[LABSX2]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

We bought the first home from Jim McLaughlin and when we were looking for the second home we chose him again to help us. It seems we were always running into him and his wife. At Lowes, at the grocery, at the square, etc. One time he said to us with a wink, If you keep hounding me, I will have to report you.

He is a great rep, a gentleman and a friend to us now after five years. He is a villager living in his fourth house in The Villages in Sanibel. This one has room for the mother in law.

I cannot say enough about him and never ONCE did he pressure and always was helpful and kind.

Jim McLaughlin and assistant is wife Patti. The BEST of the best.

Thanks for the info Gracie. I think i will be using it to find a new sales rep. He told us before we even got here that he would come by on Tues and pick us up to show us around. He did and took us to look at several new houses but not the per owned we asked him to take us to. We did say that we liked a couple houses and he called and made us an appointment with the mortgage people for 3 hours later. After being approved and seeing the figures we knew we were going to need some time to decide what we wanted to do. He never attempted to call us, just showed up at the starter shack at our tee time. He didn't say that anyone specifically was also interested in the house, just that he "thought" that it wouldn't last for more than a couple days.

[Jim 9922]

Originally Posted by LABSX2

.------ He didn't say that anyone specifically was also interested in the house, just that he "thought" that it wouldn't last for more than a couple days.

They aren't suppose to pressure like that, unless you requested continuing attention or made some commitment. Report him and ask for another.

As for avoiding pre-owned. The Developer is just that, a developer and builder of land and new houses. Pre-owned sales is just a necessary sideline for them, and is tolerated because it does make some profit. However, new sales are quicker, easier and devoid of all the inspections, negotiations and pitfalls of peddling a used property, AND I assume, the additional spiffs associated with new sales doesn't hurt the motivation of the sales people! Slam, bam, here it is, take it or leave it --- faster commissions. On to the next prospect!
There are a few sales people who have an interest in and are good at selling preowned, but you have to seek them out. Janice Schoenfeld is one, for example. One way of finding them is to tour the open preowned homes and talk to the salesperson on duty. Play dumb like a tourist, and see how long it takes for them to push touring new homes or lots or asking why you aren't interested in new-build or spec homes. Its usually the third sentence out of their mouth. Out for the fast kill; not the person you want to hook up with to find a good preowned!
Try the preowned "tour" for a couple days and you will soon see the pressure is on to sell new!

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by jimbo2012

Just the opposite, no pressure, we kid around saying they are sleeping.....

Same here. We bought a resale through VLS and one through MLS. In both cases, no pressure at all, not a bit.

[sueandskip]

Originally Posted by bluedog103

Our first sales rep was great but he left the TV gig to open his own business. Our 2nd rep was an annoying piece of work. Non-stop pressure, like being on a time share presentation. He too left the TV job and I suspect that was the reason for all the pressure. He wanted to get those last few sales before he left the job. Our last sales rep was great. If he had any faults it was being too laid back. I'd recommend him in a heartbeat.

Are you kidding me ! I had to keep chasing my realtor around because he never wanted to bother me ...

[skyking]

No pressure at all. In fact, when we decided we wanted one of the houses he had shown us I sent him a text telling him we were ready to sign. Never heard back so I called and he said "If you text you are pretty advanced in The Villages". He did not know how to access a text.

[sands]

No, I've never heard such a thing. In fact, I've always heard how The Villages salespeople don't pressure you at all -- the lifestyle, quality and beauty of the area sells itself!

[rp001]

I was on an executive course. When I signed in the Starter told me that there would be a single on lifestyle joining me..Twice during the round the ambassador dropped by just to make sure that he was happy..No pressure, just good marketing. I think there is an alert put out and whenever you use that id there is extra effort, not pressure, just make every effort possible to make the guest happy..All buisnesses should follow this model, INMHO....

[jrandall]

My husband and I were so impressed with our sales rep. He never pressured us on anything. In fact when we came for our Lifestyles visit, our rep told us everything about the place we were staying in, gave us the keys to the golfcart, etc... I totally expected him to say and by the way you have to sit through a sales pitch like we experienced with timeshares. After being so wonderful to get us situated he said have a good time and was headed out the door. I had to stop him and say would it be possible to look at some model homes later in the week. Of course he said yes but again never ever pressured us. The Villages sells itself!

[UpNorth]

We put a cash bid on a house last year. Agent said to make your "best bid"; that there wa going to be others, and that there was to be no negotiating. Got a call from the agent while on the golf course, saying that the lowest bid required financing, and did we want to raise our offer. No way. Seller went with the financed offer, which fell through. Agent called back, asking if we still wanted the deal. Are you kidding? Not with this kind of gamesmanship.

[quirky3]

Originally Posted by UpNorth

We put a cash bid on a house last year. Agent said to make your "best bid"; that there wa going to be others, and that there was to be no negotiating. Got a call from the agent while on the golf course, saying that the lowest bid required financing, and did we want to raise our offer. No way. Seller went with the financed offer, which fell through. Agent called back, asking if we still wanted the deal. Are you kidding? Not with this kind of gamesmanship.

Is that generally the way that TV-sponsored resales work? A "silent auction" bid with no negotiations? I had the impression that regular dialogue and negotiations were normal.

[gerryann]

Originally Posted by UpNorth

We put a cash bid on a house last year. Agent said to make your "best bid"; that there wa going to be others, and that there was to be no negotiating. Got a call from the agent while on the golf course, saying that the lowest bid required financing, and did we want to raise our offer. No way. Seller went with the financed offer, which fell through. Agent called back, asking if we still wanted the deal. Are you kidding? Not with this kind of gamesmanship.

I find this situation quite common. Would you have rather that the agent didn't tell you that there were other bids? He/she can give you that info, just not the amount of anyone else's offer. You decided that you didn't want to up your offer and you lost. I don't understand your comment regarding the "gamesmanship"? It sounds to that the agent was fair and only trying to get you the house that you wanted.