Listing Agents Need To Be Self Confident To Give Proper Guidance

Good morning Barbara Todaro,

Congratulations on a well deserved featured post..great topic! Self confidence is an important component of being successful listing agent. Setting proper expectations and guidance though the process is crucial..

I agree with your essential premise, Barbara... that it's up to a listing agent to do comps to ensure a price on a home is essentially market value. I look for feedback on all sorts of other things when I represent a seller.... because as you know, some things we can fix and others we can't. When representing buyers I always try to give honest feedback whether it's about condition, price, etc. I know the listing agents appreciate it and I've developed many a relationship over the years with agents in town as a result of being very consistent in providing useful feedback. And they reciprocate for me.

I have seen some listing agents burst under heavy negotiations.

Great advice!!!

Listing agents must learn and remember their major role. It’s representing the seller. It’s providing the best guidance so that the seller can make the proper decisions. There’s a function “behind the scenes” of protecting the interests of the seller and maintaining confidentiality at all times.

This is very good reading for home sellers and listing agents.

Have a great day and a most productive week.

"Times have changed, and to ask a buyer’s agent for an opinion doesn’t make sense to me.  That buyer agent represents the buyer.  Why would one consider that response to be valuable? 

Listing agents who are well-versed with their role will not chase a buyer’s agent for feedback.  If a buyer has interest, the buyer agent who foolish enough to share that information is asking for competition."

You are assuming that most buyer's agents are smart like you.  But many will tell you more than they should.  Many times this is very valuable information for the seller.  So it doesn't hurt to call and ask for opinions and feedback.  It just costs you a bit of your time and might result in good information.   

Sellers are sometimes frantic for feedback, even though as you say it's rarely helpful unless there is a problem that's fixable (wallpaper comes to mind).  In that case, feedback can be helpful inconvincing the seller to address that issue.

You are so right Barbara!...I hope you have a great Thursday too!

Good post my friend Barbara. Listing agents need to be ('brutually' in a good way) honest with their clients and tell it the way it is when required. And when a seller wants the buyer's agent's opinion, it means to me the listing agent does not do a good job - for the reason you have stated.

I did just that last night with a new seller - when they asked for my opinion, I asked if they wanted me to deliver it with flowers or just be brutally honest for the betterment of the sale to get the best possible deal out of the sale. She opted for the latter.

You say Barbara Todaro that the burden is solely on the listing agent and I am in support of that.

I'm not a fan of begging for feedback.  Sometimes you get something you wouldn't expect, like the fact that the dog peed on the carpet in the living room.  Others are usually nitpicking the home to their buyer's tastes.

Barbara, as long as the self confidence is based on experience, knowledge and competence I agree. If the self confidence solely comes from fake it til you make it, a listing agent can cause serious harm to their clients and the industry. 

The best "feedback" is an offer. Or the absence of one :)

A lot of great points, Barbara.  Times have changed and people do need to remember their role (to serve and protect their clients' interests).

Here in Sacramento I get feedback because the sellers would like to know what buyers are saying about the home. I also do it because it's easy to obtain, and I can often counter an objection a buyer's agent may have but might incorrectly say to his client, which would be wrong. I can ensure the quality of the information this way, make sure they have my correct email in the event an offer will materialize, network with the buyer's agent, establish a nice rapport where they will feel comfortable submitting an offer, and well, the benefits are too many list and my sentence is getting too long.

Excellent post!  I agree whole heartedly that buyers agents showing the home may have an opinion, but knowing the market as a listing agent that has done their research should be proof enough of how to list a home for sale. Still, I always try to get feedback, no matter what I think. I do that for the sellers sake that I've gone the extra mile and asked.  Sometimes it's very frustrating because the feedback may not match the house and then I wonder, did they really take a good look?!  

I do not rely on feedback from agents. I like to know if there is any interest in the house. I know it does not mean much until I see it in writing.

When I  am the buyer agent if there is interest I inform the agent and hope that they will  tell me if an offer is coming in. 

Barbara great post. Listing agents need to be brutally honest with the seller and price the home correctly.

Hi Barbara --- I say feedback, schmeedback...and I will say it confidently.   It really doesn't matter in my opinion.