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I'm Not Selling Real Estate

By
Real Estate Agent with Realty Five of Defiance

I'm Not Selling Real Estate

That's an odd statement to make since I'm a real estate broker and own my own real estate company in Defiance Ohio but it's true. 

Yes, I do sell homes and property and yes, I help people buy homes and property but the real estate business is so much more than just buying and selling the physical product of the property.  It's the selling of who I am as a person and who we are as a company. 

What I really sell is ME! 

When I work with a person to either buy or sell a home, I know that their experience, either good or bad, will heavily depend on me.  If they don't buy "Me" then their experience will be one that anyone could have been a part of.  But, when they buy into me, my experience, my abilites, and my concerns and hopes for them then the process is one they will remember.

Why is that?  It's because I'm really in the People Service Business and buying and selling homes is a by-product of giving exceptional service. 

Service, in the real estate community has really become a bad word.  I was speaking with a potential home seller recently and mentioned how I made customer service a priority and she quickly replied, "Everybody says that."  (Ouch!)  It's become a bad word because it's a word full of broken promises and the consumer knows it. 

So, why would anyone want to buy into me?  What do I do differently?  What do I offer that others are not?

I start out with the Guarantee: If you are not satisfied with how we are serving you during this process, I will let you out of our contract.  All I ask is you give me 48 hours to fix the problem.  If it is not fixed by then to your satisfaction, then I will release you from the contract.    

It's risky.  It's bold.  But, it tells my customers that I'm different and that I don't plan on breaking my promises.  I plan on making their experience great.

I Communicate: One of the biggest complaints we hear is how poorly agents communicate with their clients.  I say today, THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE!  With all the different means of communication in today's real estate world to not communicate with a seller or buyer who is trusting you with one of the largest investments in their lives is totally un-excuseable. 

I Follow Through: When someone asks me to do something and I say that I'll do it, I do all I can in my power to do it.  If they ask me to call, I call.  If they ask me to look, I look.  If they ask me to find out, I find out.  The truth is most of what I get asked to do can happen in a matter of minutes through my smartphone.  The excuses I've heard in the past are no longer valid and the consumer's know it. 

I Follow Up: It used to be difficult to keep track of all the lists of people who bought or sold a home and to try and stay in touch, but once again technology has taken that excuse away.  It is easy in today's world to simply plug their information into our devices and they will remind us of what needs to be done or in many cases will do it for us without us even knowing it. 

I'm in the "Me" business and I want you to buy into me because if you do, your homebuying or selling experience will be one of the best memories you have. 

I promise not to break my promises!

~Scott Williams

 

Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

If you say you don't break promises it can make it look like other agents, brokers, REALTORS do. A lot. I think rather than putting down other folks wearing the "R" in Little Jack Horner style, it is way better to just show how you market, provide the links, encourage them to google your area because of your great job at SEO. Lots of work put in to the marketing. Less agent, broker plaques on the wall and buy in to me the person and just deliver the product, sell it quickly and explain the process. Examples of your work, testimonials from your past customers and never rock throwing at others in the industry. Or trying to distance yourself from other agents, brokers, REALTORS. The public perception of us starts and ends with us. I don't think it is the me me me. It is the how how how you do the marketing of area and property. Your years of experience help with knowing inside out financing, etc. Lots of better images, video, blogging. Media active.  I'm just saying.

Mar 11, 2011 07:14 AM
Scott Williams
Realty Five of Defiance - Defiance, OH
Defiance, OH

Andrew, thanks for the comments.  I'm not saying that I tear down the other agents in the area, I just stress what I do and the customers see that I follow through and do more.  They are the ones who make the judgement call as to how I/we compare to the others.  I don't think it's so much my responsibility to uphold my competition's reputations as it is to mine.  I do try and distance myself from others in my local market as I don't want to be lumped into the mix but rather stand out as better.  If an agent can't claim to be better and prove it then they should consider getting out of the industry since its our responsibility to care for our clients.

Mar 12, 2011 05:07 AM