Real Estate Blog - It gets old dealing with unprofessional Realtors!

Home : Blogs : Jeff Kroll : Blogging about Parker Colorado Real Estate, Parker Colorado homes for sale, Douglas County homes, condos, townhomes, Jeff Kroll Realtor

It gets old dealing with unprofessional Realtors!

Saturday I had to set 5 showings, which is no big deal. I called about 4 hours prior to my first appointment. As I'm calling I discover that 2 of the agents are independents, and don't use a showing service. Then I panic realizing that I am driving out to Elizabeth and these listings are not close, and I have no desire to drive out there twice! Not using a showing service is not only unprofessional, but you immediately know that these Realtors are cutting all of the corners that they possibly can to survive in this business, and that is a sad thing in my book. Of course these agents never answer their phones (who knows what their day job is) and all you can do is leave a message and hope and pray that you get a call back before you had planned on showing it. I can't help but feel sorry for those poor sellers! I wonder how many showings DO NOT HAPPEN at all as a result of this action. If you don't use a showing service, you had better have your cell phone on 24/7, and you had better answer it! I finally did get the lockbox codes, but for one of them I had to call twice and threaten. Not good.

This Blog is dedicated to Parker Colorado Real Estate, Parker Colorado Homes, Elizabeth Colorado real estate, Elizabeth Colorado homes, Franktown Colorado homes, Franktown Colorado real estate, Lone Tree Colorado real estate, Lone Tree Colorado homes, Highlands Ranch real estate, Highlands Ranch homes, Castle Rock real estate, Castle Rock homes, and metro Denver Colorado real estate property listings. Search the Denver MLS directly for properties and homes at http://www.coloradodreamhomes.info/ and access a huge real estate resource at http://www.coloradodreamhomes.net/

Posted by Jeff Kroll on 11/10/2008 05:11 PM

Comments (9)

Showing Service a Must in the ActiveRain Channel

parker colorado homes, parker colorado real estate, parker colorado realtor

9 Comments on It gets old dealing with unprofessional Realtors!

NOV

2008

Ouch! Sounds like me showing up for a 9:00AM inspection with the wrong lockbox code and the listing agent does not answer their phone. Showing service is the only way to go! Keep up the good work!

I agree, the sellers deserve an agents that is working for them.

Hi Jeff, I work with an independent firm and always have my cell phone on and I answer it. :) I don't even know what a showing service is. I don't think we have them here in GA. We use electronic lockboxes so we don't need to give out a code. We use a key that is updated with a cellular signal and then we "beam" it to the lockbox. It then sends a message to the listing agent. The lockbox records who goes in and when. I love to hear more about a showing service. It's interesting how things are set up differently in different areas of the country.

Jeff, That has to be one of the most annoying issues to me as well. If you are in charge of setting up the showings, you'd better by golly have that phone glued to your side! Here in Huntsville the owners numbers are listed and we call them directly. I think that's nuts also. I relocated from Nashville, where we have an appointment center. Much more professional, IMO.

What is a showing service? Are you referring to MLS lockboxes with infrared or bluetooth keys? In my market I don't know of anyone who makes a living at this without full affiliation.

I have shown a few homes where the listing broker has to show up with a key when the seller is not there. I immediatley assume the seller motivation is very low.

I agree that it is very annoying to try and set up appointments, when agents are not calling back. That is why the homes without showing restrictions are likely to sell faster.

In the Washington, DC area most agent do not use a showing service. Therefore, such agents are not considered unprofessional or assumed to be cutting corners. Cooperating agents are instructed to leave a message and go. We seldom require a code to enter a home. We use the lockbox and that is working fine.

Jeff~ YOU SAID ....

"Not using a showing service is not only unprofessional, but you immediately know that these Realtors are cutting all of the corners that they possibly can to survive in this business, and that is a sad thing in my book."

I do not, nor do any of the Realtors in Owensboro, Ky use a showing service and by no means does it mean we are cutting corners in order to survive. It just isn't used here. I know it is frustrating for you when you can't get in a home, and YES Realtors should answer their phones so you can get in or else they shouldn't take the listing! But, not using a showing service doesn't really make us bad, does it?

I just learned something! I thought the SUPRA lockbox was the showing service as it records entry. I do agree a listing agent should answer just as a home inspector needs to answer ther phone. How many times are you trying to get a question answered from your home inspector and they will not answer! Every call may be a future lead.....

OK. I guess this is going to be a silly question, but what is a "showing service"? I've never heard that term before. Some local brokerages have their secretaries schedule the showings, most of them have whichever agent is on floor duty schedule the showings, and some make the listing agent schedule the showings. At our company, we choose if the person on floor duty schedules the showings, or if the listing agent schedules the showings. I personally prefer to schedule my own. That way I can relay all the necessary information, and it gives me a reason to have one more conversation with my seller. But if I'm with another client, my office can schedule the showing.

So again, what is a showing service?

Comments have been disabled by the author