The Key-Less (Clueless?) Realtor
There may be a good explanation why a full-time, professional Realtor doesn’t have a smart key . . . but I don’t know what it is.
For the uninitiated, a lockbox is how Buyers’ agents access an MLS-listed, “For Sale” property.
While there are two kinds of lockboxes — electronic and manual — the former are more secure (and more expensive).
To access an electronic lockbox, Realtors (as well as home inspectors and appraisers) can either rent a small, electronic device, or, download (proprietary) software onto their smart phone, which they then have to update daily.
Cost of Doing Business
Surprise, surprise, both options require a subscription fee — about $300 a year (coming down, but still too high).
Which brings me back to the key-less Realtor.
Best guess?
He’s a part-timer, who’s trying to keep his overhead down.
Nothing wrong with that* — there are still some of those out there.
But, it’s not the job of the listing agent (representing the Seller) to help the Buyer’s agent do his job.
P.S.: Full-time, professional Realtors do occasionally have smart key software glitches.
In that case, they can obtain an emergency password, or — failing that — borrow a colleague’s smart key.
*OK, I’ll admit that I have a negative association with part-time (vs. merely new and inexperienced) agents.
In fact, it’s two-fold:
One. Serious Buyers are usually represented by serious (full-time) agents. Which means un-serious Buyers often work with . . . ; and
Two. What I’ll call the, “there’s never just one cockroach” theory.
Namely, a Realtor who hasn’t mastered such basic skills as accessing an electronic lockbox probably doesn’t know other things as well (like, which Addenda go with a Purchase Agreement — or how to fill them out).
Which sort of begs the question, “exactly how are they helping their client??”