Go by anytime- someone is always home. WHAT?!
Reading Jennifer Allen's rant post If real estate is so easy how do you justify your fee, talks about listing agents who delegate an accessive amount of their work to assistants. What about listing agents who delegate their work to their CLIENTS? I find this practice really ridiculous. I can't believe how many time the showing instructions in the MLS state "go by anytime, someone is always home". REALLY?! The occupants are imprisoned in the house and never leave? Somehow I don't think so.
Agents, if you are going to take listings, then service them. Don't put it on your clients to be home all the time "in case" someone wants to see the property. That's just not going to work. Now if you have a lockbox on the place and the seller says it's ok for people to go directly without an appointment, that something else altogether.
What irks me, and I would imagine other full service agents, are the listings where either there is no contact information for the person who is supposed to be "home all of the time" or I have to call your client directly to make arrangements to see the property. Why is setting up the appointment with YOUR client not YOUR job? I say it IS your job and I would appreciate it if you would do the work you are being paid to do. Stop making me hope that someone is actually at the house when I bring my clients to see it. If you can't bother to confirm a showing or leave me a way to get in the house if nobody is home, then I'm not going to be bothered to show it . Somehow I don't think I'm alone in this.
OK- end of rant!
If you are looking to sell or buy a home in Silver Lake, Echo Park, Los Feliz, and surrounding areas, contact me directly at 213-215-4758 or check out LApropertySolutions.com
Jenny Durling
Broker Associate
L.A. Property Solutions
213-215-4758
info@LApropertySolutions.com
LApropertySolutions.com
I can relate to your point of view; however if it is a limited service listing the agent is NOT being paid to perform some services. Personally, I wouldn't mind calling the seller to arrange an appointment. Sometimes that can cut through a lot of appointment frustration (agent: let me call my client. agent: still trying to reach my client. Agent: client says that time won't work, how about the following day? Agent: let me call my client...)
This is a good topic. I hope others visit and comment.
Excellent rant! I can't imagine sitting at the seller's kitchen table signing paperwork and explaining the process and saying "Oh, and be prepared for drop-ins any time day or night."... and the sellers saying "Ok!"
Ummmm... huh?????
Suzi- I was thinking of full service brokers not mls entry only. When it's entry only it's stated in the mls as such. Perhaps it's more convenient for us as agents to deal diretly with a seller, but as a listing agent I would not make my client do the work. I would make the arrangements for them.
Jennifer- Amen to that! I'm not sure how agents talk their clients into this behavior unless the seller simply doesn't know any better. pretty sad if you ask me!
Jenny, I agree, do your job, then you get paid for the great job you did, not someone else!
Hi Joan- agreed! Sometimes agents seem to forget exactly what their job entails!
If I set the showing appointments it allows me to save the sellers the hassle of returning calls and also lets me keep track of listing activity. I consider it an important aspect of servicing my listings.
Norma- I'm with you. It's not up to the seller to keep track of showings or to show the property. That is the listing agent's job.
Jenny, it's different for every client. Some are at work all day and are fine having someone just go. Others who have very uncertain schedules prefer to have agents call them direct. In my opinion, that makes it easier to show. If someone has to call me first, then I call the client, we may lose time in getting that prospect into the house, especially if they're sitting out in front. When possible, I put very detailed showing instructions in the MLS that suit the seller's preferences. If they prefer that I field the calls, then I most certainly do. For one client that had a large (but friendly dog), calls came to me first and if my seller's were away, I would go and secure the dog before showings. The key is working in a way that best exposes the property and pleases your clients.
Karen- I agree that if there is a lockbox it makes sense for people to "go direct". My gripe is mainly the "someone is always home" thing. If there is no lock box and no way for me to contact the seller, why would I bother to try showing it to my client?
Jenny, Thanks for commenting on my blog. Your blog post made me smile and cringe - I can put myself in the shoes of the poor seller who has people showing up at all hours of the day & night. Yikes!
Jackie- It makes me cringe everytime I see that comment in the showing instructions. Apparently this isn't something most people are seeing in their markets. I only wish I was seeing it in mine!