Business Cards

Hello June - rules and practices that were once common can change.  In a moment without reason as well as through a newly recognized custom or new standards.  

June,

I think that we all are reading too much into everything.  As a homeowner, I would think nothing of it, and that is our nature to take things at face value.  Happy 4th to you.

Sometimes a Listing agent asks for a business card to be left to show proof the Buyer agent showed up. I have a monthly goal to give out 100 cards. 

Hi June- when we sold our homes I appreciated knowing who was in my home and that they in fact showed up. I never viewed the cards as any form of solicitation, however, perhaps if their agent was not doing a good job, the seller might be interested in the names of other agents. 

I do leave my business card but also just write Thank you on the card so they know we showed up . This can be important to the agent especially when they just have a simple combination lockbox.

Loved your post June, agents need to keep up with the rules and the changes, it will benefit all... in my market there is the business card almost becoming an obsolite tool... thanks to the pandemic people do not want to touch you or your business card and leaving them on the table is becoming tackie, Endre

Good morning June - there are many customs in sales that have changed over time and could now be construed as unethical.

If the listing asks agents to leave their card, I do. Otherwise, I don't.

Hello June,  I always leave my card so someone knows who was there and roughly at the scheduled time, depending when they get back to their home.  Should a seller be at the home I introduce myself, including my company name.  I do not offer a card in person unless they ask.  June, from your reply's there seems to be a bit more behind the post than simply an agent leaving their card.  Sellers possibly stepped outside their boundary's as well?  Always the gray areas.  Enjoy the rest of your 4th.  Be safe. Mark

Hello June, I know sometime my clients get upset if they left there home and came back and no business card, was someone there or not?

People can get upset about anything. To me, leaving a card to show you were in the house would be good manners. Now - the note that an agent left in one of my listings bck when I was an agent was not.

She werote that when the listing expired, please call her because she could do a much better job of marketing it. The homeowner, being a good and loyal person, gave me the note.

I usually do not leave a card because we have electronic lockboxes and agents know I have been there.  I do also call the agent when I leave the home just to let them know we are done and that their clients can come back home.  I like to touch base with the listing agent showing as much respect as I can to them and their client.

Hi June Piper-Brandon - Every MLS is different.  Leaving a business card is still considered a courtesy in my local MLS, and has not been considered an ethics issue.   We do have electronic lockboxes, so most agents do not leave their business cards.  

I always have a conversation with my seller about the dos and don'ts of negotiations.  I think it behooves us as REALTORs to have these conversations and educate our clients.  It is our job...

If the agent uses an electronic box, I don't leave a card. If they use a combo box, I do. It is a courtesy to let the agent and/or homeowner know I was in there home so if anything is amiss, they know who to contact. Great feature.

That's a good reminder for all of us.  I always leave one when I'm showing a home so that the seller knows for sure I've been there. The agent will know as lockboxes are electronic, but I appreciate your view on leaving them! 

This is probably a regional concern. I agree it's odd, but in my market, agents are encouraged to leave a business card for the seller so they know who has been in their home. And really, in this digital age, why do we have so many business cards anyway?