Do You Speak Your Mind or Bite Your Lip?

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Do You Speak Your Mind or Bite Your Lip?

What do you say when an agent asks what do you think of their listing and you have something not so nice to say?

What if they are severely overpriced? Do you tell them that? A licensed agent should know the market value of the home. Isn't that one of the reasons we are hired?

What if it shows badly? Do you tell them it is a pig? I am sure they must realize that the dirty dishes and all of the clutter make it hard to show. The four junk cars in the front yard are not increasing the value.

How about that strong smell of big dog and the pet accident stains all over the carpet? Do they really need to be told?

In many cases the agent already knows and is trying to get other agents to say the obvious so they can go back to their clients and ask for a price adjustment or to get it cleaned up.

Here is the problem. What happens if that agent goes back to their client and tells them you called their home a pig? Nothing good can come from that. What if you were to bring an offer at some point from one of your clients? Would that have a negative impact on your client?

Do you routinely fill out the survey requests after showing properties? I get a little concerned about filling them out at times. I have read about agents actually getting sued.

I am curious how other agents feel about this and how they address those questions.

Mahalo (Thank in Hawaiian)

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Randy L. Prothero, REALTOR®, ABR, AHWD, CRS, e-PRO, GRI, SFR

Century 21 Liberty Homes

Randy Prothero is well established as an expert in working with military / VA clients and first time home buyers. His home seller's (listing) campaign is one of the most aggressive marketing programs in the area.

Based out of Mililani, Hawaii. Randy services the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and the Leeward Regional Chairman of the Honolulu Board of Realtors. To improve overall professionalism in his area Randy also offers classes for real estate agents.

www.HawaiiRandy.com * Oahu (Honolulu County) Property Search * Hawaii Military Relocations

Posted by Randy L. Prothero - Hawaii REALTOR® (808) 384-5645 on 07/03/2008 06:30 PM

Comments (49)

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49 Comments on Do You Speak Your Mind or Bite Your Lip?

JUL

2008

if they ask my opinion, I will tell them the truth....

I believe that a listing agent must assume the responsibility for their listings. If they have to rely on buyers' agents for pricing, showing, condition, etc. advice, they shouldn't be carrying listings that could be all of their seller client's assets.

We have seller agents and buyer agents. The listing agents advocates for their seller and the buyer's agent advodates for their buyer. The seller's agent shouldn't be relying on the buyer's advocate for advice.

I don't fill out questionnaires. I give general feedback info, but nothing specific. Agents who rely on others, especially their adversaries for advice don't understand agency.

If the house isn't selling, the seller may need to get another agent.

Mahalo:

Telling the truth with a little sugar is OK I think. Sometimes honest advice or opinions are good for younger Realtors (older ones too).

Michael - Thank you for the input.

Lenn - Very well stated.

Greg - I think some of them should have gotten the advice before taking the listing.

In my industry, I always speak my mind, when it comes to someone who is looking to sell. However, when they are doing things for their tastes and plan on staying in the home for atleast several years I let them go with whatever they want... as long as they don't want things that won't work in the areas they want to put them. I won't install plants or trees just so they can die, looks bad for everyone. I think seller agents owe it to their clients to speak their mind and tell them when things aren't working or won't work. Sure some may not like what they are told especially when it comes to pricing, but when it sits on the market for 6+ months with someone else they will realize you were probably right.

Randy, I think you would be doing them a diservice if you don't tell them.

If asked, I always provide honest feedback. I try to layer it between something positive for the sake of the sellers; its their home afterall. I have become the 2nd agent many times because of this. For my own listings I use HomeFeedback.com and it works very well - my Sellers love it and they can see which agents provide their opinion and which won't be bothered.

The listing agent knows what the challenges are with the property and probably has already shared those with the sellers. They want your feedback so that you can validate what they've probably already said. Your feedback on price and condition are very important to help a seller understand what they need to do. You don't have to say the house is a pig! LOL You can professionally state what the problems are. I'm sure the listing agent will be very grateful for your help. Sometimes people just need to hear things more than once before it sinks in.

Also, when agents don't provide feedback, it makes it harder on the listing agent who is perceived as not doing their job when they can't provide showing feedback to a seller.

I suggest always providing feedback in a courteous, honest way. You never know when you might need some help convincing a seller to lower their price.

All the best,

Chris - hopefully they will realize you were probably right.

Peter - I can be a tough call at times. If they are agents I know well, I am more inclined to share openly.

Susan - I do feel uncomfortable putting my responses in writing with my name on it. If it is not my client, I question if there is some liability.

Reajean - I have read articles about agents being sued over those comments. In one case the agent brought an offer on a home and the seller was angry because of previous feedback. The buyer's felt they were injured by their agent previously providing feedback on that home.

I keep my mouth shut, if the agent is a good agent they already know the answer, they don't need to hear it from me.

If they are a not so good agent they aren't going to listen and will just think I'm a jerk.

Randy - I'm Canadian so I'm not up on my US laws. Is it possible to be sued for your opinion, verbal or otherwise?

Randy I go to a lot of Open House, and I do give the Realtor an honest comment on what I think about the house, but I do it as tackfully as posible. For example I would not tell them that the house looks like pigs live in it, I would simply say that it is a little cluttered and would show better if they removed some of the items. Also I would not tell them that the house stinks, I would just comment that it is noticeble that they have pets.

Most of the time however, I do not have to say anything because the Realtor will say it before I do.

Terry - That is why I am hesitant to respond at times, especially when it is obvious.

Susan - You can be sued for anything. They may not win, but they can sue. If a client feels you caused them harm by expressing your opinion you could have trouble. The case I mentioned effected the seller's response to an offer later brought from one of that agent's buyers.

George - Of course I do not call them a pig. LOL I am also tactful.

I will provide some feedback but keep it very general and onno-commital. After all, they should already know the issues, right? And I am very careful about the feedback from buyers, and with respect to surveys also keep any commentary very general, and donst answer specific questions like price. I certainly understand the interest in feedback but am reluctant to put it in writing.

Jeff

Randy,

I give feedback, but generally try not to be overbearing about it.

And, I wish I had written Lenn's response! It is amazing how clearly she verbalized thoughts that only bounced around loosely in my mind.

I'm with Lenn...no specifics...if even anything at all.

I give the usual, generic, not very useful response....like most.

I'm amazed at how many of you don't provide feedback. Each market has its norm I guess. Here, if you don't provide feedback you would be considered quite the prima donna and you would certainly hear about it pretty quickly. Our Sellers expect it from each and every showing. When it is not received the Seller would certainly lose respect for the showiing agent for not providing it. It would be seen as laziness as we don't have your concerns about being sued.

Randy: We are so fortunate here in Charlotte that our 'default' scheduling system is through a centralized service. They provide the forms for buyer's agents to complete and will send a reminder if you don't complete the questionaire the first time. We have the capability to set up the system so that they Sellers can read what each agent writes and most of them anxiously await the response in the event that 'THIS IS THE ONE!'

SO, YES, I do respond and here's why:
1. As a listing agent, I want and NEED to know if my Sellers are leaving their homes in presentable condition--if not, I need to have a word with them! If the agent tells me that the home is overpriced, I anticipate an Offer--as I DO know how to price my listings.
2. The Sellers NEED to know that they aren't competing well in their market--if their home needs repairs, they need to know that you noticed and they need to make them! If the listing agent has told them to do so, then maybe they'll realize that they REALLY SHOULD!
3. I have actually received listings from these responses!! You know why, because 75% of the agents don't provide it and the Sellers TRULY appreciate your feedback. They realize that you're an agent who is detail oriented and will serve them well as THEIR agent!!

Hope this helps!!!

Debe in Charlotte

JUL

2008

Sadly, I am only asked for feedback on one out of 30 visits or so. In the past two months, I've probably seen/shown 120-150 homes and have only been asked for feedback 4 times. (some homes didn't have electronic boxes) When asked, I provide it and consider the feelings of the agent and seller.

I think I mirror George and Debe's sentiment. I give them honest feedback, but in a constructive manner.

Without insulting them try to explain that it's hard enough getting them top dollar but when the property is not in show shape it needs to be cleaned up a bit. Justifying value is very important and it doesn't help when clutter or dirty homes sit. Happy 4th! Randy

I try to let the listing agent know without putting them down that their listing could use some work to make it more appealing to ready,willing and able buyers. You can get your point across. You just have to do it in a professional manner. Great post Randy.

Good comment Debe... very well put. I don't undstand how a seller can be injured by an agent's feedback that only their agent and the seller may see. The feedback isn't then advertised for the next agent's prospect..... So I don't understand the fear of being sued. Perhaps its an area/State issue. Not one I've seen in Arizona however.

JUL

2008

Jeff D. - That sounds like a good way to approach it.

Mike J. - Lenn definitely said it in a clear way.

Sally - I think that is the best way to go.

Gary W. - That seems to be the consensus.

Susan E. - I guess the problem in our country is the litigious nature. Agents have actually gotten in legal problems for one. If asked I do respond, but give general responses.

Debe - I am glad you responded with the other side of this issue. Thank you!

Mark - That is a pretty low number. When our market was hot, I never got requests. Now that it has slowed down some, I get many requests for feedback, but they are still less than half of the homes I show.

Pete - What if the home is in terrible shape and severely overpriced?

Neal - I work real hard with my clients on that one. When it is someone else's client you have to be even more diplomatic.

Lanre - I feel more comfortable sometimes to give it to them verbally. I hesitate to put it in writing in some cases.

Raejean - When you put it in writing, you have no control how someone may use it. Just a thought.

it's interesting that I find this post, after I've had my written comments deleted, or changed to suit the person using them.

You are correct, Randy. People ask for your opinion and you give it in writing, and it's either deleted, or manipulated. Although I have always spoken my mind, I'm rethinking it, depending on who is asking for the feedback and how it might be used.

Sylvie - I haven't had that happen as far as I know. That illustrates one of the negatives that can happen.

Randy ~ I had an agent call me to ask for feedback so they could share it with their client. The agent mentioned that he had tried to speak with his client about the dog smell - but the client couldn't really smell it. (I'm guessing that the seller had lived with the smells so long that it didn't smell offensive.)

I haven't heard of anyone getting sued over seller feedback. Please share more information if you have it. Just curious...I guess this could be a topic in and of itself! LOL. "To leave seller comments or not..."

Aloha Darleen,

Here is a blog article on the topic:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/115277/Feedback-lawsuit

Randy ~ Oh my goodness! It definitely causes one to think before providing seller feedback.

JUL

2008

Darleen - It did make me think twice.

If they ask for my opinion then I'll tell. Not real good at doing the survey request though.

Laura - I find that many agents feel that way.

I hate giving feedback because some agents get offended and it's almost like arguing with them. I don't know if it serves a purpose unless it helps the agent tell the seller that "other agents think you should lower the price too".

LaNita - I just got one this morning, where the price does not even resemble reality. They are so far out of the park, that anything I say will probably be taken as an insult to both the seller and the agent who agreed to take the listing.

I guess everyone's standard is different. While some people love staged homes (like me), others don't like the "artificial" appearance. Some people believe they like the vacant property because it is a blank canvas. Some people love bland, others love vibrant. Some people love the lived in look. Some people love the disheveled so they think they are getting a bargain. It's a people world.

Perhaps the most disheartening is when another agent walks in and starts telling the seller (not their client) what they should be doing and why didn't their agent tell them...

Ronda - They should never give your client advice. That is stepping over the line.

Randy-If it is a lost cause house, I am less likely to give feedback. The one area where I am more likely to give an opinion is when you have unusual homes. Sometimes setting comps can be a piece of cake if you are in area where you can make apples to apples or in island terms pineapples to pineapples comparisons :) . In some areas of Maui, the diversity of homes can be staggering. There is so much variability from style to location, to orientation, to view, to even micro-climate it can be a challenge to help seller's identify their place in the market. I don't think another agent is doing a poor job if they are asking for feedback with these type of properties. They are presenting market feedback to their sellers. The liability aspect of this is interesting though.

I agree with you Randy. It's amazing what I see out there!

Nothing ticks me more than asking an agent for feedback, and not getting it. It is a professional courtesy. I need something to tell my client so they know I am doing my job. I always give feedback! I always tell the truth. If someone was to give me bad feedback on a listing, I might not use exact words as feed back to the client. I would never let a client see a feedback I recieved from another agent, or tell them the name of the agent who said something. (You don't kill the messenger) I will often tell an agent what mine and/or clients feedback was, and perhaps what they should tell thier client... Example: When we opened the front door, the smell of animal urine was so strong our eyes burned and we were choking for air . We all agreed that whatever look they were going for in the master bedroom-they missed it by a mile! But the light fixture gave us all the best laugh we had all day. *However, you can tell your client that my clients liked the floor plan, but due to pet allergies, they would find it necessary to have the home fumigated and replace all carpets to rid the home of any past animal presence. This would have to be done prior to closing or another viewing. Also, due to their more conservative tastes, they would also request that the master bedroom be repainted a more nuetral color with a new light fixture if they were to consider making an offer. So at this time they are going to continue looking at other homes. However if your seller was to correct these issues, they would consider another look if they don't find anything else. Good Luck!!

If I have showings and can not get feed back from an agent. I will tell my client that the home was shown by an agent with "Joe Doe Realty", but the agent has not given any feed back, which is very unprofessional. I always give give back on my showings if asked.

JUL

2008

Pete - I am finding this to be a tough call in some cases. I have given feedback more times than I can count, but am hesitant to put it in writing, especially if it were to be less than positive.

Rhonda - That is extremely unfortunate. I have had it happen a few times.

Sherry - I give feed back, but hesitate on some of the written requests. There is one agent who sent me a request form that was two pages long and wanted me to give them pricing recommendations. (Give me a break) I am way to busy to give them that much time and not willing to stick my neck out that far.

I give feed back, but 2 pages-no way! I am not going to do someones else's research. I will say that I think something is overpriced, and usually the fact something is not selling is because of something! What we do or say is our professional opinion, or our clients feedback. I would have a hard time believing anyone could sue over an opinion. If you don't want to put it in writing, them give them a phone call. I would be the first to say, I don't have the time to fill out a 2 page report, but the floor plan just didn't work for my clients, or the home has too much work to be done, or whatever reason the clients didn't like it. I never give my clients name. And as I said in my last response, we sometimes have to go around in a tackful way to get a point across. We know that we don't want to put another agent on the spot with their client, but they asked. If you can't stand the heat...get out of the kitchen! If you don't know how to tell your client what needs to be done to a home to get it to sell, ask for help, or only deal with buyers.

I speak my mind and tell them the truth. Feedback is so vital to a seller and I want to help out other agents as best I can. We're all in this together.

Sherry - Good points. I hate the homes that are extremely insanely over priced and they prod you for a pricing recommendation.

Brian - I try to be helpful to other agents. I have had a few actually argue with me when I gave them my opinion or my client's feedback.

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Randy L. Prothero - Hawaii REALTOR® (808) 384-5645

Mililani, HI

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Century 21 Liberty Homes

Address: 95-221 Kipapa Dr., E3, Mililani, HI, 96789

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