Drop What You're Doing and Show Me the Home!

What about the guy that called me yesterday at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and left a message that they wanted to look at new construction in Western Loudoun County. 

Now, I was in CE training all day yesterday.  I called the number and explained that I could take them on a tour Saturday but would be happy to do so "tomorrow" which would be today. 

He said in a rather unfriendly manner "We don't want an agent, we just want a list of new home in Western Loudoun County and directions."

It was downhill from there.  I had to get off the phone quickly because I never curse at the consumer.

Agents that don't show their clients the properety, but expect you to do it for them, are cheating their clients. It just happened on one of my listings. The first people to visit it found it themselves online, and their agent called to ask me to show it in her stead. The young couple fell in love with the property, and their agent, never having seen it, decided that the price should be substantially lower than the asking price. In fact, five days after we rejected their offer, it sold for 99% of asking price to the second person to visit it, who came with her agent. He noted that the home was worth every penny of the asking price.

4.00 agallon vs. 3 % commission?  Sounds worth the investment to me.

Good post.  I will always be up front about where their agent is and let them know some of the rules.  I have had excuse after excuse as to why their agent could not be with them today.  It doesn't compute in today market.  Maybe the other agent had to get another job because they could not figure this one out.  Thank for the post.

I with Shaun.  3% on the bottom end of the deal...could be as much as 6%.  Id pay $4 a gallon for the chance to get that.  :-)

I feel what all of you have to say. 

We are in a buyers market of sorts, but that doesn't change how I run my business at Exit Mountain Realty in Brevard, NC.

It takes time, but buyers need to be prequalified before they get in my car.  Not only prequalified, but...

• I get a signed buyers agency agreement.


• I know what they really want to look at.


• I know their banker and have spoken with them.


• I have developed a rapport with them.


• I know their cell phone #, home #, work#, and email address

This is a little work, but the buyers that are serious appreciate it and when the right property becomes available, they are very comfortable with me and are in the right frame of mind to make an offer.  And because they already have a letter from their lender and a signed buyers agency agreement, there is less paperwork at the time of the offer and their offer is much stronger in the eyes of the other agent and seller!

If you don't believe me that this system works...try it!

I'm with you, if they can't share some information about themselves let them go to the new agent that doesn't care they are just desperate to have even a cold lead

Our "cost of doing business" is going up as fuel prices go up.   So "OUR PROFIT MARGIN" is getting skinnier.... and even more so when we are beaten about the shoulders to "reduce" our commissions.   This is life.  I love what I do....but it ain't getting cheaper these days is it?

Exactly! The buyer needs to go call their own agent...and stop bothering the selling agents!  How many times do I get calls like that....and then after I ask if they are working with an agent...uh, yes. I politely tell them to call their agent and have their agent call me for a showing appointment. duh.

As for profit margins getting skinnier, my commissions are negotiable.

I honestly cannot work for someone who wants me to cut my commission. 

In a previous Real Estate Life I tried it a few times (cutting my commish) and I always regretted it.  Sometimes the sellers felt that I did not work as hard for them because I had (cut it).

It happens when you are on floor time and people call and ask for information and do not want to give their name or telephone number. They say they just want the information. How can we be polite and yet refuse to tie up the phone line if they do not want to give us their number?

Doesn't showing the home always depend on who answers the office phone, Jim ? I know that it does in certain parts of Arkansas. :-) Just funnin' with you.....

Jim- There is a company in my area that charges $25.00 a hour min. 10 hours to show homes to buyers, paid upfront.  I wonder if we will ever get to the point of taking a time stamped photo of the buyers in the house?

Gita,

I would politely ask them if they would hold, then get their name 'just in case' then when you take them off hold, you can call them by their name, then it is easier to build rapport.

Do you ever notice that the home they call about has already been sold or has a contract on it? I love it when that happens!

Tell them it probably wasn't right for them anyway...statisticly that is correct according to a NAR study.

I live in a small town and most of the time when they call, I end up with a email address or an appointment.  Remember...ABC (ALWAYS BE CLOSING)  You can't sell a house over the phone...get them in the office.

In an hour's time, a lady called me 3 times Friday night and then again on Saturday morning.  I called her back acknowledging receiving all her messages, but that I had been in appts.  Her response was that she decided to call her agent and schedule an appt.  Huh?  Why are you calling me if you have an agent??!!  That makes me so angry!

Jim: I must agree with you 100% here. Buyers need to be honest with us as well. Gas is to darm high to become a free taxie driver.

Ain't that a shame?

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Real Estate  Since my real estate business is basically the same as yours Lenn (Internet based)  we get these demand calls regularly.  Sometimes they really push the envelope.  They will get angry even though they have an agent, even though you tell them it is not your listing etc.  I ask them "So you really don't want to work with an agent?"  They say That's correct!"  I then tell them have a nice day," and hang up.

Michael Mackey (R) ABR, CRS, GRI (CENTURY 21 All Islands)  Some agents are just lazy.  Others are devious.

Shaun Wren (Western & Southern Life)  They will never buy with you.  There is a new scam out for buyer rebates...they will rebate the buyer 1% as long as they do not show more than 5 homes.  They tell their buyers to get another agent to show them the homes, and when they identify the property they are not to call the cab driver agent that has been showing them homes, but rather they were to call the other agent who showed them nothing.

L. Wayne Denton I HAVE A HANDLE ON YOUR MARKET! ! ! ( Magnolia Signature Homes)  If a person is above board, and has their agent call me, I will show them my listing only.  I am a better sales person than most, and have sold many of my own listings this way.  I have no problem as long as I am dealing with the truth.

Clint Miller with Real Estate Client Referrals (Real Estate Client Referrals LLC)  Read my comment to Shawn.

Isaac Allen, REALTOR, Brevard, NC area Specialist. (Exit Mountain Realty)  It used to be the way we did business in Atlanta until the number of real estate agents rose from 8500 yo 45000 in a few years.  The agents here prostituted themselves to break every rule of professionalism possible.

DORIS FREEMAN, Realtor - ABR (RELIANT REALTY LLC)  I agree, what if they are a predator hoping someone is so foolish to meet them at a vacant home?  It happens all the time, and many a Realtor have paid the price for this with their lives.

I have done a pretty good job putting the "stiff arm" in the face of these type of buyers.  I used to be bad at it. There are still a lot of them and you are right...they are normally never someone that could be a good buyer...they either cant qualify, have a house to sell, or have another agent.

Christine Bohn, ABR, e-Pro, GRI~Gainesville, FL Realtor® (RE/MAX Professionals, Inc.)  It has been tough for the last few years, but I love real estate and I am still making money from it.  I just have to work smarter.

Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman (RA), Hawaii Real Estate & Hawaii Relocation (Century 21 Liberty Homes -Mililani, Hawaii)  Yes, they should call that agent, and call them at 7:30 AM in the morning, and 10:30 PM at night.

I had a Buyer (whom I had a signed contract with) running around looking at houses during the week, thinking they were "helping" me. We walked into one house that we had an appointment for and the listing Realtor says, "So, you came back", to my buyers!!!! I was mortified. He would have had every right to cut me out, but he was very nice.  My buyers and I had a long talk after that. They didn't understanding procuring cause and to be honest, most people do not understand this.

If someone calls me and does not want an Agent.....Why did they call?  Lots of people are afraid to sign Buyer Agency agreements. They always think they are giving up something, when in fact they are getting something. I wish there was a better way to explain Buyer Agency agreements.

Isaac Allen, REALTOR, Brevard, NC area Specialist. (Exit Mountain Realty)  The truth about commissions whether on the listing side or buyers side is like a shark smelling blood in the water.  They always want more form you.

I love the e-mails from somewhere in cyberspace saying, "I'd like to look at [my listing] at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon."  No phone number, nothing but an e-mail address.  As if.....

I also get, "My agent is out of town/on vacation/not available today and I want to see....."

Here's my take:  For years consumers have seen Realtors as nothing but tour guides with a keypad.  There's an old joke that if you're new to town (or visiting) just call a local Realtor and ask them to show you around.

The fact is that there are probably still  lots of Realtors out there that will, in fact, drop everything and meet someone to show a house.  Someone told them real estate is a numbers game and if they get in front of enough people they'll sell a house.  They left out the part about getting in front of people who can actually buy a house and want to.

In addition to meeting strangers at houses because they might already have an agent or just be totally unqualified, they might also be downright dangerous.  How do I know they're not planning to rob me and then kill me for the heck of it?

GITA BANTWAL, REALTOR BUCKS COUNTY, PA HOMES (ReMax Centre Realtors)  It is about running a business, and being the professional always.  Cite office policy or your own policy. No information from you, none from me.  Have a nice day.  Is there anything else I can help you with?

GITA BANTWAL, REALTOR BUCKS COUNTY, PA HOMES (ReMax Centre Realtors)  It is about running a business, and being the professional always.  Cite office policy or your own policy. No information from you, none from me.  Have a nice day.  Is there anything else I can help you with?

GITA BANTWAL, REALTOR BUCKS COUNTY, PA HOMES (ReMax Centre Realtors)  It is about running a business, and being the professional always.  Cite office policy or your own policy. No information from you, none from me.  Have a nice day.  Is there anything else I can help you with?

David Saks (The Real Estate Mart of Tennessee, Inc.)  An interesting concept!  LOL!

Larry Hultberg Newark Delaware Realtor (EXiT Central Realty Delaware Home Search)  I like that idea!  $25/Hour wiht a 10 Hour Minimum!  To be paid in cash or money order!

Donna Harris, ASP (Re/Max HiNet)  I get that scenario every single day.

Roland Woodworth "Ft. Campbell Area Realtor" (Exit Realty Clarksville)   I have no problem dealing with the truth, and then I will make my mind up.  But when buyers are elusive, and arrogant from the beginning...sorry!

Neal Bloom-Realtor ® Assoc.-CRS-Weston FL (RE/MAX Premier Associates)  Yes Neal it is...

Chuck Carstensen (Re/max Associates Plus inc)  I think it is a learning process for all.  I get a lot of these calls.  Folks want what they want.

Karen Hurst ~ Real Estate Broker ~ Warwick ~ Rhode Island (Storm Realty LLC) My experience in htis current market they do not want your services, they are working with another agent, or they may think they can negotiate the listing agents commission.

Ken Montville -- the MD Suburbs of DC (RE/MAX Advantage Realty)  That is why I have a permit to carry a concealed weapon.  Some agents are just plain stupid and do not mind being a taxi cab or putting their buyers in your car on your dime.

Did an open house today and early this morning from the seller, wondering why I didn't have the home open?  I do open houses from 2:00 - 4:00, Mr Seller......I told you that!  You want me to drop everything and go open the house?  Bet I drop that listing soon.

Well, I had just such a call this afternoon. I was putting out my open house signs when the call came in on my bluetooth. The guy wanted to see one of my listings. I told him I was booked until Wed. Since I no longer have STOOPID stamped on my forehead, I asked if he had viewed homes with any other agents and if he had, perhaps he could call one of them if he wanted to see it before meeting with me IN THE OFFICE on Wed.

Guess what! He hasn't signed any papers with another agent yet, but will be using a friend and since that friend/agent lives in another suburb, he doesn't want to bother him by dragging HIM all over God's green earth to see homes. So he's been calling the listing agents.

I tried to explain agency and why he should work with the agent he intended to use to buy the home. It didn't go well after that ..... and he hung up on me.

Oh, BTW, if he does end up viewing the home and by chance buys it ... he'll be my backyard neighbor. ;-)

If you don't show the house when the buyer wants there will be someone else who does.  In some markets you can afford to be choosey, but these day you have to make hat while the sun shines.

Love the post and the comments - in the last week I have had three calls from people who "didn't want to bother" their agent. When I explained why it made a difference, the one (who kept asking if the people still lived in the home hmmm) said, "Oh, I don't think that's important."

NEXT!

I had a call on one of my listings once and, as fate would have it, I happened to be in the office and only 5 minutes away.

I said, "Sure, I'll be right over" and the potential buyer was so impressed that he listed his house with me.

But this is really very, very far from the typical experience!

 Dawn Maloney, ABR (Geneva Chervenic Realty)  They know better.  Sometimes they will just lie.  The best one I ever heard of in the industry was to someone that lied to an agent and had them showing all day.  It slipped later in the day that they had an agent.  The agent told them to get out of the car and walk back to the office. She told them to get out of the car NOW!  She left them off 5 miles away from the office!  I really think they deserved it.  She had a sick child etc...

It is SO ridiculous and the buyers just don't get it. I make them sign an exclusive agreement with me. No one really has a problem with it and I let them know that this is how I run my business.

Pre-qualify, pre-qualify, pre-qualify... there I said it.

Problem is some of them lie and don't say that they are working with an agent. Happened to me last week. A gal called for me to show one of my listings. I finally got it out of her she was working with her uncle 50 miles away and he was busy.

Huh?

Well, I'm sure the house will be available when your Uncle is free to show you. Are you calling other listing agents since you live in Ann Arbor and he is  E of Detroit ?

Yes, she was...

I explained procuring cause and how if I showed her the home and she wrote on it. I would be the reason she bought and not her Uncle and she had no clue.

But, I bet her Uncle did.

LaNita Cates (REMAX of Joliet)  The problem in my market is that most agents don't do that. 

Missy Caulk Ann Arbor Real Estate (Keller Williams Ann Arbor, Michigan)  All day long.  Think about this...her uncle is an agent that sent her out to abuse other agents.

Jim, I got a call yesterday about some folks who were in town visiting friends and wanted to see a few homes, just to get an idea of what was out there.  I told them I was busy.  It was Sunday, I was in the middle of doing something at home, and they wanted to go "right now".  Oh well.

Bob Cumiskey, Your Sun City Center Realtor (A 1 Connection Realty, Inc.)  I am more likely to do the same thing these days.  Lookers are not motivated buyers.

Jim:  Yeah, we do get a certain amount of folks that expect us to jump or lie about having an agent.  It's a pain when you ask all the right quesitons and still find that you have wasted your time.  I think some folks think that all houses are on lockboxes and that in a buyers market we should be happy that they have called.  I guess that they don't realize that not every house is a short sale or a bank owned.  Some folks are living in these homes and actually arrange their schedules to prepare the house for showing.  And as for the agents who instruct their buyers to call on their own and get the listing agents to show because they are "too busy"... that's just so unprofessional.  When we have someone who tells us this up front, we instruct them to have their agent call us to schedule the showing.  The ones who lie about this are ones who really upset me!

Katherine Anderson, Managing Broker (Coldwell Banker Hobin Realty, LLC - Hampton & Rye, NH, USA)  I really detest liars.   I will be more than happy to show my listing to your buyer if you call me first.  Not a problem at all, it is a professional courtesy.

For safety reasons I do not usually just jump up to show a house to a lone Buyer. Sometimes my gut tells me its time to go and other times it does not. I have no hard and fast rule. Except that when I do go someone knows where I am going and when I get there I phone this same person and give them the license plate of the car. They then call me back in 15 minutes for a check. When questioned I have always told the truth that I was logging the showing with name and license plate. The only person who would have a problem with this is the one who might hurt me.

I think even buyers who are working with their own agent aren't being realistic. I have an acquaintance who expects her agent (in a neighboring state) to be showing her homes at 8:00 at night. Her agent has school aged kids! She emails her a list of homes at 3:00 that she wants to see between 7:00 and 8:00 that night. In our area most home owners want 24 hour notice. When the agent tells her it is too short a notice for the sellers she says "Well they must not want to sell too bad!" My only thought when she starts in on her rants is "boy am I glad you are not  my client"

Shannon Aldrich ~ NH & Maine Real Estate Seacoast (Keller Williams Coastal Realty)  Safety should always be the primary concern.  I love your idea!

 Colleen MacDonald (Beasley Realty)  Your acquaintance is abusive because her agent has allowed her to do so.  Some folks like that, I'd just fire.  There is not enough money in the world to put up with abuse like that.

Jim, I totally agree. She works with my husband and he really wanted me to try to get her as a client. Unfortunately, or fortunately, whichever the case may be, I am not licensed in her state. She is very demanding and tries to micro-manage her realtor. I can't imagine the realtor didn't know how she was since it is the lady who sold them the house they are currently in. Brings to mind the saying, "Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me"