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Okay I Will Accept Your Text…. But, there are Basic Requirements.

By
Real Estate Agent with Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified #1 in Forest Land Mgmt

Okay I Will Accept Your Text…. But, there are Basic Requirements.

One of my most frustrating issues in dealing with rentals is the amount of people who have opted to take a huge step back in communications to the old telegraph machine.

Instead of picking up the modern telephone, or answering the phone in their pocket, they instead insist on typing in a cryptic message and then waiting a day or so to check for a response from their bewildered victim.

I can’t tell you how many bewildering and infuriating texts I get in a week with vague messages like “is the house available”.

What the heck does that mean anyway?, and who are you?, and which house are you referring to?, and do you want to look at it?, and when are you needing a home?, and? , and? and? and? and?!?!?!?!

I do not have the time or patience to type all of the needed questions into my tiny phone keypad for the dozen telegraphers who will send me vague texts this morning.

And I also do not want to waste that much time when I know that most of these returned texts will be ignored for several days only to have that same phone number send me another text next week asking the same vague question.

We have all sorts of modern communication devices including email where you can type in a decent message, and even better yet a telephone where you can have a two way communication. Why resort to something that was popular in the late 1800’s and was quickly replaced with something much better called the telephone.

Email is great for getting lots of facts across, but again you do need to provide the basics and a decent question, and above all, be ready to respond when the respondent responds, don’t just post and run.

So here are the rules of texting and emailing, if you insist on avoiding the telephone.

  1. Start with your name, your full name.
  2. Which home are you interested in?
  3. When do you need the home by?
  4. Any SPECIFIC questions, don’t ask me to tell you about it, that is why I posted an add with all of the details.
  5. When do you want to view the home?
  6. And above all, DON’T LEAVE ME HANGING HERE WAITING FOR A RESPONSE!!!!, nothing more frustrating than putting a message in a bottle throwing it in the ocean and wondering when you will get a reply, or if you just wasted your time and thumbs sending the message.

So though I despise texts and would rather use a tin can and a string, I will accept them, but only if you follow basic protocols and courtesies.

 

Fail to do so and don’t be surprised to find your number blocked.

 

 

 

 

picture credits

all from morguefiles.com

Comments(67)

Jim Joeriman
Coldwell Banker Riviera Realty, Inc - Lacey Township, NJ
Helping Agents Reach New Heights

Your post got me thinking.  Far too many people are looking for shortcuts and fail too understand how poor their communications are.  This extends to all forms of communication.  Thanks for your post.

Sep 14, 2015 09:08 PM
Sham Reddy CRS
Howard Hanna RE Services, Dayton, OH - Dayton, OH
CRS

Texting is a great tool to communicate short bits of information.  But please state your name, and what you need by when etc to make it more effective

Sep 14, 2015 09:12 PM
Richard Robibero, e-Pro, ABR, SRS
Panorama R.E. Limited - Toronto, ON
Selling Your Home as if it were My Own!

There's no way they're going to type all the info you're requesting. I usually reply with "Which house are you referring to?" and then after that I don't care, I won't chase them or give it a second thought if they don't reply. If it's a pain to deal with them on first contact that's usually not the type of person who will be renting anyway.

Sep 14, 2015 10:48 PM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Captain Forrest...Look at this way..If Aliens were to contact us, email or text?

Sep 14, 2015 11:35 PM
Tammie White, Broker
Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN
Franklin TN Homes for Sale

I have one woman who has resorted to the following: "I love this house. What's the address?". Really? Is she kidding? Needless to say, I just ignore them.

Sep 15, 2015 12:36 AM
Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert
Zion Realty - Gilbert, AZ
Broker/Owner of Zion Realty ZionRealtyAZ.com

You are too funny Bob! I guess I must live among a younger more text savvy demographic. It's rare that I get a text message I can't decipher. I'll get a vague "Is this home available" text every once in a while but it's not often. 

Sep 15, 2015 01:05 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Very funny, Bob... but very true. And I share your frustrations in this regard. If everyone did what you suggest, those would be pretty long texts, which sort of defeats the purpose of texting for most people.

Sep 15, 2015 01:30 AM
Bill Roberts

Hi Nina, If it defeats the purpose then good. Maybe, just maybe, they will call.


Bill Roberts

Sep 15, 2015 01:59 AM
Sarah Cole
Strategic Digital Marketing Consultant - http://www.coleconnectmarketing.com - Tully, NY
Strategic Social Media Consultant

Well said, Bob Crane as I agree 100 PERCENT!!  

Sep 15, 2015 01:42 AM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Bob Crane I agree with you totally. I believe today people communicate via text messages with just one liners and expect this type of dialog.

Sep 15, 2015 03:24 AM
Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi
NMLS #216987, IL Lic. 031.0006220, WI Licensed. APMC NMLS #175656 - New Lenox, IL
708.921.6331 - 40+ yrs experience

I'm not sure we can avoid or make a choice regarding the use and receiving of texts anymore.  Not in my locale or business anyway.  

Texts can be a blessing and a curse.  Use them the right way and they speed and simplify communication.  Used poorly or incorrectly, they can frustrate and muck-up a transaction.  I totally agree that some rules of common sense my be applied, Bob Crane  ...

Gene

Sep 15, 2015 04:06 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

My phone's programming has figured out that if I type "This is.." it auto completes with my name and company.  There's just no excuse to not identify yourself when texting someone.

Sep 15, 2015 04:17 AM
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

Texing has it's pros and cons. Most of those vague texts are time wasters and I almost always delete them. I don't mind texting after a relationship is established with a potential buyer or seller.

Sep 15, 2015 04:39 AM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

I use the "text message" and the Geiger counter for stupidity!  If anyone sends me a text I want to see this house . . . and provides me with nothing else BUT that . . . LOL, nuff said!  

Equally annoying are people who never respond AT ALL.  I'll send out emails with documents, suggestions and not a peep, not a word.  Not a thank you. NOTHING!  The meter is off the chart.

Sep 15, 2015 04:47 AM
Lynda White
Bluegrass Homes & Farms Realty, Agent Know How - Louisville, KY
Admin. Mgr., Keller Williams Realty

I love this post. Sometimes texts are good when I'd rather not get in a lengthy conversation. Otherwise, they are not worth much to me. Most texts are vague and full of acronyms I'd rather not know what they are. ;)

Sep 15, 2015 06:07 AM
Francine Viola
Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA - Olympia, WA
REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs

I am laughing out loud right now because I'm totally with you about texting!  However I can't tell my clients this but you voiced how I feel!  And like Lynda White says, the acronyms are annoying and if I have to Google what the heck my client is trying to say, then I might just CALL them.  Yes, I have no problems threatening my clients with an actual PHONE CALL!  Don't push me to do that, people!

Sep 15, 2015 11:23 AM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

I get text from agents asking if they can show a house without telling me who they are, who they work for and which property. It is crazy.

Sep 15, 2015 12:23 PM
Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp
SLS Home Inspections-Kankakee Will Iroquois Grundy Counties - Bourbonnais, IL
The Home Inspector With a Heart!

I really hate acronyms. Make me feel really dumb sometimes. But I do text except I'm happy to say I do follow the rules. 

Sep 15, 2015 09:32 PM
Morris Real Estate Marketing Group
Morris Real Estate Marketing Group - Toronto, ON
Marketing for realtors made easy!

What a fantastic post. I will be re-bloging it. 

Sep 17, 2015 05:11 AM
Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807
HomeSmart - Chandler, AZ
Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

Bob - I would prefer a phone call, and that way you can actually have a conversation with someone and get any questions answered all within a couple minutes. So often an email or text just leads to more emails and texts.

Unfortunately nobody answers their phone anymore, so my only recourse is to text. There are times I will text someone (with all my information) about a home, and I will not receive any response. At that point, I just assume they are not really interested in selling their home.

Sep 19, 2015 10:10 AM
Nicholas Crane
Woodland Companies - Cadott, WI
Managing & Appraising Forest Land

Thanks for sharing these reports, our clients gain value from of this type of information.

 

Mar 30, 2020 11:40 PM