Originally Posted by Hardlyworking (Post 2165901)

You are wrong on 2 points. They are licensed by the state and it is Sumter not Sumpter.

You can verify any real estate agents status with the state of Florida here:

Licensing Portal - License Search

Originally Posted by JMintzer (Post 2165978)

Don't bother. I've already posted the correct information 3 TIMES in this thread. Others have posted it, as well.

No one bothers to read the thread before spouting off with incorrect info...

It's maddening...

Originally Posted by Denbal82 (Post 2165292)

I listed my home with a Village real estate agent named Debbie Sander in August. From the start, my service from her was substandard.

In the beginning and talking with her in person, I asked her to send me a copy of the signed agreement. She never did. I asked again and she sends me a blank one. I finally got a signed one after a few calls.

Early on, I had to text her something important about the house and then days go by (or a week) and no response. I had to actually go to my open house just to talk to her. She told me her phone was "broken."

As the weeks go on, I emailed her, text her and left messages on her phone and no response. She did call me a week later about something else but never addressed my questions I emailed her about earlier. She said she must have gotten back to me and said she'll look at her phone logs. I told her I have phone logs as well and she changed the subject. She was also supposed to send me a contact name for a person regarding a small project around the house, you guessed it !- it never happened.

On one occasion, her assistant emailed me at 2:47pm saying I have a showing at 2:30pm that same day. Luckily, I left the house hours ahead for an appointment. Also her assistant emailed me on a Monday about something unimportant and then telling me to have a nice weekend. Ditzy?

On December 2nd, I left a voice mail with Debbie Sander saying i have something important to say and to call me back ASAP. To this day, I haven't heard from her. I since met with the Villages Sales Office manager and learned that Debbie had lied to me about sales statistics. I have now continued the listing contract with another Village realtor. If this original (long) 6 month contract expires, I will go with a MLS agent.

I'm sure many of you had pleasant experiences with her but, I just wanted to share mine and relay some information about her to help anyone make a discission if listing their home with a Village realtor. In my opinion, I don't think she's 100% coherent. Plus, I always wondered about a realtor using their High School picture on their business cards when you're in your sixties.

Originally Posted by Rodneysblue (Post 2166038)

So sorry you had a bad experience. Our Villages agent went above and beyond our expectation.

Originally Posted by retiredguy123 (Post 2165305)

I have not listed a house with The Villages. However, when I have listed a house, the maximum listing contract I would agree to was 90 days. And, the contract would include a clause that said, if I lose confidence in the agent or broker, I can fire them at any time. The Villages has some good, experienced agents. Your listing contract is with The Villages, not the individual agent. Also, when listing a house for sale, I always wanted to know the names of the top selling agents in the brokerage. Why not use the best?

Originally Posted by newgirl (Post 2166196)

This may work here( although newer agents can be amazing, they have a passion and want to succeed so usually will go the extra mile to make a name for themselves. ) but I sold Real Estate for 20 yrs in Traverse City, Michigan, and would never take a listing for 90 days unless the market was a seller's market. Village sales people do not have the expenses an MLS Realtor has, I put a lot of money and time into my listings ( in 2000 it cost $25 just to put an ad in the paper, add all the other marketing and I spent over $50.000 a yr just on pictures, etc). Today is different because the internet takes away 50% or more of the time, and now it is about websites but there still, MLS agents do not get paid until they close a deal.

Originally Posted by pauld315 (Post 2165335)

My understanding is that Villages "realtors" do not necessarily have to have a real estate license. They do not use MLS and they are contractors contracted to TV.

Originally Posted by Croan (Post 2166458)

The people who sell for TV, are Florida licensed sales agents not REALTORS. Developer LICENSEES obtain their license through the State of Florida, just like MLS Realtors. The Developer has their own sale system (go online to the Villages app to find Developer listed resale properties ). The Developer has chosen NOT to affiliate with the Realtor community. The Developer does not share their listings with the MLS community. The Developer does NOT share new construction listings with the MLS community.

If you are a REALTOR, you are a member of the local multiple listing service MLS (sharing your listings to other MLS member offices and Realtors) and the local Realtor Association. You are a member of the Florida State Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. You have a Code of Ethics to adhere to. You have MLS rules in which to abide. You do NOT have access to ANY of the Developer listings, new construction or resale properties. And you do not share your MLS listings with the Developer community sales team.

As a Developer's licensee, you are NOT a Realtor, yet you ARE a Florida licensed sales agent. While there are good licensees in both organizations, please don't confuse the difference between a licensee and a Realtor. The standards are much higher for a Realtor as prescribed by their rules and regulations (ie: Code of Ethics).

I know the difference. I am a REALTOR, still licensed in my former state and have been for many, many years.

Originally Posted by Denbal82 (Post 2165337)

Thanks for the reply. I always heard the houses sell very fast here so I didn't think about the 90 day term and any stipulations to add. I now learned.