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FEEDBACK

By
Real Estate Agent with Wray Realty

I am calling on all my Fellow Realtors.  I have a general question...What is the problem with providing feedback???

This has been a worsening problem in the Raleigh, NC market.  A Broker sets up an appointment, seller leaves, realtor and buyers come, they leave, seller comes home.  At this point in time the seller wants to know what the buyers thought. 

I understand this may take 24-48 hours for the showing realtor to submit the feedback.  This would be fine and if sellers are educated properly it is not an issue, however, it has become increasingly annoying when realtors do not submit ANY feedback at all.  WHY?????? 

Let me preface this by saying in the Raleigh, NC market we use a service called Centralized Showing Service.  CSS is a great tool.  It allows you to do many things and one of them is provide feedback on-line at your leisure.  The problem is that more and more realtors are not providing this feedback.  It only takes 2 minutes per listing to write up a little blurb about the home you saw and give some constructive feedback.  I always provide constructive and honest feedback and would like to see it become the norm.  It is hard to tell your sellers that your fellow agents just do not care enough to provide feedback.  WHY?????

I am only writing this becasue I am becoming annoyed by the lack of care other realtors have for their collegues and this courtesy we provide each other. 

The service we use with CSS sends out 4 emails as a reminder over 3 days after the showing. Surely this is enough reminder for someone to provide feedback.  If I do not get feedback, I send a personal email and a followup phone call, but why is the first 4 emails not enough?  WHY????

Fellow Realtor, please tell me what your thoughts are on this issue.

Thanks.  Brian D. Wray

www.Triangle-NC.com

 

Show All Comments
Jean Powers
Kane & Associates call 510.908.9002 - Alameda, CA
CRS,e-PRO,HAFA,SFR Broker, Northern California

 Brian, I give the agents honest feedback, If there are negative issues with the home I will state them but I always give some positive feedback first, I think most agents will only give you negative feedback because it is not their listing, I am not sure if most feedbacks are reliable unless you know the agent well

Jun 13, 2008 05:10 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Brian,

And I can't tell you how I hate this service. First, I do not feel that this is of any value to anyone. It is just another machine asking general questions. Filling it gives you diggly squat.

Recently we were waiting for a Canadian prospect to come, and we picked several keys from one company to show the spectra of units in oceanfront condos. The prospect came, looked around and said that he did not like the whole area, actually did not like Daytona Beach at all, and said he would buy in Tampa (and he did).

So, we returned the keys to the office, explained what happened to the receptionist, attached the note and left. And then I started getting those e-mail notifications.

I went into one and I just had to value on a certain scale this and that, while we did not even show the property.

I think that agents who want to really know your opinion, will not use this useless system. Sorry, I was the one who did not respond. Not in your state, but this is irrelevant.

Jun 13, 2008 05:14 PM
Brian Wray
Wray Realty - Holly Springs, NC

Jean, Thanks for your post.  I agree.  Around here, it is a little lax.  Agent most will say.."Home Showed Well".  what does that mean?  This does not help out.  Most people would like to hear the Good-Bad-Ugly.  The other issue we seem to be running into is the lack of feedback.  I feel that if you ask a seller to leave so you can bring a buyer to their home, then the right thing to do is provide some true constructive feedback.

Jean,  I am gald you are one of the good guys!!  Thnaks!

Jun 13, 2008 05:14 PM
Paula Swayne
Dunnigan, Realtors, Sacramento (916) 425-9715 - Sacramento, CA
Realtor-Land Park, East Sac & Curtis Park -Dunniga

Hi Brian!

I'll be happy to give you the other side of the story.  The listing agent doesn't want to tell the seller that the red velvet drapes in the living room that the seller is so proud of are really passe'.

So, the listing agent asks for feedback and the previewing agent says the red drapes are not real attractive.

Now, the listing agent can go back to the seller and say, so-in-so with abc realty says your drapes are not attractive.  Now, who is the bad guy?  The previewing agent has just been used to protect the relationship of the listing agent with his seller.

Just an example, but I feel that the seller pays a commission to an agent who, if they have done their job, has already pointed out the hurdles and the positives. The listing agent, if they have done their homework, has told the seller the appropriate list price.  The listing agent shouldn't need feedback from other agents.  I might be wrong, it's just my opinion.

Jun 13, 2008 05:19 PM
Leslie Stewart
Oregon Licensed Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals - Stayton, OR
Realtor, ABR, CRS, Oregon Licensed Broker

I try to leave feedback when I can.  I have to say honestly, if I don't leave feedback it is because I didn;t have time to do it at the time of the call and then I forgot.  I dont mind being reminded again.   

Jun 13, 2008 05:23 PM
Barb Siegwalt
Realty Austin / Compass - Austin, TX
Barb Siegwalt

Brian, The truth is, most folks are not as concerned with your listing or sellers as they are with their next commission check. Rare are the professionals in any industry that take your needs and respect them to the level you know you and your clients deserve. Common respects are not as common as they once were since we are all so busy with this and that. My hope for you is that the standards you hope to be revered in the Real Estate profession come to light again. I believe this will happen if we will each become shinning examples of integrity.

Jun 13, 2008 05:26 PM
Paula Swayne
Dunnigan, Realtors, Sacramento (916) 425-9715 - Sacramento, CA
Realtor-Land Park, East Sac & Curtis Park -Dunniga

Brian, just a clarification...my opinion has nothing to do with lack of respect or empathy for another Realtors needs.  I have been bit by agents using my comments to save their reputation and sally mine.  I just don't want to facilitate them doing this.  I am happy to do this within my own company, and in fact we do it all of the time.  However, I would never ask another brokerage to evaluate my listing.

Jun 13, 2008 05:33 PM
Bob & Carolin Benjamin
Benjamin Realty LLC - Gold Canyon, AZ
East Phoenix Arizona Homes

Many buyers don't really want what they think to be disclosed until they might be making an offer. And when that is not the case, there is a time issue and not thinking that doing it is very relevant. For example, is there is a home that needs painting, the listing agent knows it needs painting and the owner knows it needs painting. Will offering the feedback that the home needs painting really make a difference and get the home painted... doubt it. Just our 2 cents.

Jun 13, 2008 06:08 PM
Patty Carroll
Vancouver, WA

Brian, we use the ActiveKEY from Supra and Feedback.com. As soon as an agent enters one of our listings an questionnaire by email is sent to them. It has 5 questions (can be custom tailored to your questions) as soon as they send it to us a copy automatically goes to the seller. If they do not respond they automatically get 3 attempts and then alerts us and the seller that they did not take the time to respond. We have had great results and would recommend it highly.

Jun 14, 2008 02:37 AM
Brian Wray
Wray Realty - Holly Springs, NC

i have read all of the responses and I am actually suprised at the responses.  it seems as though there are a variety of reasons above.  I think the major reason underlining above is just the lack of wanting too.  To all the folks that do not provide feedback, do your sellers not want feedback on their listings?  If so, what do you tell them when they ask, 'what did the buyers think".  Do you just make us something.  I think that good honest feedback is really great.  I agree some feedback, such as "home shows well"  is a lazy response and a cop-out.  if the agent is a decent agent, then they have probably told the client to paint the home and remove the red drapes, and take down the wall paper, but sometime the clients have it in their heads it will not make a difference.  Sometime we need our fellow agents to make this comment to get them to make the change.  Yes, your comments, if constructive, honest and correct, does make a difference. For example.  I pleaded with a client to paint a master bedroom that sponge painted lavender.  They disagreed with me and said I will see what the comments were.  out of the first five showings three agents provided feedback and commented on this issue.  This gave me leverage to get the bedroom painted.  they painted the bedroom.  We took new pics, the next weekend, we got an offer.  Anyway.  I emplore you to provide feedback. thanks.

Jun 18, 2008 10:43 AM
Debbie Summers
Charles Rutenberg Realty - New Smyrna Beach, FL

Brian - I'm so tired of begging agents for feedback...  They don't answer their email requests and they never answer the voice mails I leave for them on the phone.  It's really frustrating. 

I spoke to an agent yesterday regarding a showing and told her that she would receive an email request for feedback and I would really appreciate it if she would take the 1minute it takes to fill it out and email it back.  I told her that I can't seem to get anyone to do, so I'm asking in advance.  She did it.

Jun 28, 2008 09:13 AM
Bo Bromhal
BHHS York Simpson Underwood - Raleigh, NC
Triangle Native, 2 decades of experience

I think it's wrong and a sign of lack of professional courtesy.  Quite frankly, there should be some method by which agents are requried to provide feedback, or lose their showing privielges if they're really bad about it.

And that's just the courtesy aspect of it.  Yes, it is quite impossible if you're out showing 10 houses to a client to come back and remember something VALUABLE for all 10.  But at least acknowledge you showed it!  And a simple "home shows well, client had no interest because master was too small" is always better than nothing.

I was primarily a Buyer's Agent for 9 years, and now list and sell for the past 18 months.  Obviously, when you're the agent that GETS the feedback, it's even more important to you.  I have to assume it's primarily LAZY buyers agents who fail to respond.

 

All I can say is, when you get there 2 or 3 days/attempts out and nothing, you can only tell your sellers "Sorry, but obviously they ahd no interest."  I've never had an agent refuse to provide feedback and then suddenly bring an offer. 

Jul 26, 2008 06:05 AM
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