Challenging listing agent-What would you do?

[Mark Gibbs]

I would love to get some feedback on this for some suggestions as to what you would do differently the next time. I found a commercial property land deal that I contacted the listing agent on. Got the basics, ran the numbers, went and looked at the property and this was a definite go. I asked the listing agent if the seller might do owner financing. He said they might, send me what you are thinking and I'll run it by them. Long story short I have been hounding this agent via phone for two weeks. Saying lets just get this written. I keep getting a lot of, 'Having a hard time getting in touch with the seller', 'What was your offer' 'I'll check and get back to you...' I reach the agent today and he tells me the property is under contract. When I ask him why he wouldn't write the deal he is silent. I told him I could have brought my own agent but I was giving him the opportunity to double end the deal. He gives me this ******** story about, I told you they didn't want to finance, I reminded him that I offered to go cash, again he is silent then he says 'I thought you were an agent'.  So to avoid burning a possible bridge, I just say if the deal falls apart give me a call, I'm ready to buy. I wanted to throttle this guy. The only thing I can think of now is to send a letter to the property owner offering cash for the property. 

What would you do differently?

[Charlie Fitzgerald]

I've always gone by the idea that there is no offer if it is not in my hands in writing.  I think you should have put an offer in the agents hands for your seller financed deal, rather than talk about it with the agent and ask him to go see if the seller is interested.  Write it up...present the offer...go from there.