Home : Blogs : Kathleen "Kate" Elim LAKE ANNA, VA Real Estate : Lake Anna VA Real Estate Specialist - Kathleen Elim

Seller, Your First Agent was Great!

What do you tell your seller about their first agent? Are there times that you know the initial listing agent quite well and know that they are very good agents? When that happens what do you say?

There have been a few times when I have been asked to list a house that had been listed by an agent that I applause respected. I had no problems letting the sellers know that. If they complained about the property not selling I have come to the defense of the agent if I know that the agent has done an excellent job marketing the property. This is especially true when it is evident that the seller was the one that set the high price. Sometimes there is not much more that I can do to get the listing sold. If that is the truth, shouldn't we say so?

When the agent has been one that I either do not know or do not feel gives 100% I will reserve my opinion.

Pat Kennedy wrote a post, It's Fun To Be The Second Agent! (it's an interesting read) and Kelly Sibilsky made the following comment:

It's puzzling to me that the second agent will come in, request the wallpaper to be removed or the price to be lowered, and get the seller to make those changes. Sometimes the first agent suggested all these things but the seller resisted. I wonder if the sellers sometimes feel that they have "egg on their face" for not listening to the first agent, so decide to hire a different agent so they don't have to admit they were wrong?

Do you feel any obligation to defend a fellow agent if you know they have done a good job? It could be as a listing agent or it could be the agent on the other side of a transaction. Can we gently but firmly be supportive without offending our client?

Being supportive of other agents is not taking away from your ability to perform well. It is being honest.

Posted by Kathleen "Kate" Elim LAKE ANNA, VA Real Estate on 02/28/2008 06:45 PM

Comments (28)

pat kennedy, kelly sibilsky, realtors

Originally posted at: Lake Anna Country: Seller, Your First Agent was Great!

28 Comments on Seller, Your First Agent was Great!

FEB

2008

You do not necessarily need to tell them either of you are better or worse, maybe just different.

I really dont say much it's not my place. I like what kelly said, but I think it's really true they feel foolish for not listening so they listen to the new agent.

It shows your professionalism to speak well of the last agent. I have not come to the defense of the last agent becaue there is no way for me to know what they did & didn't do. And it is more important to discuss how to get the home sold.

It is important to ask the seller-

What didn't you like about the last agent & What do you think needed to be done to get the home sold.

These questions will help you get it sold.

Kathleen - Great Post! and great points. Honesty is always the best policy and "Like Mamma always said, 'If you can't say something nice about someone, don't say nuthin' at all.'"

Best Wishes,

Kelsie

Joey...I never make a comparison but I do say an agent did a good job if they did. I work in a very small market. I know almost all of the agents and many of them very well.

If I have seen the advertising they have done, the follow up on showings, photos taken, good web presence, and quality brochures, etc. I don't mind letting the seller know that there is not very much that I am going to be able to do differently. I don't want to pretend otherwise. I certainly will tell them I will do everything I can to get their place sold but if the fault is in the pricing they have to know that too.

Thanks for being part of the discussion.

Kathleen

Heather...I do not bring it up either. However, if the seller complains about their place not selling because of the agent's performance and it was really about the price I tell them that. If we do not address the real reason it has not sold we won't be able to get it sold.

Thanks for commenting.

Kathleen

Karen Ann...You are right, it is important to know what was done and what was not. Either way, I will try to do everything I can think of to get the property sold. There are some marketing things that I do that many of the other agents do not do in my area,

Thanks for your suggestions.

Kathleen

Kelsie...Your mama was right. They always are. I'm a mama so naturally I would say that.

Thanks for coming by.

Kathleen

Hi Kathleen,
If the Seller brings it up and I can say something positive, I do. If I can't say anything positive, I say something like "well, now we need to really come up with the best way to market this house". Usually works.

Cynthia...I agree. It serves no purpose denigrating other REALTORS®. The more positive we can be about our profession the better.

Thanks and take care,

Kathleen

Kathleen - this is a good topic. I just took an expired listing. It had been on with one of the county's to 5 agents. The sellers complained of the lack of service and counseling. They explained that the agent put a sign in the ground, and walked away - never calling them. She didn't even do a CMA - just let the seller name the price. I told them that their last agent obviously has a strong sales record, but maybe she is a little too busy. I had to communicate somehow that I understand how they felt while still trying to be proffesional by not bashing the other agent.

I find the third or forth time is the charm!

FEB

2008

Kathleen, First thanks for the plug! If they trash their first agent, that's a red flag for me. Of course, there are some agents who deserve to e trashed, but if it's someone I know and respect, I'll venture into the "it's not your other agent" conversation. I also send them to the chapter in my book, "When To Fire Your Agent". That sort of says it for me.

As all agents know, our code of ethics clearly states that we do not put down other agents. I agree being a 2nd agent on a listing is a lot easier.

Your Friend in Charlottesville!

Great post and topic! I don't like to make negative comments about other agents. One never knows the entire situation and I would hate to make a statement that I would regret later. If the client starts to trash them, I simply respond by saying that each of us are individual and we all do things a little differently.

Be careful of what you say today as it will come back to bite you . I stick to the subject of the getting the home sold.and what I will do for them. My presentation should work for itself..

I don't think it's proper or ethical to say anything negative about another agent. If the client goes on a tirade about them, I just tell them I'm sorry they had issues and let them know that I don't make remarks about other agents and move on to the subject at hand.

Carol...It is a fine line sometimes. We cannot be negative about another REALTOR and yet we do want our client to know that we understand their concern when they feel they have been ill served. The best we can do is reassure them that we will fulfill our commitment to them as expressed in our marketing plan.

Thanks for your comment.

Kathleen

Jim...and there have been way too many of those.

Cheers,

Kathleen

I always try to make a kind statement--even if it's about the agent personally... such as "she's a really nice woman" or "she is a hard worker" rather than commenting on the job she did (or didn't do).

Pat...Glad to give you the plug. It was a good post and it did precipitate this one.

Take care,

Kathleen

Charles...you are exactly right. That is why I posted it in the Ethics and the Realtor Group. I'm glad you raised the point. I should have included that in the post.

Thanks,

Kathleen

Lissa...I agree, trashing is non-productive. And, most importantly, against the Code of Ethics as Charles McDonald so aptly stated in his comment.

Glad you joined the discussion.

Kathleen

Sharon...That's the positive approach and the ethical one. Should work every time.

Take care,

Kathleen

Sandra...That is the best approach and the right one.

Thank you for sharing.

Kathleen

Erica...That helps set the tone on a much better level. It reveals the type of relationship you mean to establish with your client.

Cheers,

Kathleen

I would definitely be honest, but gentle. It's so important for the seller to take responsibility for their sale so that when you work with them they respect you!

Diane...you put it so well. If we are respectful of our fellow agents and with our clients we will, hopefully, receive the same from them.

Thanks for commenting.

Kathleen

Leave a response…

Name:

Email:
(optional)

Comment:

What does the graphic say?