I started using Facebook about one year ago and at that time it seemed like a pretty good way to keep in touch with people. I'd login and see what others were doing, look at photos of their kids, and every now and then come across someone from High School. Recently though, it seems like EVERYONE is now on Facebook. I'm sure it's probably true too, because I just read a statistic today that said Facebook is the 5th most popular website in the world.
Just a few months ago I realized that the online flyer service I'm using through Postlets.com now gives me the ability to post my new listings directly to my Facebook account. I thought that was pretty cool and a good way to let my friends see my homes for sale, but recently I'm seeing another benefit from using Facebook. I'm actually getting REAL business through Facebook.
Because all my Facebook "friends" are seeing how many listings I'm taking and homes I'm selling, I'm actually solidifying my business in their minds. So much so that when they run across someone that needs to buy or sell a home, they're remembering to refer this business to me.
I think Facebook could become my new "farming" community. Instead of doing expensive mailings to my friends, family and past clients, I can now keep them up to date with what's going on in "real time" by using my Facebook account and hopefully even sell a few of my listings in the process!
I need some advice and I truly value the opinions of all you other top agents out there on AR so please tell me what you'd do in this situation.
I've been in real estate for 5 years now, I currently have about 30 listings and consider myself more of a "listing agent" at this point in my career. I tell you this so you'll understand that I've worked with all types of client personalities from the very strong opinionated sellers to the ones that do everything I tell them to do. I have studied the DISC profile systems and read many books on human personalities. I feel I can work with just about any personality type and rarely have any issues with my sellers, but I currently have two different clients that are EXACTLY the same and they both frustrate me to no end.
They are both attractive, single women in their 40's. Both own very nice homes with higher income jobs. Both intelligent, very business oriented women. They are both obviously driven to success and I could guess that both are very used to getting their own way most of the time. Honestly, they're both great clients to work with except for this one issue. When they feel like a showing is invading their time, they'll just cancel the showing!
I know we all realize that sometimes things come up, but one of them has canceled 3 showings and the other one has canceled 5 showings. I've spoken with both of them twice about this and they always have some excuse. My family was over last night and the house is a mess. I forgot to put the dog in the kennel before I left for work today. I don't feel like leaving the house tonight. Whatever!!
I'm spending a lot of time and effort to market these two homes and it REALLY frustrates me to have a buyers agent call to ask why they can't show the house. Of course they never try to show it another time and they never come back either. I don't blame them. There are way too many other homes on the market so they don't have to.
To this point, I've let it go, but today was the final straw for me when a buyer called me directly, wanted to see one of these homes this evening, and my seller says, "The house is a mess and I don't think today will work for me." Just to put this in perspective, we just lowered the price of her home another $5,000 this week and she's complaining to me that she wants her home sold. Seriously!
Honestly, I'm seriously considering dropping both of them. I'm doing pretty good right now and don't really need the hassle. My wife thinks I should just let it go and maybe she's right?
CUSTOM BUILT HOME ON 1.75 ACRES with attention to detail inside and out. Large circle drive with 2 formal landscaped gardens, 3rd car garage has a shop. Zoned heat/cool. This home is built for entertaining with formal living, dining room, large rec room in lower level, and a beautiful sun room in back. Kitchen has tons of cabinets, laundry on the main level, all bedrooms are very large (4th bedroom is non-conforming) and a small den/office on the main level too. Wonderful subdivision of upper bracket homes.
To see more photos of this home, visit http://www.clayandplatte.com
EVERY UPGRADE IMAGINABLE throughout this beautiful 2 story home. Very open floorplan with the ultimate chef's kitchen that includes a $12,000 WOLF range, enormous walk-in pantry, center island and custom quartz counters. Large master bedroom w/cozy fireplace. Finished walkout basement w/fam room+bar+gym. Full sprinkler system and $8,500 in custom landscaping. Front door security camera, custom blinds throughout, basement has 9 foot ceilings, way too many extras to list here!! THIS IS A MUST SEE HOME!!!
To see more photos of this home, visit http://www.clayandplatte.com
SHORT SALE,subject to lender approval. Opportunity to gain immediate equity. Sold AS-IS, with no warranties or guarantees. Very nice maintenance free townhome for this price in great neighborhood. ALL EXTERIOR MAINTANCE PROVIDED. Home is priced $10,000 to $15,000 under some of the others, but is in really good condition.
To see more photos of this home, visit http://www.clayandplatte.com
SHORT SALE, subject to lender approval. Opportunity to gain immediate equity. Sold AS-IS, with no warranties or guarantees. Very nice home for this price in great neighborhood.
To see more photos of this home, visit http://www.clayandplatte.com
I have to tell you that it's been a great year for real estate in 2008. That's what I tell everyone that asks, and almost every single one of them are shocked to hear this, but it's true.
This next week I'll have the last two sales of the year and with these two sales, I'll creep just over the $5 million mark for 2008. I think that's pretty good considering all the bad press we've been hearing about the real estate market.
The news media just keeps blasting out their garbage to the point that the typical home owner today thinks they couldn't possibly get their home sold in this market. I'm here to tell you that's simply not true. OK, I'll admit that it's not easy and you may have to take slightly less for your current home than you'd like, but you'll more than make up for that on the next home you're buying, especially if you're buying a more expensive home.
I've had MANY examples of this in the past 12 months. Sellers that had to take $5,000 to $10,000 less for their home to get it sold, ended up buying their next home at a $15,000 to $25,000 discount. One of my clients that is closing on their new home January 2nd, 2009 purchased a bank repo at easily an $90,000 discount!
Honesty, it's a mystery to me why more people haven't figured this out. It's called a "buyers market" for a good reason. Let's get the word out and get more people back into the market in 2009!
Last week our office finished teaching the Keller Williams 36:12:3 class. That stands for 36 listings in 12 months with 3 hours of lead generation per day. I personally taught two of these classes myself, one for Marketing and the other for Agent to Agent Referrals. Although every one of the 12 or so classes was worth the time spent, I personally enjoyed teaching the Agent to Agent Referrals class the best.
The manual says, "Agent to Agent Referrals is probably the most overlooked source of income for real estate agents." I would agree with that statement because there were actually several agents in the class that have never taken advantage of this. Of course now they will not forget this opportunity that exists and I'm sure will be much more proactive about it the next time one of their sellers is moving out of the Kansas City area to another state.
Teaching this class forced me to think about my own A2A referrals I've had this last year. I won't go into detail, but I will say I've made some VERY good (and easy) money from them in 2007. It also made me realize that I've done a terrible job of keeping in contact with the agents that referred me the business in the first place.
Because of this class, I've decided to do a better job of cultivating more of this business. I know there has got to be hundreds of agents out there that have clients moving into the Kansas City area every single year.
I would like to use ActiveRain to meet these agents and offer my services to them. To show them that I'm an experienced agent here in Kansas City and that I will take very good care of their referral clients because I realize it reflects back on them. Oh sure, the best part is that they get paid in the transaction, but if you're like me, you want to know that your client is in good hands.
If any one out there currently has a client moving to Kansas City this year, please don't hesitate to call or email me. I'd love to help you!!!
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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