Everyone want's their listing to sell. I typically hear about agents marketing to just buyers. I mean, it seems logical right? One problem, Not all buyers select the properties they want to buy. Often buyers rely on buyer's agents to "pick a list" that best meets their search criteria. Herein lies my blog…
1. Perhaps the buyer and buyer's agent have an arrangement with a rebate on the commission. Is your listing offering less than others when it comes to compensation? Many of you reading this are already thinking about how you'll comment. "Greg, I NEVER select listings based on commission." And that's fine that you don't! The reality is that MANY agents do. Especially if the buyer is expecting a couple of grand back. Perhaps the BUYER has made it clear that they WANT a FULL commission on the table! Ever thought of that? You should. What if the buyer is the Realtor? Or what if it's somebody affiliated with the business? And YES, there are too many listings out there for YOU to be house proud. For me it’s about transparency. I always let my buyers know about any oddity with compensation. They’ll find out anyway.
2. Listings with bad photo's or lousy information is a turn off. Is the sales price padded? Do you have mls rule violations in your advertising? These might get your listing skipped over if the buyer leaves me in control of the search. I don’t want to embarrass myself or look like a fool by suggesting your raggedy listing.
3. Did you neglect or refuse to offer your cell phone number on the mls? Only an office number? You that busy my friend? Well guess what? You might get skipped. I don't want to hunt you down during negotiations! Nor do I want to chat with a 19 year old unlicensed assistant who’s in the middle of reading her books for school. I WANT YOU! THE ASSISTANT didn't take the listing - YOU DID. My buyer deserves information, answers and results; not lousy excuses.
4. Are you the person to call for showing instructions? Why didn’t you use the showing service? Guess what? Your listing is likely to be skipped. You didn’t answer the phone and I can’t get a hold of you to CONFIRM the showing! My buyers are waiting and I have to map out my day, literally. I don’t have time for you to “get back to me after you find buyers for your sellers and sellers for you buyers.” That’s a really dorky voicemail by the way.
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If you want your listings to SELL you need to market to both buyers agents AND buyers. You need to make your listing agent friendly. You need to take GOOD pictures. Not ones that make the house look haunted. Actually measure the rooms to the house! What if my buyer needs room for his pool table? The room looks like it MIGHT be big enough, but you posted the room measurements as 3x20. Do you think we’ll go look at it just for the hell of it? My buyer may be in a hurry as he only has so much time today.
My buyer want’s A LOT of information, not some. Please don’t post… “To many updates to mention.” This is really poor service on YOUR part. Instead, type up EVERYTHING on one sheet of paper and add it as attachment to the MLS that way it can viewable by both the general public & fellow Realtors® if that’s too much work then at least use the captions under EACH photo to help illustrate all the improvements & upgrades.
----------> NEWS FLASH <------------
My buyer WILL NEVER get pre approved with your lender mister listing agent! It's a RESPA Violation to require it! You can demand "prequalification" but you cannot demand PRE-APPRVOAL unless it's a foreclosure, HUD home or shortsale. This will cause an IMMEDIATE pass over on your listing because my buyer's information is NONE of you and YOUR sellers business!
Are you known for being abrasive, rude, arrogant and just flat out hard to deal with? Your reputation may cause you to loose showings. Call it unethical, but buyer's agents WILL skip over a listing if the Listing Agent has a history of being barbaric and impossible to deal with.
This is where I'm supposed to say that none of this ever happens and that you guys would never do this. But it happens every day and you know it. My clients get straight information from me. I shoot from the hip. Doing so means that I have nothing to hide. I don't have to lie to cover up another lie. Do you?
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