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Please Educate YOUR Clients!!

This afternoon my seller called me and said a woman knocked on his door. She said her husband was parking the car and they wanted to come in to look. My seller asks the woman if she has a Realtor® and she eagerly gives her Realtors® business card to him.

My seller is great at following my instructions :) He hands the woman HER Realtors® business card and hands her mine while telling the woman she needs to let her Realtor® call me to make an appointment.

Please educate your clients!

My MLS agent instructions say to call the LISTOR (me) before showing. It does not say send your clients alone to the listing and knock on the door and ask the seller if they can go in.
Educate your sellers to NOT let just anyone in the home. I've heard of people posing as photographers and knocking on doors to take mls pictures. And they were just there to case the place.
Educate your buyers to call you if they want to look at a listing you sent them (the woman had a listing sheet in her hand) Do YOUR job!

Now, I don't know if the Realtor® just sent them on their own or not but no matter what... it was rude to just pop in on my seller and ask if he can open the house for them.

Educate your clients....or GET educated!

The nerve, huh?

Posted by Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman HAWAII Relocations & Real Estate on 10/11/2008 11:47 PM

Comments (50)

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Originally posted at: Hawaii Real Estate & Relocations : Please Educate YOUR Clients!!

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50 Comments on Please Educate YOUR Clients!!

OCT

2008

You see every thing now days, it would put the sellers in a bad situation----Bart

OCT

2008

Bart: Well, I'm just glad I educated my client to beware of things that "may" happen. Well, it did happen.

Yeah, that sounds a little scary. It's a good thing your client is good at following your instructions.

Eugene: No kidding. Isn't that just down right rude?

I tell me clients the same thing - Although - sometimes they still let them in (they're scared they're going to lose an opportunity).....despite warnings.......and telling them that if they are serious.....they will call a Realtor.....

It is not only rude for someone to do this -- it could also be dangerous. There is no way the poor seller "really" knows who the people are.

Sally: One of the things I tell my sellers... is that if someone comes to the door and asks to see the home... and they do not have a Realtor with them... I tell my seller to kindly refuse to show them the home, and to give them my card, and ask them to call me.

I also suggest that if the person knocking on the door gets upset and adamant about the seller not allowing them in... that my seller should blame the whole thing on me... and tell the person at the door that "My Realtor is a real grouch. She said if I ever let anyone in not accompanied by a Realtor... that she would be very upset with me." Everyone laughs... the situation is diffused... and the seller does not have to worry about unaccompanied showings. It may sound silly... but it works for us.

Sally, from a security perspective no one gets to see a listed property without a Realtor present. Clients need to know this.

Sally- Forget Rude.....could be a bad situation, and sellers might also think all Agents send their clients out to look by themselves. I agree good thing you teach your clients upfront :)

Morning Sally,

In that we live and work in a retirement community it is essential that we impress the importance of calling first. Many of our sellers are older and too trusting at times. We instill upon them the fact, If we don't call in advance to inform them of a showing don't allow the visitors in. Call us or the office to confirm.

Better safe then sorry. In your case at hand, did the agent offer any kind of an explination? Well, for that matter, did they even call you when they were refused entry?

Aloha Sally - Do you really expect clients to follow instructions when their agents can't read!?! I get 2 or 3 calls from agents every day wanting to make showing appointments when the MLS clearly states showings are made through the office unless it's after hours. I'm usually courteous on the phone when I ask them to schedule it thought the office, but it's not easy! I find it amazing, especially in this market (or anytimee) an agent would send a client to a property out on their own. Service is what we get paid for. Ya know...You just can't fix stupid. Thanks for sharing and Greetings from Paradise East.

Sally,

These days, it could be very dangerous to let just anyone in your house. I had an experience myself where the sellers let me in the house, but i didn't ask to come in. My wife & I were driving by a historic home that had some information about the history of the home posted outside. We were reading when the owners pulled up. We made general conversation about the history of the home and they invited us in. We took the opportunity to look around. Of course if we were interested our first call would have been to the listing realtor.

Have a great day

Leander

The problem is that you can educate your clients, but there will always will be those who are afraid of turning anyone away.

Hi Sally,

It's amazing what people will do even your own clients. Great post..

Steve

I am not sure what will surprise me anymore.

Very common..remember...a consumer doesn't worry about what our rules are...they do what they have to to see a home and buy it whether or not it's listed...not everyone knows....maybe it's just being naive but it goes on here all the time and I don't like it either but there isn't much you can do...they don't want to hear about our confrontations.

Sally--This happens all to often...I would hope that most people aren't meaning to do any harm but there are so many bad people out there for a clients own safety...Don't let some unknown person in your home!

Hi Sally ... It's very easy to get your hands on a Realtor's business, so you never know. Good post!

Today, the safety of the REALTOR® and the Client should come first. I agree, education education is a key factor here. Thanks for the reminder.

Hi Sally,

It doesn't matter how much we educate our clients some are always gonna do what they want to do. At least your sellers followed your instructions. :)

Excellent! You are doing a fine job with your clients!

your friend in Charlottesville!

Woo-Hoo: I believe those people KNOW what they're supposed to do (get their Realtor to make an appointment), but they are just plain rude!

Sally - Thank you for posting on this subject. I have enjoyed all the comments too. I try to educate my clients, but I will put more emphasis on it in the future.

HI SALLY!

Really? I can't believe that. Your client was well informed...handled it like a pro! I would've never thought about a situation like that, but from now on, all my clients will be well informed just like Sally Cheeseman's clients!! Have a wonderful day!!

Liz: I do have a great client. He is always saying he appreciates what I'm doing and I know it's because I am doing a great job.

Carolin: Exactly. And if that's main priority. My client's best interests.

karen: Good idea. I think I'll use that one too. I give a whole run down on the situation from the beginning listing appointment and it is good practice.

Gary: Agreed. It is the only way to assure that our sellers and buyers are well taken care of....with a Realtor® present.

Kathy: Gotta watch out for our clients.

Hal: Nope...no call.....so no explanation.

Greg: If it's one thing I do is schedule my own appointments. There is no reason to do otherwise when it clearly states call...easy to see....call and go or any of that.

Leander: No kidding. Good thing you're an agent...but still I would ask the seller to call their agent and ask if all right. Knowing me I would also tell them the importance of it. :) :) Okay, well maybe I would just give them my card and tell them to let their agent know.

Kathy: That's why I give them examples. Casing the place to rob. Assault. Home Invasion.

Steven: It amazes me when i get a great client who knows i'm thinking in their best interests.

Ron: There's always a story :)

Neal: There is something I can do. And I do it. Educate my clients regardless whether it's buyer or seller and let them know why. The consumer does need to hear this...especially if they're the ones who do not know and appreciate the info so they don't impose on people.

Teri: I don't even let people in my house. I speak to them through the security door while by dog is body bashing it. lol!

Marie: I don't understand that one...I think the main concern is the clients well being.

Michael: I agree...now let's see what happens at Open.

Suzanne: It's a matter of other agents educating their clients as well. It's like posts like this that will educate the consumer. All they have to do is step in the other persons shoes. Would they like it if they were on the other side?

Thanks Charles

Kat: Who knows what went on....I didn't get a call...and my seller handed the card back (I need to instruct him to keep those too so I can let the agent know.)

Ann: Never know...and better safe than sorry.

Yvette: It'll prove beneficial in the future :)

Sally - I always discuss these possibilities with my sellers as it does happen. And there are buyers who are not working with agents who will stop by and ask to see the home. I alwasy tell them to call me immediately if there are any questions or issues adn to not let anyone in at all, no matter what the excuse or rationale.

Jeff

Jeff: Exactly. They can either call me and if they have an agent CALL THEIR AGENT.

AMEN! I can't believe how rude some people can be. Even without reading the showing instructions, people should know better than to knock on someone's door when they don't have an appointment.

Sally - I just had this happen to me yesterday! I got a call from an agent who was "trying to get in" to a property I have listed. I explained that it is appointment only, and it clearly says that on the MLS instructions - and the "show phone" is my cell phone, and it also stated no lockbox or key safe. I have had happen even when properties are listed with a lock box, I still ask to call first, so I know who is in the property!

Many things are happening today, we need to be prepared, there will always be people who do not have the courtesy for others. Just make sure to remind your clients to be safe.

Sally ... I left a word out of my comment :\ What I was trying to say ... It's so easy to get your hands on a Realtor's business card that any character could come to your door with one.

Lisa: No matter what...we as professionals need to guide our clients and the consumer.

Sharon: What is wrong with reading instructions? Geez....

Adam: That's the word :)

Marie: Now that I understand! I didn't think of that either...good one...I'm just glad my seller had some info to not let people in anyway ...thanks!

Sally good point. Everything just goes a lot smoother if everyone follows that proper steps and protocol when shopping for or selling a house.

Sally we had to change our MLS rules to not allow "call Listor for showing" because consumers just dont' get it. We want consumers to call their own agent, not the listing agent. Good luck.

Before I was in real estate, several years ago I was renting a house that the owners needed to sell so they called and informed me the house was going on the market for sale. No big deal...except that after that point people kept parking and coming to the door at all hours asking to come in and see the property. It was extremely annoying! You are so right Sally...agents need to educate their clients.

OCT

2008

I've had this happen with one particular home several times. I don't know if it was the location or inviting atmosphere but the seller would call me almost every week stating that buyers simply came up the drive asking if they can have a look around. (It is a rare remodeled farm house, big yard with old shade trees, charming barn and horse pasture) Regardless we had to go as far as to place an (Appt only) sign on the listing sign! We still got buyers stopping by...I blame much of it on several real estate shows I've seen lately - and yes EDUCATION. Time to update my seller / buyer presentation with a revised memo on this subject! thanks for the continued push to get this done.

Sally ~ I think this is something we should blog about in localism for our area clients/buyers.

George: That's for sure!

Georgina: We put these remarks in "agent remarks" where the public doesn't see.....only agents. Consumers will just get turned away at the door for being rude. There's signs with my number.....CALL ME if they don't have an agent.

Chastity: Now that's really bad....what do they not understand? IT'S RUDE!

Christina: Look at mine...it's in localism :)

OCT

2008

Sally,

When working as a Buyers Agent with a client last year, I found that they (my buyers) had been to many of the homes already. I questioned them on this. They said that after I sent them the addresses, they would call the Realtors and get the lockbox codes and check out the houses!!! They thought they were saving me work:( I won't even mention that those lockbox codes should not have been given out! This is a perfect example of me not educating my buyer enough. I think sometimes we (buyers agents) think that the buyers already know things that we take for granted.

OCT

2008

Not just buyers, I have had several agents show up unannounced wanting to see homes.

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