6 Responses To Things The Public Hates About Realtors
This blog post by Greg Nino (a fellow Real Estate Agent who works in the Houston, Texas area) is SPOT ON on all of these points.
The only thing that I would add to it is on #1 - that is precisely why we don't even do flyer boxes anymore. We have found that using a text rider on the sign is so much more effective in this technological age. People who are truly interested in the information on the home will send for the automated text info. The text information includes more photos than a flyer can hold and almost all of the details that are on the MLS listing - also more than the flyer can hold. In addition to that it won't get thrown away or lost. If the person is interested in the house and is later trying to tell a friend or family about it they may not still have the flyer, may have forgotten the address, etc but with the text info it doesn't matter, they can just go straight to their text and flip through photos and share the information. In addition to this we are able to call those interested parties to set up an appointment to view the house or answer any additional questions they may have Flyer boxes are old news, that's my personal and professional opinion.
Over the last ten years I've heard the same complaints repeatedly. Over and over again I try and explain to my friends, family, customers and clients why we agents do the things we do. I can't say my opinions are the voice of all 1 million agents across the industry, but I suspect many of them have similar thoughts on my responses. In no particular order...
1. Why are there never flyers in the flyer box?!
There were. It's not uncommon for teenagers to grab all of the flyers and toss them in the gutter. Sometimes it's an angry neighbor. One of my sellers caught her ex-husband (on camera) stealing both my sign and my flyers. Some potential buyers will grab 3 at a time. The fact is, I don't drive by my listings every other day to fill boxes. I ask all my sellers to "let me know" when they are out of flyers and believe it or not, some of them don't.
2. Why can't the Realtor come meet me at the house when I call?
Unlike first responders, Realtors do not have lights and sirens on their personal vehicles. On top of that, we have many other customers, clients, duties, responsibilities to tend to. And there are times that we need and want to spend time with our families. We usually need and prefer notice. We prefer to set "appointments" and get to know you - to a point. We expect buyers to jump through at least a few hoops before we invest our our most valuable commodity in you - our time.
3. Realtors never answer their phone!
Not true. I practically sleep with mine. Last night I woke up and found it was stuck to my back. I look at my phone every 3-4 minutes, which is terrible. I'm a cell-phone junky. The ONLY time I do not answer my phone is when I'm in a closing, in a conversation with a client, or in the hospital. Even with that cell phone dedication I've been known to miss a call or two. I can't possibly answer every call and respond to it with lightning speed, although I try.
4. The Agent got paid a lot to do hardly anything, I found the house!
It doesn't matter that you found the house. It's like suggesting a full rebate on your home owners insurance because you didn't file a claim. I get paid for what I know, what I may need to explain, help with and assist with. There's a plethora of things we agents do besides unlock doors, run comps and put signs in yards. Keep in mind we don't always tell you the negative and challenging things that go on in the background. There's a lot of details we shield our clients from because that's OUR job, not yours. We are the sole reason the MLS is a functioning entity. Without it, your home would be hosted on random 3rd party sites that are more about selling web traffic to Realtors then they are selling your house.
5. The agent who listed my home hasn't sold it.
If I had to guess a percentage, I'd suggest that 85% of the time your listing agent will not find you the buyer for your home. A good listing agent will promote, market and push your property to both the public AND the real estate community. Remember, over 87% of Texas buyers use Realtors, that means our mojo must work for agents - and it better be good! The way our property is promoted, written and photographed matters. As a buyer's agent I won't send my buyer a listing if the "demands" on the mls are not in my clients best interest. Local agents like working with local agents who get it. If 87% of all buyers use agents then it stands to reason that you're better off listing your home with a friendly agent who is approachable, knowledgeable and readily available to the community! Are there Realtors who avoid other Realtors listings on purpose? Yes. Is it ethical and permitted? No.
6. My agent won't do Open Houses or list my home on that "other" website.
Believe it or not, not all Open Houses are worth the time, effort or energy. What you see on television is nothing like the real world of real estate. New reality show? Most homes in a sellers market do not need an open house. In fact, the number one reason an Open House is done (usually) is to benefit the agent holding it. Some agents hold open houses just to shut the seller up. It's a way of saying.. "here, here's your open house, now shut up." There are some markets, some situations and some listings that definitely need and benefit from an open house. Some agents are magnificent when it comes to drawing in the public, but the house has to warrant the concept, especially if it's intention is to benefit the seller. Your run of the mill home in a sellers market may bring you more problems than offers. Each time an open house is performed you take a risk. Theft, accidents, someone drinking too much wine, an insurance claim, a clogged toilet. The list goes on and on. Most Open Houses are hosted by just one person. What happens when 5 families walk in together? Your imagination can probably answer that one. Who's that weirdo who just walked out of the woods and into my house with a backpack? If your agent tells you that an Open House is not best for your situation then there's probably good reason for it. What's practical and what's on HGTV are 2 different things. Those other websites are there to make money off of Realtors, not necessarily sell your home. Believe it or not, your listing is automatically syndicated and uploaded to hundreds of websites around the Internet - without the agent clicking on a single button. Your home very likely does not need to be featured on Zillow or Realtor.com in order to sell. In fact, I've never used either of those entities to "feature" one of my listings. It's like me telling you to use Polo paint on the inside of your home versus another brand. Most of those other sites are flashing parlor tricks. Keep it simple, keep it priced right and keep it marketed with common sense.
Greg Nino, Houston area Realtor®.
Helping residential buyers, sellers and tenants 7 days a week.
Available @ 832-298-8555RE/MAX Compass (Formerly RE/MAX WHP)
The information contained in this blog is believed to be reliable and while every effort is made to assure that the information is as accurate as possible, the author of this blog, and its comments disclaim any implied warranty or representation about it's accuracy, completeness or appropriateness for any particular purpose. All information is copywritten and the property of Greg Nino.
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