You are one of a few agents that are being interviewed to sell that wonderful home and you're thinking that it's just not worth it. You let out a ‘harumph' after getting off the phone (and hearing that you're one of several to be interviewed) and rather than ‘go through the trouble' you retort that, "They don't know what they're missing".
You expect everyone to pick you and trust in you to sell their home...without even interviewing you.
NOT.
Remember the movie Against All Odds? In the end he lost out on the woman he loved. He didn't stay focused on the job he was supposed to do and he let his emotions take over and ended up being the loser in the end.
Stay focused and get those emotions in check. We all want to be the caring but detailed professionals in our area of expertise but we can't expect it to come on a silver platter. We have to WORK for it!
While I'm still talking to the seller I already have in mind what I'm going to do:
Make that appointment! - Get my listing packet together
- Nice Cover Letter briefly explaining that I will listen to their needs and what I will do for them
- Comparable properties with a detailed CMA Wizard
- Documentation for all building permits
- Documentation for city and county tax records
- Sketches and detailed info from Department of Planning and Permitting-Honolulu
- Print out of aerial view of their property
- Any pertinent information from the Bureau of Conveyances
- My Strategy for Marketing Their Property (MANY online sites, offline, open houses, flyers, cd's of virtual tours, virtual tours and booklets with info for the home)
- Sentrilock for secure showings
- Additional information on Tips and Tricks to Get the Property in Showing Condition
- Other flyers explaining Conveyance Tax, Harpta/Firpta Taxes
- Listing Agreement and Property Profile Information
- Seller's Real Property Disclosure Statement
- Seller's Estimated Net Sheet
Being self confident is another attribute that I have that takes me to the finish line. I study, research and know what I'm talking about and I have a great plan to present to the seller during that interview.
Have a great plan and presentation to beat all odds...
Lest you be in that category ‘against all odds'.
Sally, you can list my house any day! What a great list of stuff we need to do to get ready for an appointment.
Sally
Outstanding post and great insight.
Good luck and success.
Lou Ludwig
Sally, WOW! Thank you for such a complete list of things to do to get ready for that listing appointment and to gain that listing. I am going to bookmark and use it as a guideline for my next presentation!
Sally,
You certainly have it all together!!! Any seller would be very fortunate to have you as their agent....
Jo
Pat...come back! Thanks much...
Thanks Lou!
Wanda: Very flattering! Hope it helps!
Hey Jo! I try to have a lot together and thanks for the compliment!
AMEN sister! lol If I know I have competition, it just makes me step up to the plate! I like BEATING the competition! I'll bet that half the time, we have competition, even when the seller doesn't tell us! We should ALWAYS bring our A-game.
Great post! =D
I am going to bookmark this post. Great ideas for a listing package. Even though I think I've been singled out for my next listing, and even though it is not an upscale house, I will never take for granted that I am going to get the listing. Puts me in mind for another post. Thank you for sharing this, Sally.
Sally, I imagine you close a large number of these listing appointments by getting the job. Looks like you cover all the bases and the sellers can tell you care about your profession.
Hi Sally, I just went on a listing appointment. The seller is not a friend but a close acquaintance that I know from church and from when our sons were small. She let me know that I was competing because she wanted to use her head instead of her heart. She said I had already won her heart. She was having a friend sit in who she said was a professional organizer and a bit of a "pit bull" and she hoped I wouldn't be offended. I said I was very happy to have the opportunity to compete and went out there and did my best, as I always try to do when I go on a listing appointment. I believe I got the listing although the papers aren't signed yet. If I didn't get it, it wasn't because I didn't do my very best.
Great post Sally and I agree, love competing for that listing and have no problem doing it... my problem is that whenI go into the listing appointment I insist on telling the sellers the truth, specifically on the list price... occasionally I "loose" the listing only to see it listed with the competition for a much higher price, then many months down the road it sells for my recommendation or less... or worse, it doesn't sell at all. Sooo frustrating... and I really feel bad for the sellers who get taken in by the high listing price promise. I can't help but feel as if I haven't done my job in educating them. :(
Sally - Great list of action items for a listing presentation.
This is great, Sally. You certainly know what you're doing. Some of the items that you've included, I don't know if they are available in my area, but I certainly wouldn't mind looking into it - the sketches and aerial view of the home are probably good selling points for any prospective listing, anywhere in the U.S.
Sally,
I'm with you! Love competing with agents who don't prepare like you do. #16 - Net sheet is always a winner with owners and FEW agents use it. It takes me over an hour to customize for each appointment, but the results are well worth my efforts.
Hi Sally,
Your list of items for your listing presentation is exactly why you win the listings! I love to go up against agents who are not prepared. My broker has a great software that shows the number of homes sold by agents in the area I market in. My closings in the last 12 months are usually double any other agent and it's an impressive piece to include!
Sally, what a comprehensive list. I have a couple of new things to add to my list now. It all about confidence and the good work we do. It's not one thing we do but all the things we do that nets the result of selling a home. Great post!
Honestly I like to hear that I am one of several who are after the same listing. Knowing that other people want it just makes me want it more.
Sally- wonderful list. I'm also bookmarking your article to help with upcoming presentations. I've never considered including an aerial view of the property... fun idea.
Great list. There are some additions for my listing package. I recently went to a listing appointment, and saw this huge package from the competing agent. He didn't get the listing either, but it sure made mine look unimpressive.
Sally, I think your list is great. I also think, that the most important piece out of it, is the net to seller. A lot of agents don't bother with that comprehensive break down...and that's the money the seller needs to go shopping with for their next house. Plus, I like showing off my marketing material, so that's an easy must have.
That is a great list you have put together. Just having all that information is going to eliminate 99.9%, if not all, of the competition. Thanks for posting.
I savor competition. I make it a point to be the broker with the best information. If they client is logical, what they see makes sense to them...if not, if they "need a certain price" or if they need a stager, that's fine, too. We probably aren't going to be a great fit.
Sally I was brought to this blog by Jane Peters who just wrote a blog called No More Lost Listings Due to Lack of Preparation - The Importance of the Listing Presentation. Just by reading your blog alone,I see some things that I need to add to my listing presentation that I just built last week on power point and presented two days later to a potential new client. Great post.
I also just linked back from Jane Peters blog. Thank you for all the great info.
Sally, I loved that movie. I always think in the very end he gets her back :) Wonderful analogy!!
Great job Sally. Came over here after reading Jane Peter's post. Now, I'm going to go through YOUR list and make some additions to my listing presentation. Thanks for sharing!
Sally what a great post. I came over after reading Jane Peter's post. I see why she was so excited. I was just updating my presentation when I came across Janes post. Now I'll make a few more adjustments. Thanks for the great information.
Wow...good thing Jane added a wonderful conversation while linking to this one... Hope you all have a clear understanding just what your market needs and put it into a tangible presentation for the seller!
Sally~ I came over here after reading Jane's post. Your listing kit gave me a couple of great ideas! It is important, like you said, to beat all odds! Thanks for sharing yours with us.
Sally, thank you for posting your list. There are a few things that I need to add to my presentation! Excellent post.
This is an interesting list. I did not recognize a thing or two I now want to check out. Thanks!
I want to check out the hicentral link but it is broken. Can you corrrect it? I am curious about that link.Thanks!
Cheryl: Fixed it...pretty interesting and it's helped me PLENTY when I research.
Sally when you have all the necessary information you can really approach the appointment with confidence , and the seller will pick up on this. Great list.
Sally, that is a very impressive list I like the cd with your virtual tours. When I go to a listing I take a CMA and some samples of my marketing. Reading both your and Jane's post I need to work on my listing package. Good job.
Hey Sally,
You've got what it takes! Great post! And continued success throughout 2010.
Sally, you're right, success must be earned, and takes work. Enjoyed reading what goes into your listing presentation. I love the aerial view of the property and should add that to my presentation. Thanks for the post.
Sally,
You are absolutely correct. You need to have your listing presentation down pat. I don't agree with the rehearsed script, word for word presentation, but you need to know your facts on the market inside and out, including private sales, your marketing plan, etc. You need to be prepared for almost any question that a seller may ask you. I also read the seller as I'm sitting there, some are all about price or all about marketing and I gear it towards their preference. I also keep an outline in front of me (hidden from the sellers) as to key points I want to make about marketing, my company, county states, etc. I also keep a list of common objections and more importantly, responses to them. I found that helps keep me on target and ready for just about any question.
Great post!
Gina: There should be no rehearsed script to begin with...each piece of documentation is not going to be like the last listing....they are all a different property. My presentation is in order...with 'chapter' pages and of course I go through the whole thing with them while explaining each... My marketing plan is geared specifically for the property although the most important is my internet marketing and Open House. These work here for sure.
Eva: Glad that some of these points in our posts help. That's the whole great thing about ActiveRain. We can find everything and anything on this site!
William James Walton: I researched everything to death to get those online informational sites a part of my research for properties....great for showing we know what we're talking about...because we have the documentation.
Jane: What a wonderful post you read to express your determination to make a better listing presentation. Thanks for the highlight to this one!
Trevella: And no matter what...you sleep well at night, right? I too tell the up front facts. I refuse to list something that is beyond the scope of market value. Nope...waste of everyones time.
Indeed a pretty impressive list!! Hats off to you, Sally!!
Okay - I am definately motivated! Thanks for the list! You have some suggestions that I would not have thought of.
Okay - I am definately motivated! Thanks for the list! You have some suggestions that I would not have thought of.
Okay - I am definately motivated! Thanks for the list! You have some suggestions that I would not have thought of.
Nice list, Sally. Experience and self-confidence are the best to bring!