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Coqui & VOG supporting the integrity of Realtors

December 20, 2006, 05:00:33 AM by Kerry

The coqui frog (a.k.a. kokee) and the recent increase in VOG supports the integrity of realtors

Back in 1973, as Director of Training for McCormick Realtors, then the largest real estate company in the islands, I made it a point to support agents in informing prospective buyers about all considerations that might cause a buyer to not buy. It's not an easy policy to support. The option between integrity and a sales can test an agent.

For example:

Few agents today go door to door and ask, "Can you tell me three good things and three not so good things about this neighborhood? i.e. "Are the neighbor's dogs quite? Have you had any break-ins or vandalism?  Are there any instances of abuse, (verbal yellings, children screaming etc.?)"

Lately real estate agents are faced with additional challenging choices, whether or not to communicate the coqui frog noise and the seriousness of the VOG. I use the word "communicate" because it's more than just saying, "Oh, by the way, this neighborhood has coqui frogs or roosters."  While such a warning might be considered legally sufficient it's certainly not ethical. For many, especially, mainlanders who have just moved to Hawaii, the noise for some is beyond their wildest imagination.

A verbal warning doesn't recreate for the buyer the experience. The agent needs to say,
 

My understanding is that this neighborhood has coqui frogs. I don't know how loud they are here but it's possible they could cause you to have buyer's remorse once you've unpacked and are sitting on your retirement lanai. I'd like to schedule an evening visit with you to the property so that you can experience first-hand whether or not it's something you can live with.

It's altogether possible for a buyer with buyer's remorse to ask for their money back because the coqui noise or the VOG was not mentioned on the DROA contract. For some the coqui and the VOG are health problems. For a sales agent to not "communicate" these conditions is unconscionable.

I'm wondering just how a Realtor communicates about the VOG so the prospective buyer knows exactly what it means.

Post here if you know of a real estate company that does include an evening on-site coqui experience of the property for each and every prospective buyer; they deserve to be acknowledged and supported.

Could it be that the coqui and the VOG will serve to cut back development? Wouldn't that be something?