Expired Listings? An Opportunity or a Distraction?

As market inventory has increased in most areas, more listings are not selling and show up as expired. Conventional wisdom is this is one of the best places to prospect if you want to increase your business. Sometimes this is true, but sometimes not. Should you be spending some time in this niche?

My question for my coaching clients is to ask themselves each day "what is the highest and best use of my time?" My companion question to ask yourself, "What 3 actions could I take today that would make the most difference?" Hint: these are not usually the squeakiest to-do items, but rather the things that could have a major impact on your short and long term goals.

Often, one of the actions that could make the biggest difference is prospecting. While I am in alignment with the concept that you'll be able to build business faster and more effortlessly with the people who know, like and respect you, I also believe most agents need to be looking outside these people if they really want more than they have now.

Expired listings offer an opportunity with a group of people that we know have an interest in selling. Now, you'll notice I didn't say they were motivated to sell, because, quite frankly, many of them are not. This is one of the reasons this niche takes some forethought and a great system to work. When I say some are not motivated, what I mean is they are not realistic about what they think their house should sell for. When this is coupled with a lack of need to sell (being transferred or bought another house), it might just be a total waste of time.

In the coming few weeks, I will be sharing some success strategies for working with Expireds.

Today, let's start with these two concepts:

1. IT IS A NUMBERS GAME. I've been saying for years that it is a RELATIONSHIP GAME rather than a numbers game, and I still believe that most of the business we get is about building relationships. Expireds, however, may be in a hurry to get their house get back on the market and get sold quickly. You don't have the luxury of wooing them and building relationship over time. You must get their attention immediately and do it with credibility and differentiation so that they believe you are DIFFERENT than their previous agent. You don't want every one of these listings (Remember what I have said about life being too short to work with high maintenance people who don't respect you.... AKA jerks!). You have to be ready to get "no's", to not take it personally or let it mean anything about your worth, and to move on. You just say ,"NEXT"!!!

2. KNOW WHEN TO SAY NO. If you sense these people are either not a good fit for you personality-wise or they are not going to list where they need to, walk away. You must have standards to build a good business. Time, energy and money spent on people who aren't willing to do their part is wasted and lost forever. It is not much different than a doctor telling someone they need to stop smoking and the person not listening and then developing lung cancer. If the client won't do what it will take to get the home sold, it isn't your fault it doesn't sell. However, shame on you if you let them talk you into "trying" it when you KNOW it won't work. Set your standards and stick to them.
A Good question to ask yourself is: "Would you rather be liked or respected?"
Walk away with your integrity in tact (and they probably will call you when it expires again!)