"Apointment Only" Can You Sell A House This Way?

I have been going though the MLS in my town and guess what I see too much of, appointment required, 24 hour notice w/ no lockbox. Do the sellers think that their house is the only one on the market or that buyers will wait to see their house. Lets say 10 houses that fit the needs of your client, 4 of them are appointment only. You start contacting any that say call first go direct, call for appointment and then the ones that a vacant. You have an appointment and out of the 10 you will get to show maybe 6.

I'd say 50% of the time, the call for appointments, don't call back till it is too late or they don't call back at all. I understand the problem is they usually have been on the market a long time and they are fed up with showing their house. They just don't care anymore. They are trying to get a short sale and the bank says it has to be actively For Sale or no deal!

I know there are many reasons that an owner wouldn't want agents just showing up at the door but they need to make themselves available. I mean give their cell phone number and answer it. Go out of their way to get the house sold. As an agent I tell them I will do all I can 7 days a week, if need be, 10 hours a day but you have to meet me half way, by letting your house be shown. We don't want to spin our wheels for nothing.

Agents have to do their part also, calling in advance and setting the time as close as they can. The most important requirement for proving you are professional, is when you can't make that appointment to show a house, please call them and let the seller know. We don't appreciate it when a client stands us up, Well you can be assured the seller doesn't like leaving their home to give us space to show it and then we never show up. BAD business practice!

Let's all make an effort to do better and put our best foot forward this year!