When the Buyers Have The Time To Write An Offer . . . Listing Agents PLEASE Consider This

Carla, thank you for this interesting and thought-provoking post!  I think I got to #50 and my eyes are crossing from tiredness, so I'm going to sleep finally and will read the rest later.  I think there are valid points on both sides of this conversation, and BALANCE is what is needed in our careers.  And when we answer the phone, we should ALWAYS be cordial and kind; if it's inconvenient to get into anything on the phone, simply don't answer it!  If you do, be friendly and professional; it's in your client's best interest, which is what it is all about anyway!!

With all of the various challenges going on with both side of transactions today, there is really no room for "snarkiness" and we all have to get along better than ever to hold it all together and land at the closing table for our clients.  You are in one of the only industries that has us compete and cooperate AND is a very emotional decision for many of our clients whether buying or selling.  If we can be respectful or even kind to one another, it certainly makes the job a little smoother.  All parties have the same goal in mind at the end, it is not a fight to the death :) lol Courtesy on both sides goes a long way and we all would rather ride on the smooth road than a bumpy one. 

Most excellent point and I am bewildered that this type of business attitude still exists. I thought the recession would weed that type of thinking right out..

Good or bad, we have become an instant gratification society. Whatever did we do before cell phones, e-mail, and even fax machines?

As both a listing and selling agent, I can see both sides of most of the replies. But I don't see any advantage to not returning calls on weekends. I have just spent a weekend doing an open house and helping a buyer with an offer online in a 3 hour difference time zone, as well as talking to a buyer's agent whose buyers may make another offer after dropping out a couple of weeks ago. Weekends are definitely a busy time, but this fits my lifestyle and I don't mind answering my cellphone. How else would I have known (in a call from a passer-by) that one of my vacant listings had been vandalized? How else could I have called a contractor and talked to the State Police? Give me a break!  It's my job!

I call for a number of reasons, one being that once you submit an offer, the other party tends to close up and be less free with information. Ironically, sharing some of this information may actually lead to a better outcome for their client. (When they would like to close, etc. etc.

Just had a great experience with a listing agent this weekend. We avoided a bidding war when I found out an offer was coming in from another agent on Monday from an agent she really didn't want to work with. We set "life" aside and got everything worked out yesterday.

BTW, just used DocuSign for the complete contract, Buyer and Seller. It saved a lot of time since the parties are in different states.

i believe its  good idea to know if the property has recvd other offers prior to my buyers submitting their offer. Sometimes, the listing agent will advise, no other others will be accepted...that would save the wasted time of preparing and submitting one which will be rejected. It s just a matter of common sense and courtesy. Our fiduciary responsibilities are with our respective client. All of us ..no matter what side of the fence youre located should have a mutual understanding..and common goals...to service client and get the property sold. Poor attitudes amount to poor and sometimes destructive acts. There is no blueprint or time schedule in our industry. If you do not want to be disturbed at any time.just modify your Voice Mail or just dont answer the phone.  Eventually, with proper communication...property courtesy...and understanding....the transaction would consumate.

Thank you for interesting article.....Mike

I love this post, as a loan officer, anytime the borrower wants to sign is the right time as long as that time is AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. A lot can happen in a day and when a fish jumps in your boat it's better to get your hands on it then to let it flop around on it's own waiting for you to respond. It just may flop out of your boat and into someone elses. What the heck, it's only a transaction and a paycheck, right??!

Obviously hit a major nerve with this post!! It is a very fine line we must try to walk between our families, friends, clients and some personal "ME" time. Balance is difficult to attain, but extremely necessary for our overall health. Good manners is just a basic fact of life.

In the end there won't be a bunch of Realtors coming to your funeral and leaving their cards. Make time for family, but be professional. You only get one shot at this life!

Carla - I hope this is a once in a while occurence.  If it is, that means we are getting relieved of some Realtors® who just do not get it!  I owe it to my sellers to be as responsive to an offer as I am to marketing their property.

Carla, Do Realtors really have a dinner hour???  I must have missed that one.  Sometimes we end up eating really late because we are taking care of OUR clients, unlike many other Realtors I have dealt with.    I had one agent that his phone message said "Don't leave a message, don't text me, don't email me, don't call my office because they don't know anything on my properties"...  What else is there.  I left a message because my clients wanted to get into the property that we were at and his key didn't fit the door.  He NEVER returned my call.  We moved on.  (NEVER called that day on any other)

Carla:

How did I miss this post? Absolutely terrific!!!

Carla, way too many comments to read, but looking at the last comment...I agree completely.  I don't have set hours...I take calls when they come in...you don't disturb me anytime you call with and offer or questions about a listing.  Wish I was here early enough to suggest.  Great, great job and thanks for saying every word of it.

I "like" this!!!  I wish we had like buttons on here!

Carla,

I, too, am a buyer agent (by choice!) and I can see your perspective.

For me, it is more frustrating to get no answer and then NO follow-up response.

Check this one....there is an agent here in the DFW area who posts instructions on when you are to submit offers. (No, she is not an REO agent).

In fact, her instruction sheet in MLS states that offers submitted after 5 pm on Friday will not be submitted to the seller until Monday morning!

I bet THAT gives you the big time warm fuzzies, huh???!!! :0)

PS I just subscribed to your blog....we BA's have to stick together!

The thing is, we are all trying to accomplish the same thing--sell a house.  We are in this together.  I think we all want to be treated with respect.  Use the Golden Rule. 

 It has been recently frustrating to me to find that some agents don't respond on the weekends.  No way to get them.  It kills me!

If it's dinner time they can choose not to answer the phone! If it's their cell phone you can always just call back...if you're really disturbing them, they had the choice not to answer. And if an agent calls me with an offer I would be more than happy to take the time to speak with them!

thanks Carla for the chuckles. Real Estate is not one of those careers when "you can set your own hours..."