Would it be inappropriate to contact the Bishop?


Irishcolleen
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We are selling our townhome in the Chicago suburbs as my husband was transferred to Virginia.  We would like to sell it quickly and it is very affordable.  We are willing to let it go below the list price just to be done with it and because the market is slow. Would it be inappropriate to call the Bishop and ask him if he knows any young couples who would be interested in purchasing it at a discounted rate.  It is in very good condition- we just had to make a quick move and mortgage plus rent is killing us.

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Virginia is a lovely state.  I was baptized there.

 

If I were you, I'd call the bishop, explain the situation, and ask whether it's appropriate to publicize your townhome through Church contacts.  Give him a chance to quash the idea cleanly if he doesn't like it.  If he has no objection, pass along the details of your home and invite him to spread the word.

 

But don't be shocked if nothing comes of this.  I think you should also find a good realtor, explain that you want to sell your home pronto, and that you have contacted your bishop and that a buyer might emerge from your Church network.  If the realtor has a problem with this, tough toenails... find another realtor.  But if the realtor can list your home and find a buyer that you and your bishop would not have otherwise found, I wouldn't shrug that off just because you'd feel better selling to a Mormon.  Don't leave money on the table.  (#1 rule in business.)

 

If you don't know any good realtors, do not pick one randomly from the Internet.  Get a referral from one of your friends or co-workers.  (Maybe ask the bishop, heh heh.)

 

And I hope you've done the math here.  Selling a home in a rush might cost you a lot more in the long run than holding out for a few weeks and getting a better offer.  I would list your house at a competitive price and start dropping the price a bit every week until it sells.  You're right, late autumn is a slow season in real estate, but there are people who need to buy a new house quickly during the off season.  People like you.   :)

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I'm not a realtor (nor do I play one on TV), but . . . wouldn't it be a violation of federal fair housing regulations to market a home specifically to members of one religious denomination to the exclusion of all others?  I'd consult a local realtor if I were you.

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I'm not a realtor (nor do I play one on TV), but . . . wouldn't it be a violation of federal fair housing regulations to market a home specifically to members of one religious denomination to the exclusion of all others?  I'd consult a local realtor if I were you.

Not sure how networking to get the word out that their town home is for sale is marketing "to the exclusion of all others". Mentioning it to the bishop just seems to be a normal part of getting the word out there.

I'm curious now to go look up these supposed regulations. I thought when selling one's home, you got to choose which offer to accept. Had no idea that there were regulations that would compel a person to choose x offer over y offer.

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*Shrug*  I don't know, Leah.  I just know that our realtor (Just_A_Girl's aunt) told us that she wasn't even legally allowed to tell us if a neighborhood was "on the decline" or not, because once upon a time such statements were "dog-whistles" to warn that the racial makeup of a neighborhood was changing.  My feeling from her (and I have not verified this) is that one could get into an awful lot of trouble.

 

Welcome to America--land of the (formerly) free!

Edited by Just_A_Guy
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I'm not lawyer or realtor ... but I have subdivided & markets many parcels of land over recent years ...

 

1st, I don't think asking the Bishop or a Priesthood Leader or the RS President to help spread the word would be inappropriate.  They can spread the word as their own comfort levels allow.

I also do not believe that doing so is marketing to a group at the exclusion of other groups ... it is simply using a word-of-mouth system within a group that you regularly associate with.

 

For a realtor to market to a group at the exclusion of all others could be (key words, could be) walking a very fine line ... there are ALWAYS exceptions though.

 

For a private individual to market their own property to a specific group at the exclusion of others ... that is free will & choice. 

Regardless of what one is selling, a good marketer will identify the target market (the market most likely to buy the product for the maximum dollar) & market to that group, frequently exclusively to that group.

Now if a potential buyer from outside that group makes an offer ... to say "no deal" could be a sticky situation with limited legal options.  From the sounds of it the OP would very willing sell to just about anyone, no group membership expected so there really is not exclusion intended or being practiced.

 

Even if I hire a realtor to represent me in the sale of some property, I (me, myself, not referring to what my realtor can do) can still market & promote that property through whatever means & options I have available to me, including through my employment or my church or my local small-town newspaper ... interested parties then contact the realtor. 

Edited by Sharky
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