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Dear Listing Agent, Why Haven't You Brought A Buyer Through My Home?

By
Real Estate Agent with Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com SAL.2002007747

Our home, not the others!!Dear Listing Agent, Why Haven't You Brought A Buyer Through My Home?

 

Question:  Why hasn't my listing agent brought any buyers through my home?  When we discussed listing the home, they LOVED our home and said they had buyers.  So WHERE are those buyers and why hasn't our listing agent shown our home??!!! 

Signed,

I'm THIS CLOSE to firing my agent!

 

Recently we had a conversation with a home seller (not ours, they live in FAR FAR AWAY LAND, but they bought a house here with us) and that question came up.

The perception was created from the start that the listing agent would be likely to bring the home's buyer.  And it hasn't happened.  No showings by the listing agent.  Perhaps that wasn't what the agent intended, but it is the perception of the sellers. 

Maybe what the listing agent MEANT was "my marketing plan will make sure the buyers are going to see your home and THEIR agents will bring them through and I as your listing agent will CAUSE the sale of your home!".

After all, CAUSING the sale of the home is the goal of the listing agent. 

Fact is at any given moment since we work with both home sellers and buyers, we may be working with quite a few buyers, but what are the odds that one of them will be an EXACT match for a particular home?  Honestly, not so good.  Even when ALL the key criteria (location, bedrooms, baths, garage spaces, lot size, price range, etc.) line up, there may still be things about the home that aren't the perfect fit for the home, so we still wouldn't be showing your home.

Now as your listing agent I MAY actually show your home.  A buyer  may reach out to us and want to see your home.  Bingo!!  Our marketing has done its job.  But that may just as easily NOT happen.  The buyers may already have an agent and that agent will be the one showing your home.  But even then, it's our marketing that set the table.  The pictures, the write up, the accuracy in MLS combined to create the favorable situation for that buyer to like your home.  And perhaps that showing may lead to a contract.

The fact that we can't guarantee a showing by us personally is a conversation we have with our potential seller clients.  We lay out what we do, what we don't do, and what all of us can expect.

Because what happens when the seller has the perception in the question at the top?  You have a VERY disappointed seller who thinks the listing agent isn't doing their job because what is happening ISN'T what was promised.  They may even think the agent tried to feed them some "cattle output", and that's bad for all involved, the sellers and the agent.  Clear expectations up front can avoid disappointment later.

Serving Warren County home buyers and sellers,
Liz and Bill aka BLiz

Posted by

Serving Warren County Ohio & Adjacent Areas

The Liz Spear Team of Transaction Alliance
Elizabeth Spear, ABR, Ohio License SAL.2002007747

William (Bill) Spear, Ohio License SAL.2004011109  Kentucky 77938
Ask for us by name if you visit the office!

EHO
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Comments (20)

Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Good morning, Liz and Bill -- this is a misconception that needs to be addressed at the listing appointment.   Good post.  

Jun 26, 2015 12:57 AM
Raymond E. Camp
Ontario, NY

Good morning Liz,

There are so many that will take a listing and stop without a plan to advertise the property!

Make yourself a great day.

Jun 26, 2015 12:58 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Liz and Bill

This is a great post addressing the misconception.  However,  when we had our commercial real estate practice, I can recall many instances when the seller was told, give me the listing, I have a lot of buyers who would love your building...which was a far from the truth as you could get.  So eventually, sellers got smart and gave those folks a one party listing agreement...that sent them scurrying away.  A

Jun 26, 2015 01:04 AM
Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO
Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Bliz - You're right - that's a great discussion to have at the beginning. We point out that were we to make a priority of having the buyer of their home as our client, we could offer agency to neither, and a strategy to accomplish that would entail limiting their marketing reach.

Jun 26, 2015 01:44 AM
Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

Seems like an issue that should be discussed and settled before entering into an agreement with a listing agent.

Jun 26, 2015 03:07 AM
Anita Clark
Coldwell Banker Access Realty ~ 478.960.8055 - Warner Robins, GA
Realtor - Homes for Sale in Warner Robins GA

BLiz: While the vast majority of agents are hard working and honest, there are a small percentage that will say just about anything to get a listing...including that they have a buyer who wants the home. Hopefully that was not the case with the sellers who asked you for advice.

Jun 26, 2015 08:48 AM
Nick T Pappas
Assoc. Broker ABR, CRS, SFR, e-Pro, @Homes Realty Group, Broker/Providence Property Mgmnt, LLC Huntsville AL - Huntsville, AL
Madison & Huntsville Alabama Real Estate Resource

BLiz, expectations need to be laid out clearly from the beginning. Sometimes miscommunication is the listing agents fault, but often the seller hears what they want to.

Jun 26, 2015 09:34 AM
Andrea Swiedler
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties - New Milford, CT
Realtor, Southern Litchfield County CT

Hey BLiz, I am sitting here grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Oh my... how familair this is. 

I have this discussion up front, but Nick Pappas is right. They often hear what they want to hear. I would prefer it be another agent actually. My work is to procure a buyer for THEM not me. 

It's just like doing an open house. Truth be told... selling the house to someone who shows up at an open house is a huge bonus I don't expect. Of course I wouldn't turn it down... I am no fool. But let's face it, open houses bring us more of a chance to get ourselves a buyer for another house. 

Jun 26, 2015 10:59 AM
Liz and Bill Spear
Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH
Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Michael, Definitely, set expectations CLEARLY at the beginning.

Raymond, Unfortunately that can happen, but fortunately not many agents operate that way.

Alexandra, Unfortunately that same tactic is used on sellers whose listing just expired.  The question needs to be 'If you have a buyer for my home, where were you with that buyer last week when I was on the market?".

Dick, Dual agency here is legal, but not our first preference.  And that's another thing we discuss with our sellers.

Roger, It certainly should be.

Anita, In this particular case, I don't think there was.  Most likely an expectation that wasn't being met, but perhaps it never should have been an expectation.

Nick, That can certainly happen too.  Another reason we document expected selling price with our clients.

Andrea, Same philosophy here, we want a buyer for their home.  Most times another agent will be the one that brings them and we prefer that so there's never a doubt as to who represents who.

Jun 26, 2015 12:40 PM
Michele Connors
The Overton Group, LLC Pitt & Carteret County - Greenville, NC
Your Eastern North Carolina Realtor

Anita Clark is so right... there are agents that say anything to get their sign in the yard. I agree with Liz/Bill we are to promote and help bring traffic.. bringing a buyer thru the door is great but encouraging other agents with ready willing and able buyers is our task to get a sale executed ! 

Jun 27, 2015 08:31 AM
Tammy Adams ~ Realtor / Podcaster
Maricopa Real Estate Co - Maricopa, AZ
A Maricopa Agent who Works, Lives & Loves Maricopa

I can't tell you how many times this has come up during the listing appointment. Folks do not realize how rare it is for a listing agent to do the actual sell side now. 

Jun 27, 2015 08:56 AM
Liz and Bill Spear
Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH
Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Michele, We just want a SOLD sign in the yard for our clients, and odds will be strong that another agent will be the one bringing that buyer. 

Tammy, With the introduction of widespread information via the Net, buyers no longer need to work exclusively wiht a listing agent to buy a home.  And frankly I think that's better for all involved.

Jun 27, 2015 09:08 AM
Hella Mitschke Rothwell
(831) 626-4000 - Honolulu, HI
Hawaii & California Real Estate Broker

And then there are the sellers that WANT the listing agent to bring the buyer. One client said "I give the agent the listing, he throws it on the MLS, and that's the last I ever hear of him. Or anything" These clients WANT to see activity by THEIR agent. Telling them how the system works cuts no ice. They just see NO ACTIVITY.

Jun 27, 2015 09:22 AM
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

Liz and Bill,

I'm quite sure the seller understood the agents correctly during the listing presentation i.e. "we have buyers for your lovely home!".

Jun 27, 2015 11:44 AM
Rob D. Shepherd
RETIRED - Florence, OR
RETIRED

I am still back at "cattle output". I have not heard that one before. LOL

Jun 27, 2015 01:33 PM
Liz and Bill Spear
Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH
Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Hella, That seems like a no win for the listing agent.  The only way to make that work might be a pocket listing, but I've generally not considered that in the seller's best interest.

Olga, And I know that line DOES get used and sellers are lead down that path.

Rob, Every now and then I can come up with a new combination euphemism :)

Jun 27, 2015 10:22 PM
Barbara Calwhite
Keller Williams Realty of Southwest Missouri - Joplin, MO
417-438-7387 Specializing in Relocation

Good post.  There is a fine line you have to walk in the presentation.  What if you do happen to get the buyer yourself?  

If you made a big deal about not being the selling agent then you have a different problem.  Of course having their house sold helps!!  

When going over agency with the seller I always say:  You don't really care who sells your house as long as it gets sold do you?

Jun 27, 2015 11:09 PM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

this is a complaint I see brought up online lots and lots.  but I've never had the it brought up as a complaint with a live seller, as it's something we discuss as we list the property.

this ain't no lack-of-reality show.

Jun 28, 2015 10:47 AM
Kate McQueen
Realty Associates Texas - Cypress, TX
Tailored service for your real estate needs!

Concise communication is essential.  Email is a great tool for follow-up conversations just to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Jun 29, 2015 03:15 AM
Liz and Bill Spear
Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH
Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Barbara, As part of the listing presentation we let the seller know that AT BEST there's about a 10% chance we might personally bring the buyer.  And we explain dual agency and the pros/cons so they'll be able to make an informed choice when and if the situation presents.

Alan, Whattayu mean those reality shows aren't realiteeeeeee??

Kate, Crucial to have clear understandings in place from the start.

Jun 29, 2015 06:08 AM