Yes, that’s my listing, but if you have any questions...

(As seen in the 4/2/21 Ledger column.)

Window treatments remain with the property in most real estate transactions, largely because it is written into the boilerplate language in the contract.

As the contracts have evolved, the term was more defined and included curtains – draperies in the more expensive homes – and the hardware, including the rods and equipment that hold the curtains to the walls.

There is little mention of the men and women behind the curtains, though many Realtors find themselves lurking there.

Realtors have learned the art of delegation in their representation of properties. For example, a trip down any Nashville road would have found a property listed by Mike Smith (names are changed herein to protect the guilty), a brilliant chap with his eponymous real estate group. Smith has become a well-known name in real estate circles with high-end, ultra-cool listings.

In the private remarks section of his listings – those remarks seen only by fellow Realtors – the words flow as follows: “For questions, please contact Brian Wilson . . . and for offers, please refer to the offer instructions on MLS.”

To be fair, Smith did not create this system as it is widely used by many.

Additionally, there are hundreds of nuances of new construction, and it is better to speak with someone more knowledgeable about the intricacies of the home than someone who is not familiar with the details.

Brian Wilson is that person and is available, a tremendous attribute, and he immerses himself in the plans and specifications of each house. Speaking with Brian about new construction is akin to talking baseball with Tim Corbin.

As has become the norm, Realtors include instructions as to how to make offers on properties, a task, and responsibility that once befell upon the managing brokers. With 700 or 800 new Realtors coming into the industry each year, many are not trained by their firms, some having barely passed the fog-a-mirror test.

On the “Offer Instruction” page with the Helton Group, the boldest, largest instructions are “*** DO NOT SEND TO MIKE SMITH***” Below, it says, send all offers to brian@mikesmithrealestate group” It further explains that the “Team Contract to Close specialist is Laura Nyro or laura@mikesmithrealestatetgroup.

In all of the promotional materials, Smith’s name is splattered all over everything. But Mike Smith is nowhere to be found. Probably a good thing.

The Wall Street Journal ran a story last week proclaiming there were more Realtors than there are houses for sale nationwide. In the region served by Realtracs, there are some 16,000 Realtors and slightly less than 6,000 listings, or less than a third of a property per agent.

Oddly enough, sales continue to hit record highs with inventory at the lowest point in decades.

In Williamson County, the carnage for buyers continues week after week as frustrated buyers are falling into more and more multiple-offer scenarios, each with different “offer instructions.”

It’s about to get worse with the arrival of the “spring market.” You know, the time of the year when the market heats up and things begin to sell. When the dormant months of winter thaw, and grass is green and trees and flowers are in bloom. This could be interesting.