Jesse.Tharin.Of.300/7@f7.n300.z1.fidonet.org (Jesse Tharin Of 300/7) (11/06/90)
Index Number: 11542 [This is from the Spinal Injury Conference] John... Tried to send this earlier, but the net 261 host ain't answering the phone! Again. Here goes again, but direct this time: Got this from Ron last night. As I said (I think!) earlier, he is a Realtor who specializes in handicapped clients for both sales and rentals. As far as I can tell, and from what I have heard, he's honest and maybe a little direct. He gives a good discussion below from the point of view of the agent, at least using the information that I fed him, which (being second hand) may or may not be accurate. So to simplify things, I'm stepping out of this picture. Give him a call; he won't make a penny off of you so he has nothing to gain by giving you advice, good or bad. Consider yourselves introduced! He's at 101/460. >> Msg. #6777 in *Network Private Mail* >> Posted on 10/30/90 at 20:24:14 >> To: Jesse Tharin >> From: Ron Rothenberg >> >> Hi Jesse, >> >> Sounds like a case of laziness on the part of the agents, and a >> case of Mr. Lynch inadvertently removing any incentive for any >> agent to do a thorough job for him. Two years ago the market was >> considerably livelier in Md. than it is now. He might find things >> a bit better now. I have to admit (from experience) that it is >> much harder to find wheelchair accessible housing than it is to >> find housing for people with other specific needs (such as 3 >> bedrooms, 2 baths). This doesn't sound like a valid case of >> discrimination to me at first glance. >> >> One problem that Mr. Lynch may have made is to spread the work >> too thin. Everybody's customer is nobody's customer. If you're >> working with every agent in town there is no incentive for any >> individual agent to go out and put in the extra work. In fact, a >> good agent who valued his time highly would not work with a >> customer who was working with many agents. The agent could put in >> a lot of work finding a home for the customer, only to find that >> another agent had already sold a property to the prospect. >> >> In the future, he might want to call around, get referrals, >> interview agents then make it clear to the best agent that you >> are working only with him/her. This loyalty and exclusivity and >> guarantee of compensation makes it economically possible for an >> agent to put in the amount of extra work required. >> >> If someone came to me and told me he was working with every agent >> in town, I wouldn't invest more than a few minutes of my time -- >> this is a simple and understandable economic fact of life. My >> time is valuable, and I need money to eat, also. No >> discrimination involved, just simple business necessity and fear >> of starvation. This applies to any customer who requires a >> substantial outlay of my time. >> >> When you've found an agent, make your needs very clear and >> explain why. Explain why there must be a barrier-free path to the >> front door. Explain why the bathroom must be large and why there >> must be transfer room by the tub and toilet. Don't worry too much >> about doors -- these are relatively inexpensive to modify and you >> are entitled to do so under the Fair Housing Act Amendments of >> 1988. Every apartment, even ones that are built accessible, will >> probably need some modification. Make sure the expensive parts >> (ramps, bathroom size) are in place, and try not to demand and >> sweat the smaller details. >> >> If an agent needs a better description of what makes a home >> accessible or adaptable, I am happy to share this information >> with any agent, broker or REALTOR. My phone numbers are (617) >> 489-4812 (VOICE) and (617) 489-3848 (TTY). >> >> -rsr- -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!300!7!Jesse.Tharin.Of.300/7 Internet: Jesse.Tharin.Of.300/7@f7.n300.z1.fidonet.org