Reply #27: I'm sure there are many good realtors out there,

[LibDemAlways]

they just aren't in my neighborhood. When I had my house on the market four years ago, realtors showed up unannounced at all hours, tromped across my white carpets with muddy shoes, and routinely left sliding doors open. I was gone for a day and came home to a house full of lizards. Not fun.

The realtor we listed with had courted us for a couple of years with all manner of gifts and big promises. After he had the listing, he all but disappeared, figuring someone else would produce a buyer. The so-called "buyers" were all bargain-hunters who made ridiculously low offers - which our guy twisted our arms to take.

After six weeks we'd had enough and pulled the listing. Then we discovered the realtor had snuck a clause into the fine print of the listing agreement specifying that if we listed with another realtor within a year, we'd still owe him a commission. What a lowlife.

Frankly, although I'd prefer to know that my realtor was a like-minded progressive, I'd be happy just having one who was ethical and competent.