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 Servicing the Listings

Created by:
Mirtha Santiago, Licensed Real Estate Agent,  Columbus,  GA

Date: August 13, 2007, Number of Replies: 12


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What type of personal services to your offer your sellers?

Other than the standard steps we go thru to list, market, and sell a property, I am curious to know, what other types of "personal services" do you offer? Why am I asking? Well, I have encountered local Sellers that expect me to take care not only the sucessfull sale of their home, at a profit, and in the least amount of time, but for example, the availability of a truck for them to move and even help them drive a truck if they have rented more than one!

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gbcosta@yahoo.com

Date: August 14, 2007

 
Other than the standard steps we go thru to list,
market, and sell a property, I am curious to know,
what other types of "personal services" do you offer?
Why am I asking? Well, I have encountered local
Sellers that expect me to take care not only the
sucessfull sale of their home, at a profit, and in the
least amount of time, but for example, the
availability of a truck for them to move and even help
them drive a truck if they have rented more than one!

Reply: Oh no we do not go there. I handle helping
them get items repaired by getting estimates if they
are out of town. I also make them sign a release that
the company or I are responsible for any damage or
workmanship and they have to sign the authorization
for the work to be done and take responsibility for
payment. If they want a housekeep to clean, they get
estimate from her with a price, they send me the check
then I schedule and inspect before I release the
check. This is out of town clients.

Glory Bee Costa ABR, CRS, GRI, E-PRO, SRES
410-745-3241-Home Office
410-310-9081-Cell
http://www.Maryland-WaterFront-Homes.com
E-Mail-Glory@GloryBeeCosta.com
Maryland Counties (Eastern Shore)
Talbot, Queen Anne, Caroline & Dorchester
Prudential Premier Properties - Easton, MD - Associate Broker

____________________________________________________________________________________
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Deede Wockenfuss Licensed Real Estate Agent,  Chandler,  AZ

Date: August 14, 2007

What type of personal services to your offer your sellers?

 
In today's market you have to be VERY careful as to how you spend your time on your listings.  We have learned the hard way, to provide a series of services, that are communicated the way WE want to communicate and are beneficial to both parties.  For instance, email communication is 99% of our services.  If sellers do not have access to email, except in very special circumstances, we will not take the listing.
We are primarily a listing company.  We do things that most of you would never consider doing unless you had an appointment.  Since we get more listing inquiries than most, we send out COMPLETE CMA's via email to people who request them.  We follow up with a phone call to go over the results and set the appointment to take the listing. We have found that we become the listing agent for about 85% of the sellers we provide the email CMA for (if they list at all). If sellers are completely unrealistic about pricing the home to sell, we offer them the many options to selling.  Remember, we have not yet gotten out of our chair, so we are not SO invested in taking the listing that we can't offer honest advice and politely turn it down, if we need to.  If they are going to price it correctly, allow almost 24 hour access and keep the property in tip top condition, we will joyfully take the listing, THEN begin to provide 'outrageously' fantastic customer service.
  • Their property and photos on hundreds of web sites
  • Realtor.Com Enhancement
  • Bi-Monthly 'Market Snapshot"
  • Professional-grade photos AND Virtual Tour
  • Brochures and FULL brochure tube
  • Daily, customized 'drip email' providing them with up to date market conditions, reminders for successful showings and the title, loan and co-operating agent procedures, etc.
  • We subscribe to a 'feedback' system which is send to showing agents up to 3 times, it takes less than 60 seconds to respond to and goes directly to the sellers inbox
  • Printed Seller's Guide with samples of ALL contracts to review in advance, necessary phone numbers and the guides to home inspections and appraisals
  • "AnnounceMyMove" email letter to all of THEIR addresses in THEIR computer (upon request)
  • 24 Hour secretarial answering service which sends the callers request to the appropriate agent's email AND cell phone.  We usually respond within 15 minutes
  • Weekly, updated CMA and activity in their neighborhood, as well as compare it to their entire city
  • Short sale, foreclosure and bankruptcy counseling BEFORE it occurs
We DO NOT do maintenance chores such as tidying up their home for them, weeding their yard, retrieving their mail or help them pack to move.  We have been hired to LIST and SELL their home.  If they need a lawn service, a cleaning team or a 'runner', we try to guide them as to where they can find this person.  We let them know upon listing the property that we are not available for these chores, but that we will provide superior programs to LIST and SELL their property.
 
Without going into deeper detail, we sell five times more of the listings we take, than the average company in our town.  We only take and service listings that we feel confident that we can SELL and collect a commision on.  It makes zero sense to take and service listings that have a 99% chance of NOT selling.  Since only 1 in 10 homes in our area are actually selling and closing escrow, that means that 90% are duds!  We make the effort to try to only list and service the 10% that will sell.  If you SELL more of the listings you take, you get more REFERRALS from those Sellers and spend less time 'spinning your wheels' with duds.
Bottom line:  I have cleaned many homes, took a tractor to mow a 3 acre parcel, chlorinated wells and 'run errands' for sellers.  I found that the more of a doormat I was for the seller, the less respect and referrals they provided to me.
 
The service system we use has provided a 'mushroom' effect for referrals.  We work daily to improve this system and be sure that our sellers send us referrals and extend listings as necessary in today's market.


Deede Wockenfuss
Marketing Manager
Assist 2 Sell, Buyers and Sellers Best Choice
Go To:
    www.4GilbertHomes.Com
for your FREE "Real-Time MLS Market Report!

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YoungSeu

Date: August 14, 2007

In addition to the standard listing duties and services I give to my sellers, the greatest service outside of getting their home sold in a timely and profitable manner is that I am a good resource for the other services they may need. I make available to the sellers a list of related products and services. These include things like which moving company is offering discounts, hotel, auto, and other discounts that may help them with the process of moving.
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Cynthia Nina-Soto Licensed Real Estate Agent,  Beverly,  MA

Date: August 14, 2007

I offer what I like to call VIP Service to my sellers.  This VIP service includes 1 year Home Warranty paid by me, Staging, Access to my list of vendors to get the house ready (handyman, electrician, plumber, landscaper, etc). I also have the house professionally cleaned from top to bottom, Storage facility until the house is sold or they move to a new place which ever comes first.  Free Moving (with some restrictions) or Relocation service if they are moving outside of my coverage area.  Unlimited 24/7 transaction access via the internet.  Toll free # and talking house feature. I also require that all potential buyers have a conversation with my preferred lender simply to make sure the buyer is solid.  Lots of web presence and everything else that we typically do.  For this full service I do charge at least 1% - 2% higher than the average commision paid out.  When I do my listing presentations I list all of these services along with everything else that is done behind the scene.  They all ask how much this will cost them and thats when I breake it to them.  Many times they refuse to pay that much so I ask them how much they would like to pay me and depending on their answer I give them a modified list of services tailored to the propossed commision.  Many after seeing the difference in services opt for the VIP package.  In essence those that choose the VIP service are really treated like Royalty they don't have to worry about anything at all.  After all isn't that why they are paying top $$$....


Cynthia Nina-Soto
Realtor
Keller Williams Realty
VM/E-Fax: (978) 882-4676
cninasoto@kw.com
www.NINASOTO.com

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Melina Tomson Licensed Real Estate Broker,  OR

Date: August 14, 2007

Mirtha,

I am guessing that you are running into sellers like this as I think it was more common practice in the "old days" to do what it takes to get a deal to close. When I was getting my license, the trainer was telling us a story about helping a client dig a ditch over the weekend for some drainage pipes.  The entire time I was thinking if I am that desperate for business then I need to quit. 

I personally have a list of contractors that bill escrow for my clients for repairs, and yes I have sat at a home with the plumber if a client can't take off work.  If I do something for my client it is transaction related and I help to direct repairs.  For out of town folks, I will double check work that has been done, etc.  I have never cleaned a house, or done errands for my clients.    This is their house, not mine. 

Real estate is an "odd" profession in that it requires a lot of knowledge and skill and yet it is demeaned in many ways.  I am not aware of any other profession that has this dicotomy.  If agents do those types of things for clients, they are just demeaning themselves, IMHO.

Melina Tomson, MS
ABR, e-PRO
melina@tomsonburnham.com
www.TomsonBurnham.com
ph: 503-371-6515
fax: 503-588-1628

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gbcosta@yahoo.com

Date: August 15, 2007

 
We DO NOT do maintenance chores such as tidying up their home for them, weeding their yard, retrieving their mail or help them pack to move. We have been hired to LIST and SELL their home. If they need a lawn service, a cleaning team or a 'runner', we try to guide them as to where they can find this person. We let them know upon listing the property that we are not available for these chores, but that we will provide superior programs to LIST and SELL their property.

Reply: I do not physically do cleaning, lawn work etc. But with sellers out of town this work must get done if the property is to sell. Or if it is an older person(s) with no family I will handle getting people to do the work. Now I also reflect that in the commission I charge as it is time consumming and I explain this in advance of listing the property. I have people that will pack up the people, take care of repairs, etc. There is a second agreement signed if they need to use my services along with a release of liability. I do not take any income from the services, my income is from the commission. I or my assistant does inspect all the work that is done, prior to the vender getting paid. I also have a list of 3 venders for any item, cleaning, lawn, plumbers, etc. I am complimented on my going beyond the normal requirements as well as getting referrals from their friends.

Glory Bee Costa ABR, CRS, GRI, E-PRO, SRES
410-745-3241-Home Office
410-310-9081-Cell
http://www.Maryland-WaterFront-Homes.com
E-Mail-Glory@GloryBeeCosta.com
Maryland Counties (Eastern Shore)
Talbot, Queen Anne, Caroline & Dorchester
Prudential Premier Properties - Easton, MD - Associate Broker
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Martha Kelley

Date: August 15, 2007

Dear Mirtha,

I'm glad you started this discussion!  I'm afraid many of us who come from other professions are still under that 'other duties as signed' part of the old job title!

I've been taken advantage of, only to lose the listing.  I won't ever go there again!

Martha Kelley, ABR,e-Pro,Realtor®
HomeSmart Real Estate
Direct: (480) 200-0898
Fax: (602) 218-5770
www.AzSonoranHomes.com

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Jan Pyle

Date: August 15, 2007

In this market, our midwestern hospitality has been tested by both sellers and buyers. However, I am very up front with my sellers that, even though I am going to help them with anything that I can, it is usually from a third party vendor/service that I will provide them the name of, I provide a list of "preferred vendors" that they can contact and if that does not work, invite them to call me and we can brainstorm to figure out who to call next. We as Realtors, deserve the same respect that our sellers would extend to any other professional. Jan Pyle, CRS, ABR, GRI, SRES Reece & Nichols Realtors www.janpyle.reeceandnichols.com 816-918-1777
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Tom Greenan Licensed Real Estate Agent

Date: August 15, 2007

Cynthia wrote:

"I offer what I like to call VIP Service to my
sellers. This VIP service includes 1 year Home
Warranty paid by me, Staging, Access to my list of
vendors to get the house ready (handyman, electrician,
plumber, landscaper, etc). I also have the house
professionally cleaned from top to bottom, Storage
facility until the house is sold or they move to a new
place which ever comes first."
======================================================
Hi Cynthia,

I like your way of thinking. Most sellers only think
of the commission rate and dollars signs on what it
will cost them. Good idea about adjusting the services
depending on the commish. Another free service I
provide is with my local MLS service.

I put the sellers on an automatic weekly update on
listings in their immediate area, such as just listed,
sold, expireds, etc. Most folks want to know these
things and it takes about five minutes to set up and
then it’s automatic, all you do is put in their
criteria and you’re a hero in their eyes.

Just my 2 cents worth,

Tom G.

Tom Greenan, Realtor
KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY-River North
Office: (312) 951-8700 Direct/Cell: (773) 733-3683
Email me at: info@tomsellschicagohomes.com
Visit my web site: www.tomsellschicagohomes.com

Support our paralyzed veterans at http://www.pva.org/

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