A REALTORS key to success? Be There, Be Honest!!

People hate to be sold, but they love to buy!

In a market where agents are beat down by the media, there are a few key things that we can do to separate ourselves from the average. Now don't take this the wrong way, but if you don't separate yourself with your knowledge, skills and service, you need to at least be THERE. I'm not giving advice on how to be a successful, incompetent REALTOR, simply stating the difference between being good, and being there.

We have all bought things in our lives, some have been from great salespeople, and some have been from less than astute individuals. Why did you buy a product or service from someone that simply was not the best? More than likely, you purchased from that salesperson with 2 day razor stubble, a loose tie, wrinkled clothes and a bad attitude because he was THERE. Now take a moment and apply this to your own situation. Has there ever been a time when you knew you could do a better job than another REALTOR, but they took the listing? I spent the first 2 months of my career sitting in my office telling people how good I was, how much I knew about real estate, and how my customer service skills were far above the current bar. I'd think that same thing to myself at night on my couch. I was a GOOD REALTOR, but when people decided to buy or sell, I wasn't....... you guessed it I wasn't THERE! Once I realized that I can be GOOD all I wanted by my pool, if I wasn't THERE, it didn't matter! Being GOOD gives you the right to be in this business, being THERE is what gets you paid! Take a moment and do a self assessment, are you GOOD? 1-10.. Are you THERE? 1-10.. What are you going to do to improve in both categories?

Shift gears with me slightly to your clients, prospects, and how we communicate with both. There is no doubt that sellers are just as unrealistic as buyers on today's market, our job is to bring them together. The following are not scripts per say, more a mind-set that we need to adopt when working with both.

• Mr. & Mrs. Prospect/Client, AS PROMISED I am here at 4:00 for our appointment..
• Mr. & Mrs. Buyer so why is it you are looking to make a move?
• Mr. & Mrs. Buyer how soon do you need to be settled?
• Mr. & Mrs. Buyer if we find that perfect home today, what do you plan to do?

List side.. Finding Motivation..

• Mr. & Mrs. Seller, have you definitely decided that you need to make a move?
• And when do you need to make that move by?
• What happens if you are not able to sell in that time frame?
• TRY AND TALK THEM OUT OF MOVING AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS
• Mr. & Mrs. Seller tonight after we have our conversation, and you are confident that I can get your home sold, will you be ready to list with me?

DO NOT SHOW THEM THE CMA UNTIL THEY DECIDE TO LIST WITH YOU!

Pricing Strategies...

Don't chose your listing agent based on price! I could come in here today, and "outbid" every listing agent in town, and tell you exactly what you want to hear. In my opinion if I did that I would be violating my oath as a REALTOR. Can I explain? If I took your listing 50K over market value, and promised I would get it sold, it is much like promising you that it is going to be 72 and sunny for the rest of your life. I just can't deliver that, and when I became a real estate professional I took an oath that I would be honest with all of my clients. I took my very first listing overpriced, and what happened was it expired, and ended up selling with another agent well under market value. I just don't want to put you through that.

• List price means NOTHING, if a dealer could advertise a car below market value, and when the buyer gets there tell them it's actually more than the list price, do you think that they would? Absolutely!! In real estate we can do that!
• I would rather see you reject 10 offers than not receive any?
• Mr. & Mrs. Seller, did you plan on moving when you made these improvements? If you would have known that you were moving would you still have made the improvements? Why not?.....That's right, because you would be afraid you couldn't get the money back out.
• If you were the buyer, and market value was 200K, but the homeowner owed 220K, would you pay that extra 20K, simply because that is what the homeowner needed?
• My point, Value is not what you have into it, it is what you can get out of it.
• Can't we just try our price for 2 weeks?.. Well Mr. & Mrs. Seller I guess we could, as long as it's not the first 2 weeks. Let me explain this Activity v.s. Time graph to you.
• We need people to see your home, if we price above market value, the qualified buyers for your property won't even see your home. Can I explain? (demonstrate a how consumers search online in $25K blocks.)
• (Three Step Process) CMA, Then you preview competition and obtain feature sheets... lay them on the table and ask them where their home should be.., finally if that doesn't work.. take them on a home tour of their competition and ask them what they think the price is of each home afterwards.
• PLEASE ATTEND ONE OF FEBRUARY'S PRICE REDUCTION, AND PROPER PRICING COURSES FOR MORE TIPS, TRICKS, AND GRAPHICS.

I have witnessed sellers so frustrated with the process of marketing their home, it breaks my heart. There is no need for this, find out if your client truly NEEDS to move, and be honest with them about price. Don't put them through 6, 12, or 18 months of discomfort, at the very least you owe your client honesty.

Finally referral & repeat! Every time you deliver any good news to your client (showing, a/o, inspection) close with this line "Of everyone that you know, who is the most likely to move next?" Remember that line, internalize, and use it every day, it's sure to get names!! Have a great February!!

A special thanks to David Knox www.davidknox.com