Insult . . or Courtesy?

Realtor-to-Realtor Courtesy

Normally, you'd think pointing out that someone tracked dirt through your home, or that a window was covered with a certain bird "souvenir," would be an insult.

When isn't that the case?

When a Realtor doing a preview or showing encounters those things, and lets the listing agent know.

That's especially the case when a home is unoccupied, and the offending condition would otherwise go uncorrected -- until the next prospective Buyer came through.

The same courtesy applies -- only more so -- when a Realtor encounters a home with an unlocked (or open!) front door (not common, but it's been known to happen, especially with unoccupied homes).

Then, alerting the Listing Agent not only serves to protect an otherwise vulnerable home owner, but takes the agent reporting the problem off the hook for any security-related problems on the premises.

"Tear-downs," Cheap & Expensive

"Tear Down This Wall(paper)!?!"

No, Ronald Reagan didn't say that -- a Realtor did.

Earlier this week I attended a Realtor meeting in a very impressive -- but cosmetically dated -- home, where, after extolling the home's many virtues, the listing agent/host asked for input.

"Tear it down," came the first agent comment.

"The wallpaper," he clarified.

The other agents laughed . . . while the listing agent let out a huge sigh of relief!

(As feedback goes, that's a whole lot better than hearing "needs a new Kitchen").

"Pot Shots" and Search Engines

Time to Broaden My "Sphere?"

Funny how key word searches work.

A post I ran last month, "Price Opinion -- or Pot Shot?," was actually about Realtor feedback -- both the informed and uninformed kind.

But I guess I shouldn't be surprised when, scanning the search queries of visitors to this blog today, I noted "marijuana friendly Realtors" (as I've disclosed previously, I can see visitors' referring URL, search engine, and search words -- but not their identity).

Well, no, that's not currently part of my "marketing sphere" (what Realtors call their circle of contacts, prospects, past clients, etc. -- also called their "sphere of influence).

But just for the benefit of any future visitors to this site attracted by this post -- I'm officially agnostic on the subject (i.e., what consenting adults do privately is their business).

As they say, "the only color that matters in real estate is . . . green" (sorry, couldn't resist).

P.S.: on a more sober note, there have been a couple documented cases of vacant homes in the Twin Cities area being used as grow operations. Such endeavors not only pose multiple safety and security threats, but are seriously illegal. No sane Realtor wants anything to do with that . . .

"Now, That's Useful Feedback!"

Realtor Showing Feedback ("Heads Up?")

As a listing agent (representing Sellers), one of my stock lines is that "the only feedback I really care about is a full price offer from a well-qualified Buyer."

That's only a slight exaggeration.

While there's always the truly unique property that's difficult to wrap your head around, the fact is, if the home you're listing has been on the market for a month, and you're surprised by the feedback you're getting . . you're not a very good Realtor (at least in my opinion).

(Sort of like the advice trial attorneys are given never to ask a witness a question that they don't already know the answer to).

Exceptions to the Rule

So, are there exceptions to that?

Sure.

Earlier this week I showed a home that my client said had a strong gas smell (my own sense of smell is non-existent). I immediately called the listing agent, who followed up.

Last week, I showed a property where it was obvious that the owner's cat had been . . . ahem . . sick. In multiple places.

Again, I called the listing agent.

Believe it or not, he was grateful to get the call. The client was out of town for the week, and I just saved him a few ruined showings.

Realtor Compliments

Realtor "Atta-Boy": 'Nice Listing!'

A new listing has a surprising number of parallels with the opening of a Broadway play.

There's the opening night anticipation.

There are the hopes (and fears) about whether the audience (prospective Buyers) will like it.

And there can be a sense of dread about what the toughest critics will have to say.

In real estate, the toughest critics are invariably . . fellow Realtors.

One of the best -- and earliest -- signs that a new listing is going to meet with a strong reception is when other Realtors weigh in with a "nice listing," "Congratulations," or the equivalent.

What they're really saying: the home is attractively priced, well-staged and presented, and -- perhaps most importantly -- likely to sell quickly.

P.S.: notwithstanding the foregoing, I like to tell clients that the only feedback I'm really interested in . . . is a full price offer from a well-qualified Buyer. Even better: two such offers!