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You're Not Just Marketing To Buyers!

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Compass 0524642

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.

***

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?

 

Posted by
Greg Nino
Realtor
RE/MAX Compass 
Direct & Text 7 days a wk: 832-298-8555 
 
 
Realtor since 2004
Mediator & Arbitrator for the TX Assoc. of Realtors
Member of the Professional Standards Committee for the TX Assoc. of Realtors
Arbitrator for the Comptroller's office for the State of TX for Arbitration of Property Tax Values

 Member of the RE/MAX Hall of Fame & Platinum Club

 

The information contained in this blog is believed to be reliable and while every effort is made to assure that the information is as accurate as possible, the author of this blog, and its comments disclaim any implied warranty or representation about it's accuracy, completeness or appropriateness for any particular purpose. All information is copywritten and the property of Greg Nino.  

Comments (15)

Kathryn Acciari
Central One Federal Credit Union - Shrewsbury, MA
Mortgage Loan Originator

Hi Greg.  Great reminders in your list.  #3 in particular, which reminds me, I need to make sure I've entered my fax # so offers can be sent over right away!

Mar 25, 2010 07:10 AM
Craig Rutman
Helping people in transition - Cary, NC
Raleigh, Cary, Apex area Realtor

I show my buyers the payout on every home we see. It lets them know I will never persuade them into purchasing one over another because of the payout.

And, yes, I agree with you. It's better to put an attachment on the MLS with the amenities of the home on it rather than just say, "too many upgrades to list."

 

Mar 25, 2010 07:28 AM
Donna Harris
Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com - Austin, TX
Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator

No showing service here in the wonderful state of Austin. Yes, Austin tends to think they are their own state when it comes to real estate stuff...

Mar 25, 2010 07:31 AM
William James Walton Sr.
WEICHERT, REALTORS® - Briotti Group - Waterbury, CT
Greater Waterbury Real Estate

Indeed, indeed, Greg. You really know how to lay it out plainly, without the caustic abrasiveness of some other folks...hmmm....It would be great if all listing agents kept your advice in mind.

Mar 25, 2010 07:33 AM
Glenn Roberts
Retired - Seattle, WA

First you have to want to go there (photos and info) and then you have to have easy access. Otherwise, there are just too many other homes to show. Nice post.

Mar 25, 2010 07:39 AM
Dr. Stacey-Ann Baugh
Century 21 New Millennium - Upper Marlboro, MD
A doctor who makes house calls.

I agree, especially with the showing service.  I love making one call and making all my appointments and then having someone else deal with the headache of tracking down listing agents.  So true that we forget that agents may bypass stuff if we look like it's going to make their life difficult.

Mar 25, 2010 10:18 AM
Ellie McIntire
Ellicott City Clarksville Howard County Maryland Real Estate - Ellicott City, MD
Luxury service in Central Maryland

TELLING me not to try and call and track them down and that the listing is ACTIVE is enough to keep on going. Arrogance is becoming more frequent!

Mar 25, 2010 12:39 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

You put a lot of absolutely true stuff in this blog.  There are some agents that I definitely will not show their properties unless forced to do so by a buyer.  Therefore the buyer would need to find it and lead me to it and that's another good thing that you pointed out.

 

Mar 25, 2010 02:40 PM
Larry Story ALC
Total Care Realty - Greensboro, NC
Beneath it all is the Land, Covering all of NC

Greg,

 

We all get some type of reputation.  I am sure some of the agents near you now all of your persona's.  As I am sure there are some agents that know mine.  One of my assistants has a saying Larry Story you either love him or hate him.  I don't pull punches, I don't lie, I protect and take care of my clients.

 

 

Mar 25, 2010 03:42 PM
Steve Shatsky
Dallas, TX

Hi Greg... Agents are definitely gatekeepers to getting our listings sold.  Anyone who doesn't "get" that is missing a lot!

Mar 25, 2010 04:52 PM
Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

Greg - While I'm not a Realtor showing properties, I do know that these things are definitely a problem when it comes to showing a property.  The biggest gripe I hear from Realtors around here are difficult showing instructions.  Just today, I saw a listing on the MLS, a short sale with tenants in it, that was appt with the LA only and that the home will only be shown on Saturdays between 1pm-2pm .  SERIOUSLY!!!

Another gripe I hear are FSBO's and what a pain in the @$$ they are.  There are a lot of Realtors around here that simply won't show FSBO's anymore after having done one or two before.  They say that they're simply more trouble and grief than they're worth.

Mar 25, 2010 06:01 PM
Jim Palmer
Chipola Realty - Chipley Office (850) 638-2777 - Sunny Hills, FL
Washington County, Florida

You absolutely make some very valid points in this post and I am going to go through and double check my listings to make sure that they are also "agent friendly".

But what I want to know is "who are you? And what did you do with the off the wall, irreverent Greg Nino?"

Mar 25, 2010 11:21 PM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

So true, so true.  We are the first contact for a lot of communication and it doesn't help when you submit and offer and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . not a word from the listing agent.

Mar 26, 2010 05:12 AM
Lisa Heindel
Crescent City Living LLC - New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Real Estate Broker

Greg, I love the idea of adding a document with all of the upgrades/extras to the MLS.  Brilliant!

Mar 26, 2010 09:05 AM