After doing a Google search for Retiquette, I believe I am coining a new term for Realtor® Etiquette. Now don't call me Emily (Post) but I'm hoping many more will jump in here and add their Retiquette experience where a fellow Realtor® pulls you aside and says, "That's not the way we do things!"
Here's what happened. I gave a Lawrence Kansas real estate expired packet to a seller who had previously had a listing with an expired Realtor® in my office. NOTE: This is not to say that the Realtor® was expired but that the Realtor® had allowed a listing with this seller to expire. :)
Now before you all jump on my case, please listen to my rationale. First, I always print the following at the top of the expired packet. "I understand that your listing has expired. If this is not so, please disregard." Second, when a listing expires, any Realtor® can go after that listing. Third, if a seller is not convinced about using the same Realtor® again, he may not say anything to the Realtor® and just find another one. Before this seller lists with a Realtor® from another office, I want to show the seller that I am on top of things and hopefully he will want me to represent his listing because I am on the ball. NOTE: I'm not a seal and I'm not really on a real ball. I can just imagine some of you asking me if I juggle too.
Anyway, the expired Realtor®, who is not dead, called me up and said, "I think that is pretty 'crappy' (his word not mine) to do that to someone in your own office." He thought I should have called him and asked if the listing was going to be renewed. Now if the guy actually answered his phone instead of having a voice mail greeting that says, I will be returning my calls between 3:15 and 3:40pm today..." NOTE: Am I the only one that is bothered by this?? Not that this expired Realtor® does this but it could happen.
Well, I agreed to give a courtesy call to any Realtor® in our office who lets a listing expire. They had better answer their phone though or I'll be on my way to the seller's house. By the way, this expired Realtor® said it was okay for me to go after expired Realtor® listings from other offices; just not Realtors® in our office.
Besides the other rationale I have given, I believe a seller is entitled to the best possible services from a Realtor® and how are they going to know about better service unless we tell them what we have to offer?
So the first rule of "Retiquette" ever written, at least in this blog, is "Thou shalt give a courtesy call to an expired Realtor®, who is not dead, to see if he is going to re-list his expired listing."
Okay, now it is your turn. Who will provide the next Retiquette?
Merry Christmas everyone! (This should give some of you fuel for the next Retiquette!!)
Thanks!
Rob Lang, ABR, ePro, GRI Realtor®
Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate
300 Rockfence Pl, Lawrence, KS 66049
785-393-2274 (cell) 785-542-1661 (fax)
rob@LetRobDoIt.com http://www.ihaveaddresses.com/
NOTE: This blog was written in the past about properties on the market at the time of the blog being written and should not be considered as active listings beyond the date of this blog.
We wish you a merry Christmas! We wish you a merry Christmas! We wish you a merry Christmas And a happy New Year! Glad tidings we bring To you and your kin! Glad tidings for Christmas And a happy New Year!
Broker Bryant and The Lovely Wife (pretend we are singing it works better like that) ROAR!
Well Rob, I can't tell if this is in jest or not. I am not a realtor, so I am on the outside looking in, but, the original realtor had their chance to get it right, did they not? I don't think I like the first rule, it would promote mediocrity.
Happy Holidays.
I'll be back to see further responses. And, the telephone thing has always bothered me too. I know it's recommended by several trainers.
Jeff - I LOVE that new term you coined!! "Retiquette" - should be interesting to see if it catches on!
Ann
"Rediquette"... I can buy into that.
Merry Christmas!
Mark, unfortunately this blog was not in jest (except for the "expired" Realtor part to lighten it up a little). This event really happened at the end of last week. Mediocrity is exactly what I want to avoid. People don't need another excuse to FSBO or to think poorly of Realtors' professionalism. I believe in accountability. If I make a mistake and lose a client, I learn quickly not to make that mistake again.
So what other retiquettes are out there? Surely handling expireds is not the only one.
Hi Erika,
Think in terms of what a seller would need who has has had another realtor unsuccessfully market their property and put it together as a packet. I have emailed you privately with some ideas to get you started.
Rob
Rob,
Haaaa. It was good to read this post. I recently has the same situation. I listed an expired that was from another realtor in my office. She was pissed! Now mind you, i relisted this client a WEEK after her listing expired. Well, she never called me and still hasn't until this day but she did however, drag my name through the mud with some of the other folks in the office, tried to make the seller think i was stealing her listing, AND when the house sold in 2-days, she called the seller and told them that i didn't sell her listing, it was the price reduction that sold it. My seller loves me and corrected her very quickly,lol I can't believe this type of unprofesssionalism exists. I firmly believe that service sells more than selling itself and the other realtor obviously didn't service her client or else i wouldn't have been able to re-list it a week after it expired due to her lack of followup. thanks for the great read... oh and i would love to know what you put in that expired listing packet as well.
Due to popular demand...
An expired packet includes whatever you want it to include. It is a variation of a seller's packet and a FSBO packet or FSBO kit as some call it.
I put my newsletter in it, a sellers' disclosure, a handout I made of the 31 steps to selling your home, etc. I have heard some people take these packets in a big box to show the daunting task of selling their home.
The idea on all of these is to show the seller selling a home is not as easy as it seems and to help the seller ask where do I sign because they see that this is not an easy task and requires a professional who will work full time on selling their home for them.
Thanks!
Rob
Rob,
Thanks for the post. as long as you tried to talk to the agent in your office, I feel it is fair game.
Hi Dan,
I think I would tell them they have 24 hours and then I will approaching the seller for the listing myself before someone from another office gets the listing.
Rob
I think that if you have a relationship with the other agent you should talk to them first. If you don't have a relationship with him/her, I would drop off the packet with the seller and then tell the other agent what you did so it's not a shocker to them and let your broker know what you did also.
Could you also email me with the type of infor that you put in your packet? I am trying to put my own together right now.
Thanks!