I BELIEVE THAT YOUR AGENT FOR 2222 S. LAUREL ST. MAY BE ILL OR IN AN ACCIDENT OR SOMETHING!

This is one of the reasons why I am so fond of showing services.  It keeps me from being held hostage by a listing agent who refuses to answer the phone or return a call.

Lenn, when an agent won't return my call within a reasonable amount of time (which varies depending on how much of a hurry I'm in to get an answer), I will call again and opine about how I hope they are okay and that nothing has happened to them because I haven't heard from them and that if I don't hear from them I'm going to have to call their broker to see if they are okay..........

SHAZAM!!!!!! They call back within a few minutes!!!

I think we must think somewhat alike :)

We use CSS so most of the appointment instructions are listed as "go and show" instead of "by appointment only" so this minimizes problems...thank goodness.

Our MLS switched over to an e-showing system a while back.  It's great -- except for the offices that opted out of the system.  And still don't return phone calls . . .

Again - a super, worthwhile, interesting and timely blog.  

The nice thing about my office is we have phone coverage 7 days a week. If they want to call and schedule with me, its fine, although the office is more efficient.

Calling the broker is always interesting!  The stories, the excuses, the fumbling around... but most of the time, the listing agent does call back and most of the time, they are highly irritated at you!   But if that is what it takes to see the property, then that's what I'll do.

Lenn,

That strategy would seem to work. However, I think it's restricted to residential. some commercial listing agents take the better part of a week to get back about an appointment.

Brian

This is a continuing problem with some agents. There are those who are great about returning calls, or better yet actually answering their phones. But some are notorious for never calling back. And some of them, with REOs, ARE the brokers in small offices. And often they are out of the area. It's hard to find a good excuse for them when buyers ask. Guess there isn't one.

Jeff

Some Agents are just plain hard to work for or with.  You can't sell it if no one can see it.

I wish it was as easy as calling the Broker. We have a lot of "one-off" "rent-a-brokers" in my market, and they're harder to reach than the agent. And if you can reach them, they don't care.

I still say to just go to the house,knock on the door, explain the situation and go in and see the house. And if the sellers get irritated, that's ok, they hire the "bad" agent and maybe they will do something about it.

Lenn, I read one of your comments the other day about listing agent’s strategies not to answer phones so that they have enough time to double end their listing. Notice I did not place quotations around that … however that is how I interpreted the comment … referenced again here as “a tad dilatory about returning phone message…” I like the idea of going directly to the sellers … great post … thanks!

Not returning an appointment in 2 hours is not unacceptable, IMHO. But when the ability of returning calls is impeded, then that's bad business practise.

Sounds like a plan, as it happens here quite often. My issue is the few times I have had reason to call the Broker, they always, always, always side with the agent.

Perhaps adding the "fear of something happed to the invisible agent" might do the trick.

Happens all the time!  When you get the broker manager on the phone the listing agent immediately calls you back.

Lenn, maybe there are a lot of agents out there who aren't allowed to make phone calls from their full time job. lol A cal to the Broker works.

Lenn,

Once again, well said.  When I list a property, I put in the show instructions to either call my cell (which I always have in hand) and/or text my cell.  This way if I'm at a closing or somewhere where I can answer the phone I can text them back with go ahead to show the property.  I've gone days without hearing from listing agents when trying to show their properties.  Especially on properties that require 24 hours to show or listing agent to accompany (which I can't stand those kinds) but anyway sometimes you look at the DOM of these properties and you understand why they haven't sold.  The agent doesn't answer their phone or return calls!