Thursday, August 7, 2008
Ask Miss Real Estate Manners
Dear Sue
We have sold several homes. Our least favorite part about having our home for sale is the inconvenience and disruption in our lives.
We hate going to all of the trouble of getting our house ready for a showing, only to have the agent not show up with their prospective buyer.
When we had our old house on the market in Southern California we would get home late and not find any business cards even though we knew that someone had been in our home. It was a very creepy feeling. One time we even found our back door unlocked.
Is this lack of consideration common or is this experience unique to us? Is there a way to prevent these kinds of things from happening to us again?
Dreading Dana
Dear Dana,
I was a guest speaker on a panel for the Women’s Council of Realtors at the Placer County Association of Realtors yesterday and realtor courtesy was a hot topic.
Everyone agreed that the lack of manners between agents and clients was an issue in our industry and agents needed to be more conscious of social grace, respect and courtesy.
When you put your house on the market discuss your concerns with your agent. Let your agent know what you expect in the way of courtesy and etiquette.
Some real estate agents are so focused on the buyer that it appears that they forget about the needs of the seller’s. When showing properties, agents could request a block of time. Asking for a specific time is often unrealistic. For example a morning block of time may be from 9AM to noon. The afternoon block could be from 1 to 4. The key is that the client’s expectations are managed thereby reducing frustration and disappointment.
It is important to realize that it is impossible to predict what a buyer is going to want or do. He may want to alter the “showing” course. Selling is a process, not a series of appointments.
When an agent drives up to a home with a buyer, the buyer knows immediately that they are or are not interested in seeing it. If a buyer is not interested in seeing the property I think it is important that the buyer’s agent leaves a note on the door and follows up with a phone call.
It may be that the first house on the showing tour list is the one the buyer wants and they don’t want to see any other homes. It is the agent’s obligation to call the seller’s that are expecting them and explain the situation. The seller may not like hearing it but he will certainly respect and appreciate the courtesy.
There are no professional training classes for how to show a home. Because there isn’t maybe the seller’s need to formulate their own written guidelines or special instructions such as, please remove shoes or leave the thermostat at 80 degrees. Please lock all doors except laundry room. Please turn off all the lights. Don’t let the cat out. Backyard dog is friendly (or not!)
Make nice cards and place them in appropriate locations through out ones home. Make them fun if possible. For example; Please remove your shoes while doing your tours…this carpet that you’re walking on may soon be yours………………………….
Simple courtesy is a matter of good home dollars and sense.
We have sold several homes. Our least favorite part about having our home for sale is the inconvenience and disruption in our lives.
We hate going to all of the trouble of getting our house ready for a showing, only to have the agent not show up with their prospective buyer.
When we had our old house on the market in Southern California we would get home late and not find any business cards even though we knew that someone had been in our home. It was a very creepy feeling. One time we even found our back door unlocked.
Is this lack of consideration common or is this experience unique to us? Is there a way to prevent these kinds of things from happening to us again?
Dreading Dana
Dear Dana,
I was a guest speaker on a panel for the Women’s Council of Realtors at the Placer County Association of Realtors yesterday and realtor courtesy was a hot topic.
Everyone agreed that the lack of manners between agents and clients was an issue in our industry and agents needed to be more conscious of social grace, respect and courtesy.
When you put your house on the market discuss your concerns with your agent. Let your agent know what you expect in the way of courtesy and etiquette.
Some real estate agents are so focused on the buyer that it appears that they forget about the needs of the seller’s. When showing properties, agents could request a block of time. Asking for a specific time is often unrealistic. For example a morning block of time may be from 9AM to noon. The afternoon block could be from 1 to 4. The key is that the client’s expectations are managed thereby reducing frustration and disappointment.
It is important to realize that it is impossible to predict what a buyer is going to want or do. He may want to alter the “showing” course. Selling is a process, not a series of appointments.
When an agent drives up to a home with a buyer, the buyer knows immediately that they are or are not interested in seeing it. If a buyer is not interested in seeing the property I think it is important that the buyer’s agent leaves a note on the door and follows up with a phone call.
It may be that the first house on the showing tour list is the one the buyer wants and they don’t want to see any other homes. It is the agent’s obligation to call the seller’s that are expecting them and explain the situation. The seller may not like hearing it but he will certainly respect and appreciate the courtesy.
There are no professional training classes for how to show a home. Because there isn’t maybe the seller’s need to formulate their own written guidelines or special instructions such as, please remove shoes or leave the thermostat at 80 degrees. Please lock all doors except laundry room. Please turn off all the lights. Don’t let the cat out. Backyard dog is friendly (or not!)
Make nice cards and place them in appropriate locations through out ones home. Make them fun if possible. For example; Please remove your shoes while doing your tours…this carpet that you’re walking on may soon be yours………………………….
Simple courtesy is a matter of good home dollars and sense.
Labels: auburn real estate, hometown realtors, seehometown, sue thompson
# posted by Sue Thompson @ 2:50 PM 
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