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Another Quiet Saturday on Floor Duty

By Jenn Neumann Deer

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Southern Shores

November 29, 2008 01:52 AM

At our company, the receptionist is off on the weekends and there are two agents assigned to floor duty at a time. On Saturdays there are two shifts, from 8:30-1 and from 1-5:30 and I prefer the earlier shift (which is good for me because I ended up with it two Saturdays in a row this month). Last Saturday it was quiet but there were more people in and out, but this weekend it's nearly dead. Halfway into our shift we have only had two calls and they have both been commercial calls which has its own agent on duty.

I don't mind it being quiet because I can catch up on my ActiveRain and e-mails and check MLS for any hot new listings or price changes to send to clients, but the time goes much quicker and it's also nice to hear the phone ringing and see people in and out of the office more - both agents and clients. So more activity would be preferable but I have heard from other agents that the holidays are usually a very quiet time for real estate.

Ok, so January 1st, I expect to see a stampede!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and survived Black Friday!

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Yvette Smith

LONG & FOSTER - Williamsburg, VA

Realtor In Williamsburg VA, Homes for Sale

HI JENN!

I too am on Floor Duty (9-1) & it's dead as a door nail! I've been here since 9 & the phone hasn't rang once, it's now 11!

Good luck!

~Yvette

Nov 29, 2008 02:00 AM

Steve Loynd

Alpine Lakes Real Estate Inc., - Lincoln, NH

800-926-5653, White Mountains NH

Jen..try to stay awake..do a little shopping on line the news make the stores sound like a dangerous place these days...oh nap time for me.ZZZZZZZZZ.

Nov 29, 2008 02:02 AM

Herb Hamilton

RE/MAX Preferred Inc. Realtors - Portland, OR

Real Estate Broker ,CDPE, Downtown Portland

Floor Duty. Is commonly known as the Broker's ability to convince people to become a receptionist for free.

Nov 29, 2008 02:03 AM

Connie Lou Barnett

Real Living/Home Realty - Owensboro, KY

GRI,CRS,CRB,SRMM,ARA,PRS,SFR,QSC

I'm glad to hear other offices are slow as well as ours. It is depressing when you have duty and the phone doesn't ring and no one comes in the office. However I agree it is a good time to catch up on work. Thanks for reminding us. I'm looking forward to January and hope 2009 is a great year.

Nov 29, 2008 02:11 AM

J Perrin Cornell

Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate - Wenatchee, WA

Broker, ABR, VAMRES

Too many people waste floor time. Here are 10 things you can do on floor time that will make the next 30 days more profitable (ok perhaps 60)

1. Call everyone of your listings. Give them a brief market up date and outline what they can expect over the next 30 days. This may be a good time to introduce them to considering a price change " Well, Jenn you know we priced your house well and are committed to getting you the best price...but the market may be telling us we are a little over priced"

2. Call everyone of your buyers and give them an up date on the market including anything that may have just appeared.

(Note: in the two above I said call... do not email...too impersonal)

3. Send a hand written note to 10 people in your SOI

4. Study the MLS stats and know the numbers cold...especially, average price vs list price, number sold/closed and number pending in last 30 days.

5. Know your numbers cold... average sales price, average commission, length of time on the market for your listings and the MLS too.

6. Review your pending files to be sure you have all key dates covered

7. Then call your pending file clients and update them on what is going on.

8. Time block the next week so you go forward and know what you will be doing.

9. Add three people to your SOI and remove three people from your SOI

10. Look up three properties you have not seen and make an appointment to preview them on your way home after you close up.

This could easily consume your floor time and then some...or not...up to you. But IF you need more ideas I have five more to add to the list!

Nov 29, 2008 02:12 AM

Jenn Neumann Deer

RE/MAX Southern Shores - Surfside Beach, SC

Surfside Beach Real Estate

Yvette - Hopefully that million dollar call will come in the next hour!

Steve - I heard some horror stories about yesterday! Scary. I am keeping myself awake with M & M's at the moment.

Herb - Yes, my broker is a master at scheduling me for the least convenient floor duty times each month...I don't know how he does it. =)

Connie Lou - I have heard a lot of the offices are slowing down. We did have a nice little burst for about two months but now it's back to quiet. So by 2009 my office will be in perfect order and ready for the new year!

Perrin - Thank you for the list. I know I have lots I can do but seeing it in an organized way is helpful and might actually keep me more focused!

Mark - But you'll be ready when the buyers come back! It's a good time to set up your business which I am still in the process of doing and probably will be for awhile but I'm trying to use the time wisely since my days aren't as filled with clients as I would prefer. =)

Nov 29, 2008 02:38 AM

Pat Champion

John Roberts Realty - Eustis, FL

Call the "CHAMPION" for all your real estate needs

I too have floor time-mine this morning I have had a couple of calls. I try to make the most out of floor time by catching up on my calls and update my sellers. Enjoy the time to get some much needed work completed.

Nov 29, 2008 03:19 AM

J Perrin Cornell

Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate - Wenatchee, WA

Broker, ABR, VAMRES

Jenn and Mark... the business is all about relationship building. Contact and more contact... to me referrals are the only way to go. It does not happen over night but focus, commitment and systems make it work. It is soo easy and loose focus or do something else... especially when it takes awhile to see results. And Mark actually this may be a very good time to get started. You can make good money in a down market. Perhaps more discipline and a little more work... but it can be done. Jenn, sorry to grab your blog but it all hit a vein with me... best of luck to you all. If ever I may be of help...drop me a note!

Nov 29, 2008 03:22 AM

Jenn Neumann Deer

RE/MAX Southern Shores - Surfside Beach, SC

Surfside Beach Real Estate

Pat - It is nice to have a chance to sit mostly uninterrupted and be productive, since on a normal day I am back and forth with people on the phone, walk-ins or e-mails, so I have been productive. It's rainy and cold here today anyway so I'm not missing beach weather or anything. =)

Perrin - I definitely don't mind you adding to the blog. I am one of those teacher types who definitely believes you can never learn enough (life-long learners) so any tips or suggestions from someone more experienced are always welcome to me. Thanks for the offer, I am usually full of questions!

Nov 29, 2008 03:49 AM

Kristin Moran

Owner - RE/MAX Access - KristinMoran@Remax.net - San Antonio, TX

San Antonio,TX - Real Estate - 210-313-7397

Hi Jenn, you are definitely done by now but wanted to stop by and say hi & good luck! I will be looking for the stampede 1/1/09 also! KM

Nov 29, 2008 08:01 AM

Jenn Neumann Deer

RE/MAX Southern Shores - Surfside Beach, SC

Surfside Beach Real Estate

Kristin - Yea, my floor time ended at 1:00 and I swear it was 1:01 a couple walked in...haha, they are just quicker than the rest of the bunch. I am sure the rest of the buyers are on their way.

Erica - I am usually very productive on floor time. We only have it six or seven times a month and it's good for everyone in our office to do our part, whether experienced or brand new to the business. I like floor duty because I have to be in the office so it forces me to get some prospecting time in,

Valerie - I was wondering how Re/Max worked with their agents on having floor time; our floor duty is technically called prospecting time to sound more exciting but it's still floor duty to me. =)

Dec 01, 2008 01:16 AM

Sandy Shores FL Realtor®, Melbourne Real Estate

M & M Realty of Brevard Inc. - Melbourne, FL

Brevard County Real Estate, Florida's Space Coast

Hey Jenn, I suppose like you said, if it's going to be quiet, then make sure you are doing something else productive, relating to real estate. Active Rain is always good! I'm with you on that January stampede. Let'er rip!

Dec 01, 2008 03:35 AM

Laura Giannotta

Keller Williams Realty - Atlantic Shore - Little Egg Harbor, NJ

Your Realtor Down the Shore!

Jenn, the last place I worked had floor time, I didn't care for it. As for clients, I'm seeing an activity increase and that's a good thing!!

Laura G

Dec 01, 2008 11:22 PM

Teri Deane

RE/MAX 100 - Columbia, MD

Realtor, ABR, CRS, SFR - The Deane Team

Our RE/MAX brokerage structures this differently. We have receptionists all hours that the office is open. Agents are assigned 2-hour time slots for "Opportunity Time" to take calls that cannot be handled by the front desk (general property calls, etc.). This time is totally voluntary and isn't viewed as a "duty." I have picked up buyers and sellers this way. . .but lately there are way fewer calls and the ones that do come in are not high quality. Still. . .we all are hoping for a call from the million dollar buyer!

Dec 09, 2008 11:40 PM

Jenn Neumann Deer

RE/MAX Southern Shores - Surfside Beach, SC

Surfside Beach Real Estate

Teri - Yes, it is called prospecting time in our office but we all know what it means. I have had a few walk-ins on floor duty and people get listings quite frequently while on floor time. When it's busy, it's great and when it's quiet it's fine too because I can get some much needed housekeeping done.

Dec 10, 2008 02:44 AM

Jim Frimmer

HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA

Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

We don't have floor duty at my office because we're up on the third floor, meaning few walk-ins, and we have a full-time receptionist.

Dec 13, 2008 10:15 PM