Be a professional and open those doors!

Wanda, really great post! I agree.

This canot be said enough,  It is about the client and not the Realtor and too many people forget this.  This is a suggest and a re blog for me.  We should have this brought home at least once a month.

Wanda-I'd certainly do this in a heart beat, yes I also believe we owe it our sellers to help facilitate a sale.

I have mixed feelings about this one. I don't have a problem opening up the home for another agent once ... but if an offer is made and accepted that means opening up the same home another six times for inspections, room measurements, showing Aunt Betsy, final walk through etc. In my area, there is no reason why an out of area agent can't get his lockbox key co-op'd to open our lockboxes.

Wanda, I stopped by because of Liz's repost.  I AGREE with you!!!!  Our obligation is to our client.  When I have a very strong relationship with a buyer who wants to buy out of my area of knowledge, I'll, of course, find them a good agent in that area and, if possible, actually accompany the clients to meet with the agent and even attend some showings.  One agent I did that with was miffed at first, but I was careful to make very generic questions - something my buyers may have already asked me.  And, I thanked her profusely.  The next buying trip, my clients felt comfortable enough to go alone.  But, really liked that "hand holding" at the very beginning. Perhaps, that is what some of the "out of area" agents are doing.  

My area is very large being it is so rural it has to be in order to survive.   I take great notes and subscribe to all the county and township meeting notes. 

I ask a lot of questions and have become well known at the county and they help me a lot when I call for information because they know I want to get it right.

Wanda, I'm with you on this.  Occasionally, we have agents come here from a neighboring county and they don't use our lockbox system.  If they call ahead, I have put a special coded lockbox on the property just for them.  As listing agent, it's my job to make the property accessible for showing, you never know, that buyer might just want to make an offer!

Interesting subject and great post!  Thanks for sharing!

We are seeing more and more out of area agents here with buyers, and a few with listings. I wonder why it happens in the first place....

Do I step out of my selling comfort zone? No, I don't. Do I prevent an out of town agent from showing my listings? No way... most likely they don't know the value, and you usually know when you see a surprise price on a sale that the agent was... from out of town!

I could not agree more! If it is your listing, get it SOLD for your client.....whatever it takes!

All that with a smile on, right?

Wanda

Great attitude. By all means open those doors and get that home sold

I think the "area of expertise" argument is a little inflated.  My understanding of "area of expertise" is that agents specializing in residential real estate are treading on thin ice when they venture into commercial or other specialized areas.  Agents who have never listed and negotiated a short sale may cross the line by jumping into that market without adequate preparation and guidance.  The fact that an agent doesn't tread regularly on the dirt on which a house was built does not, in my estimation, constitute being out of one's area of expertise.  Possibly, and agent who is working outside his/her normal geography may take less for granted and actually do a better job of representing the client.  At any rate, it's not up to the listing agent to qualify the buyer's choice of agent.