Objection Handling for Expireds # 5 of 7: "We are only going to interview agents who showed our home"

Welcome Agents. Thanks for joining this series of posts about how to answer common objections consumers raise when you solicit their expired listing.

Welcome Consumers.  You have questions about how to get your home sold.  This series will be of benefit to you as well.

Every Friday I am writing about objection handling.  These posts will reflect 13 years of experience in handling objections and reveal collected scripts that you can use.  Your comments and participation is welcome.

Our Bradenton, Fl real estate market has seen more expired listings in the last 12 months than at any time since records have been kept.  Most markets across the country are experiencing the same thing.

Both agents and consumers are frustrated. Agents WANT to be successful and sell their listing.  Consumers want an agent who gets the job done.

You may want to read the introduction to this series: Objection Handling: New Series of Posts. I also suggest you read: Objection Handling For Real Estate Professionals: A Five Step Method . Both agents and consumers are invited to participate.

Here are the most common objections posed by consumers that I'll be addressing:

1. "We're going to re-list with the same agent."
2. "Where were you when my home was for sale?"
3. "All real estate agents are the same anyway"
4. "We are going to drop our price and sell it ourselves."
5. "We are only going to interview agents who showed our home."
6. "We are going to take it off the market for a while."
7. Bonus: Killer Closes for Expired Prospecting.

Objection #5: "We're only going to interview agents who showed our home while it was listed."

When the consumer makes this statement I believe it's because they just do not understand exactly what agents do.  They do not see the value of your marketing strategy. You really want to help them and know how to help them.  How do you communicate that to your prospective customer?  

Here's some dialogue you might want to learn to share in your own words....

Answer #1:

"I'm so glad you brought that up...AND...what I think you're saying is that you're looking for an agent who is actively out there, working with buyers, actually selling homes...right?

"You see, while your home was on the market...I sold ____ homes.  It would have been nice if yours was one of those, right? Let's get together and I'll show you my plan for getting your home sold."

Answer #2:

"I'm so glad you brought that up.  It's common to think, "If they showed my house while it was listed, maybe they're a good agent to talk to", right?  May I tell you why that may be the worst way to choose an agent?  You see, some agents just kind of go around constantly showing homes.  They don't sell many homes at all.  And when they are out there showing other agent's listings...who's taking care of their listings?  Don't you want to hire an agent whose sole focus is getting your home sold?  (Name) I've sold _____ homes.  Let's talk about getting your home sold...."

Answer #3:

"I'm curious...what specifically causes you to believe than an agent who walked a buyer through your home, has the skill and power to market your property successfully?  Look, you just want an agent that will successfully sell your home, right?  Let's get together and I'll show you how I can do that.  You'll be glad you did."

Remember these keys:

1. Objection handling isn't about tricking the consumer or finding some magic words to convince them to do what YOU want them to do.
2. Objection handling is about telling the truth in a non-confrontational manner.
3. Objection handling is not about memorizing a script, but about listening to the customer and answering their honest questions with honest answers.
4. Objection handling is about improving your communication skills which will help you and your customer.

For Consumers
These posts are giving you a peek behind the curtain of what we as REALTORS do to earn our fee for service.  

You see objection handling isn't about "tricking" you the consumer into giving us your business. It is about honestly answering questions and objections in an effective way to help you, the consumer, make a wise choice.

Hiring the right agent is 95% of getting your property sold. I trust that this series will help you make the best possible choice when it comes time to hire your next agent.

Having your listing expire is a frustrating and disappointing experience. You may feel anger at your listing agent and toward all agents in general. I understand that feeling and can appreciate your frustration.  And, you need to know that not all agents are the same. What you need is a Realtor who is experienced in counseling you about this major decision.  You need a Realtor who has a proven marketing strategy and the ability to help you price the home correctly.

If you are selling a home in the Bradenton, FL real estate market, I would welcome the opportunity to assist you.

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(Copyright © 2008 By Dan Forbes, All Rights Reserved.)

Dan Forbes, PL is a licensed Broker-Associate and Certified Residential Specialist. He leads the Forbes Advantage Teamat RE/MAX Gulfstream Realty's Lakewood Ranch Office in Bradenton, Florida.

To learn more about buying a home or selling a home in the Bradenton - Sarasota Florida Real Estate market please visit Dan on the web at  BradentonFloridaRealEstate.com ;   TheRealEstateZoo.com;    The-Short-Sale-Expert.com ; and   BradentonRealEstateClub.com 

Call Dan Forbes today: 941-713-5760 or toll free at 800-756-3068.