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I have a sneaking suspicion Boomer that your rep didn't connect the people who bought from her with you.

Good manners is the hallmark of the sales staff, from our own observation and according to everyone I have talked to about it. Our rep was very gracious and helpful and even went in to measure my windows after I left town at my request for info. (I thought it would be on some computer information somewhere, but it wasn't)

I also believe that the directions from "ON HIGH" in the sales department, right from the initiation of sales staff is to keep waaaaay back from pushing. May be why they don't hire realtors to sell for them.

I love the difference between that and being hounded.

However, we waited for three hours for someone, anyone, to get back to us when we found the house on our own.I was sure that someone else was gonna buy it. We missed buying the house next door that we wanted first by a half hour.

Hi GG,

She knew. My own manners would never have let me write about it had I not known that. And it really did surprise me. She really was lovely and professional about absolutely everything else. I just thought a little email follow-up thanking me for the referral was in order. Oh well.

My questions were all business related. Inspection timing as related to possible contingencies? Title insurance? Property taxes?

GG, that's just me. That's how I am. I do not come on like a Mack truck at all. But I can ask some specific questions. When I was a little girl, my mother used to always tell me that I could ask more questions than a Philadelphia lawyer. And then I would ask her why the lawyer was always from Philadelphia. (It can be a curse sometimes. But mostly not.)

I have to wonder if my questions made the rep think I was a lost cause anyway. Maybe it was triage. But I do think she is someone who is very good at her job so it really did surprise me. And really nice, too. Maybe she just forgot. But whatever it was it sure won't keep me from doing business if I decide to do business. It will all work out I know.

I am not here to hang anybody out to dry. I saw the question that started the thread and so I wrote my little tale of manners and business in the world according to Boomer. ohdearohdearohdearohdear Perhaps that was ill-mannered of me. What would Judith Martin do? ohdearohdearohdearohdear uh oh, I have a feeling that Judith Martin would have just kept her mouth shut.

Boomer

[katezbox]

Boomer,

Your manners on this site are always impeccable - and a good rep is usually happy to have an informed buyer.

The reps we used were referred to us by friends in Largo. They were given a nice thank you note and a restaurant gift card.

Kate

[graciegirl]

Boomer Marie!!!! NO ONE could ever suspect your manners or your kindness! You are from Cincinnati! The very first thing out of your mouth as a baby was PLEASE!

All kidding aside, anyone who has read your posts would know that you are a polite and very intelligent person who considers all issues carefully.

I would have been disappointed too if she hadn't sent me an email thanking me for the recommendation.

I had asked for our rep to be assigned to our friends lifestyle visit, (and they asked too) but it couldn't happen. I think that this is a recent change, but I am sure that the powers that be here thought it out.

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Boomer Marie!!!! NO ONE could ever suspect your manners or your kindness! You are from Cincinnati! The very first thing out of your mouth as a baby was PLEASE!

All kidding aside, anyone who has read your posts would know that you are a polite and very intelligent person who considers all issues carefully.

I would have been disappointed too if she hadn't sent me an email thanking me for the recommendation.

I had asked for our rep to be assigned to our friends lifestyle visit, (and they asked too) but it couldn't happen. I think that this is a recent change, but I am sure that the powers that be here thought it out.

Hi again, GG,

I hearya so I don't even have to say, "Please." (Those not familiar with our little Cincinnati quirky use of the word 'please' please forgive GG and me for that little side trip to Cincinnati.)

Boomer