Many of you may remember the million-dollar new construction that I’ve been following since June of last year. Recall that it was originally listed at $1,625,000, has seen four separate price reductions (down to $1,275,000—28% off), and was most recently re-listed with a new brokerage and a shiny new description.
About a year ago I posted about a warning the NWMLS had posted to local agents. Here’s the heart of it:
You may not cancel and relist a property, even with a new listing agreement and new listing input sheets, unless there is a material change to the listing (e.g., a significant change in the price of the property, a remodel, a change in zoning, or a change in ownership).
What does this have to do with the listing in question? Well, after fifty more days of apparently zero interest in this increasingly stale listing (240 cumulative days on the market), the listing agent—one Miss Sarah L. Reed of RE/MAX—has apparently decided that the new year is a good time to generate some fresh interest in the property by brazenly violating NWMLS rules.
Old price: $1,275,000. Old description:
A warm & elegant tribute to the distinctive northwest craftsman lifestyle! New majestic custom home on over 3 peaceful, close-in acres w/equestrian opp. Featuring glistening hardwoods in sun-filled rooms, arched doorways, library, slab granite, state of the art stainless steel gourmet kitchen-6 burner viking. Open & flowing w/soaring ceilings, greatroom, dining, family~bonus designed for entertaining. Showcase master suite retreat w/fplc, spa bath, dual closets. Caretaker-nanny-ext.Family wing.
“New” price: $1,275,000. “New” description:
A warm & elegant tribute to the distinctive northwest craftsman lifestyle! New majestic custom home on over 3 peaceful, close-in acres w/equestrian opp. Featuring glistening hardwoods in sun-filled rooms, arched doorways, library, slab granite, state of the art stainless steel gourmet kitchen-6 burner viking. Open & flowing w/soaring ceilings, greatroom, dining, family~bonus designed for entertaining. Showcase master suite retreat w/fplc, spa bath, dual closets. Caretaker-nanny-ext.Family wing.
You can also see (if you have a ZipRealty account) that the pictures are identical between the old and new listings.
I’m just an unsophisticated blogger, not a real estate professional, but it sure doesn’t look to me like there has been a “material change to the listing.” Tsk, tsk Ms. Reed.
Seeing something like this almost exactly one year after posting about the NWMLS warning leads me to wonder whether January is perhaps a particularly popular month to violate the NWMLS rules regarding re-listing properties.
Update: Be sure to see Sarah Reed’s response to this post.