Florida realtor opportunities
Hi there,

So… you want to take some listings?

In my opinion, there is no better way to get properties to sell than by soliciting expired listings. These listings expired mainly because of pricing. It was too high.

These Sellers have already decided to sell and they have already decided to use an agent. It can’t get any better than that.

Now all you have to do is get them to contact you. There are many different programs out there on how to work expired listings. Some suggest knocking on their door. Some have a system in place where you mail out numerous marketing materials staggered over a few months period. Some want you to call them.

My guess is that ALL of these programs will work if you follow their plan. But for me? I’m just too lazy to do this much work. I’m also too busy. So I have a very simple system that works for me. I keep it simple so I’ll do it. I don’t want a system that takes up too much of my time. So……..

I mail one letter. Every day. To every expired listing. With no exceptions. I have been doing that for 14 years. I usually get a couple a listings a month out of it. But you have to commit to it and be consistent.

Remember, the one day you miss is the day you would of hit a hot listing. So just like any marketing plan you have to stick to it. Don’t over think it. Just do it.

I do not personalize the letter but do hand write the envelope with the owner’s name. Whether they are owner occupants or absentee owners they get the same letter. I look them up in the tax records to make sure they are going to the right place. Sometimes if I am slow I will sit down and stuff a 100 or so envelopes so all I have to do is write an address and stick them in the mail.

This letter works for me but obviously modify to fit your own personality. I believe in short sweet and simple. It should be one page but the largest print that will fit. I think I use 12 or 14 font.

***Consistency is key!

Have you mailed to expired listing before and it didn’t work? If so, then maybe it's because they read like every other letter out there. You know what I mean. "We Market your house on 500 websites", "Our CMA is the best" and blah blah blah. There is no value proposition at all. The letter did not address the expired listing Seller's biggest concerns.

  1. Lack of communication

  2. Locked into a long listing agreement

  3. Can't cancel without paying a fee

  4. Never heard from my agent 

If you want to have success working expired listings then you have to remember that the only reason you are contacting them is to get them to contact you. That's it. You want them to call or email you.

ALL expired listing Sellers have the same concerns that I listed above. I have NEVER, not once, had a Seller tell me their listing didn't sell due to pricing and rarely do they mention marketing. But they ALWAYS mention the agent's lack of communication. And of course we all know that the agent didn't contact them because they took an overpriced listing and didn't have any showings to call the sellers about.

The agent took the overpriced listing because they don't know how to sell Sellers on pricing. It's not the Seller's fault. It's not because the Seller made a bad decision. So quit telling then they did!

Sellers want to know what you are going to do different for them.  ALL agents pitch marketing and CMAs.

I don't.

I pitch 4 main things:

  1. I will answer my phone when you call from 8am to 7 pm 6 days a week OR I will return your call within 1 hour guaranteed. Try it!! And they do. They will leave me a message telling me I have 60 minutes to return their call.

  2. 45 day listing agreement

  3. Fire me anytime

  4. Minimum once a week updates 

And it just happens that these four value propositions line up perfectly with the Seller's four main complaints.

Build your letters around their common complaints and your letters will work. Save the marketing strategies and CMA until you are face to face.  Make the phone ring. Pitch your wares later. Its simple.

 

SAMPLE LETTER

 

Greetings!

IF YOU ARE READING THIS LETTER THEN YOUR REALTOR HAS NOT SOLD YOUR HOME.

My name is Bryant Tutas and I am the Broker and Owner of Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. I have noticed that your house was recently taken off the market so I am writing to see if you still have an interest in selling.

I welcome the opportunity to meet with you to go over your Real Estate needs and update you on current market conditions in Poinciana. Together we can devise a plan that will get your home sold.

In this more difficult market you need a Realtor experienced in your area who will get your home sold for full market value in a reasonable amount of time. I will offer you my 15 years of experience selling homes in Poinciana and an unconditional 45 day listing agreement that you can cancel at anytime with no fees to you. I get paid when you get paid. At closing.

I promise to talk to you personally during the listing period at least twice a week with updates. I promise to answer my phone when you call or return your call within 30 minutes Mon-Sun 8am-8pm. Try it! 555-555-2222.

Also check out my web site at www.CentralFloridaShortSales.com.

Folks, if you are serious about selling your home then give me a call today and start packing! I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,



Bryant Tutas, GRI

Broker/Owner

EM: BrokerBryant@gmail.com

 

***I am NOT an Attorney nor do I play one on TV. Click the button below for my Bio.

The BIO for Bryant Tutas

Copyright © 2011 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved

 

 

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Do NOT be foreclosed on! Avoid foreclosure. Short Sales DO close.

Want to find out more? www.CentralFloridaShortSales.com

***I am NOT an Attorney nor do I play one on TV. Click the button below for my Bio.

The BIO for Bryant Tutas

 

 Tutas Towne Realty, Inc handles Florida real estate sales, Florida short sales, Florida strategic short sales, Florida pre-foreclosure sales, Florida foreclosures in Kissimmee Florida Short Sales, Davenport Florida Short Sales, Haines City Florida Short Sales, Poinciana Florida Short Sales, Solivita Florida Short Sales,  Orlando Florida Short Sales, Celebration Florida Short Sales, Winderemere Florida Short Sales. Serving all of Polk, Osceola and Orange Counties Florida. Florida Short Sale Broker. Short Sale Florida.

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Post is included in group: Real Estate Rookie

32 Comments on Working Expired Listings The Easy Way!

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

DEC
11
2011
336,680 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Bryant ~ Thanks for the details. I have tried before and let other agents opinions get me off track. I'm curious if you keep any record of who you sent the letters to, however, I'm thinking ... to keep it simple... not likely. Thanks again.

9:44pm • #13
DEC
12
2011
983,562 Points 106 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

That's a GREAT letter, BB. I love it. I have no idea how you do it, except that in knowing you, I know you keep your word and you do DO IT. There are times I am with a client for 90 minutes, so I could not possibly promise to return all calls in 30 or 60 minutes. But I could do 90 minutes, hahahha.

10:49am • #14
483,820 Points 5 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Called Shot Master

Bryant,

Thanks for the update, one last question. You do a 45 day agreement. Would you change that at all if the market time is a lot longer and the prices higher. I know your median price is about 20% of mine, maybe even lower. Everyone here does 6 or 12 month listing agreements, the argument being give me time to recoup my advertising costs. (Or the corporate directive maybe). Seems to me this program could wipe the slate clean on expireds.

Lastly and only because I know your area, lived in Palm Beach near Katerina for a yearin 2003 and also vacationed in Poinciana in 2002, do you cover a wider area with your expired program or stick to you area? I checked our expireds for the last 30 days in my zip and there were 33. 5 of those are above $3 million and might not even get a showing in 45 days. ( Not likely to go after those )

Thanks for your input, I nearly started this last year, and like many procrastinated and now here we are again!

Thanks in advance for your time.

Feel free to reply to info@corinneguest.com 

10:57am • #15
1,047,942 Points 396 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Corinne. The 45 day listing agreement is a strong marketing tool.  The entire pitch is " I don't need more than 45 days to win your business" Here's the rest.....

http://activerain.com/blogsview/6251/45-days-listing-agreements-weak-i-don-t-think-so-

1:31pm • #16
DEC
15
2011
801,287 Points 20 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I am going to implement this as well with a couple of other 2012 actions. I guess even if they re-list before my letter arrives with the same agent the postage is not wasted!

7:22am • #17
DEC
27
2011
113,725 Points 2 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Bryant - this is great.  thank you for sharing.  One question - just to confirm - do you only send one letter to each expired?  Or is it a campaign?  Am I reading too much into this? Or is it truly a "One and done".  I think your sample letter hits all of the expired seller's concerns.  Thanks for sharing!

8:03pm • #18
DEC
28
2011
JAN
02
2012
194,730 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Love it! I am in and will add this to my plan. I like the one and done.

11:06pm • #21
JAN
12
2012
173,141 Points

Bryant, thanks for sharing this post, and your letter.  You prove that consistency and preserverace are the key :)

2:41pm • #22
OCT
07
112,209 Points Outside Blog

Bryant, thanks for the perspective and the great information, extremely useful.

1:52pm • #23
OCT
09
2 Featured Posts

Bryant,

 

Thanks for the great letter.  I willtry it,

11:21pm • #24
OCT
24
Outside Blog

Great articule!  I especially like you noting that it's not the seller's fault.  We, as agents, need to get better at helping sellers self-discover what an accurate price to list at should be.

5:57am • #25
DEC
18
318,316 Points 6 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor

Definitely my top priority for 2013.  Great sample letter, thanks for sharing -- bookmarked!

7:07pm • #26
JAN
06
9 Featured Posts Outside Blog

This is a perfect plan, thank you so much for sharing.  I've been testing a searching for a plan that works and is SIMPLE.  Like you, I prefer letters, and I'm too busy.  But I also believe in consistency.  THANK YOU!

6:20pm • #27
FEB
13

I am excited to try this! Thanks for the info!

3:19pm • #28
FEB
16

Thanks for sharing great information

12:25pm • #29
APR
15

Great info brother! Hand-writing the envelopes definitely gives your letters a more personal touch & doesn't scream 'junk mail'. I'm still pretty new to the real estate gig and expired listings have a lot of potential from what I've been reading on AR. For an introvert like myself who has a way with words the direct mail campaign seems like its highly effective if you take a pragmatic approach to it.

Curious to know two things: One letter a day for every expired listing? Wow, how many owners do you keep in rotation on average? Sounds a bit excessive & time consuming if you're chasing twenty leads at time if you ask me, but would love to be proven wrong. Also, what kind of information are you sharing in your follow up letters? Feel like I'd run out of stuff to talk about after the first week of letters. Lemmie know, your advice is appreciated. -=JB=-

11:29am • #30
APR
16
1,047,942 Points 396 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Hi Jake. I only send the one letter one time. I don't follow up as I'm just playing the numbers.

4:01am • #31
APR
21

Very good info!  I have a system in place as well but, will be adding a few of your suggestions! 

6:54pm • #32

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Bryant Tutas Broker/REALTOR(R) Tutas Towne Realty, Inc

Poinciana, FL

More about me…

Bryant Tutas-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc

Address: 628 Grand Canal Dr, Poinciana, Fl, 34759

Office Phone: (407) 870-9003

Cell Phone: (407) 873-2747

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