| I've been there. When I was a homeowner in | | | | You've probably heard stories of a realtor coming |
| Toronto and looking to sell, I didn't know how to | | | | to a person's home, making a razzle-dazzle |
| choose. The agent who had helped me buy my | | | | marketing pitch, the client signs on the dotted line |
| house many years before-well, I hardly | | | | and presto, the salesperson disappears. Here's a |
| remembered him except for the calendars he | | | | strategy to avoid this. |
| mailed to me every Christmas, which I promptly | | | | When realtors present you with their written |
| threw into the recycling bin, especially because his | | | | marketing strategy (and he or she should have |
| face was at the top of every month. There were | | | | one), ask if they are prepared to cancel the |
| limits to my love and memory of him. | | | | agreement with certain notice if they don't fulfill |
| My friends had no clear recommendation either. | | | | their promises. If they are fully prepared to live |
| They told me to look through the real estate | | | | up to what they say, this idea should not be a |
| news and look for the agents with the biggest | | | | problem. If they start to look edgy or nervous at |
| ads. The idea was, I guess, the bigger the ad, the | | | | this idea, well, that would make me wonder. |
| better the agent. Flipping through those colourful | | | | References are one thing but a satisfaction |
| pages, all that registered clearly to me was a | | | | guarantee says much more. Personally, I would |
| bevy of very similar smiles and stares: some to | | | | not want to force an unsatisfied client to keep |
| the point of mania. The bigger ads caught more | | | | listing with me if I felt they were dissatisfied with |
| attention, but I wasn't sure that was the kind of | | | | my services. I wouldn't feel happy about all the |
| agent I was looking for even then and now that | | | | time and money I'd spent already, mind you, but |
| I've been a real estate agent for a while, I am | | | | it would strike me as the right thing to do-as long, |
| sure that that particular premise is not always | | | | of course, as the seller is acting out of good faith |
| true. At least not for me. | | | | and not trying to scam. |
| I'm sure you've heard the argument: look for the | | | | Likewise you've probably heard the argument: |
| agent who has the most listings. More listings | | | | look for the realtor with the most years of |
| means success, people think. Higher salaries | | | | experience. Again the premise is more years |
| suggest expertise. Yes, obviously, it is true on one | | | | equals better performance. This is sometimes |
| level, but if I were suddenly transported back in | | | | true, sometimes not. The comparison might be |
| time and not a salesperson any more I would look | | | | between newer teachers and experienced |
| for someone who doesn't have many listings. A | | | | teachers (you can guess my former occupation). |
| lot of these 'big-ticket' broker types work in | | | | Some teachers keep up with the times and new |
| teams, hiring people or working with other agents | | | | curriculum and are as vital a ever. Others may |
| of various types. If I were interviewing someone | | | | vary well be teaching the same subjects in the |
| to represent me in my house sale, I would ask if | | | | same way they did twenty years ago. Similarly, if |
| they would be conducting open houses personally | | | | salespeople come to your house for a property |
| (this is just one indicator, by the way, I will get to | | | | assessment and their market research basically |
| others later) or getting others to do it. | | | | comes out of the top of their head and they |
| Open houses are actually a contentious issue. | | | | haven't even bothered to print out any |
| Many brokers who have been in the business a | | | | comparable listings in your neighbourhood to show |
| long time will tell you that open houses are not a | | | | you, well, you shouldn't be impressed. Instead ask |
| good idea. They will say open houses can actually | | | | them about their marketing strategies. Will they |
| be a venue for potential thieves to scope out a | | | | have a virtual tour or at least a slide show of |
| burglary. The veterans will say that most people | | | | your house to present? What methods do they |
| who go through open houses are far from the | | | | plan to use to market your property? You want |
| point of buying and few sales actually happen | | | | to make sure that your representative will put in |
| during open houses so they are effectively a | | | | the required effort and advertising dollars to |
| waste of effort. Still, some sales do happen on | | | | market your property in the best way possible |
| the spot or because of open houses and if I | | | | with optimum exposure, especially in this |
| were a homeowner, yes, I would want open | | | | internet-centred day and age. |
| houses. The more exposure the better. | | | | Finally, make sure you like the salesperson. Some |
| The listing agent cannot always be available on a | | | | of the public has a strange attitude toward real |
| given day, but as a homeowner I would want to | | | | estate agents: they are virtually invisible until it |
| be assured that the listing agent would be doing | | | | comes time to purchase or sell a property, then |
| open houses personally a lot of the time. This is | | | | they suddenly come into focus. Don't |
| especially true for the agents' open house which | | | | underestimate the importance of needing to trust |
| to me, is very important. The agent open house | | | | and like the salesperson. Market times vary |
| often occurs during the first week or two of | | | | according to region, but you may very well have |
| listing and it is the listing agent's opportunity to | | | | ongoing interaction with that person, sometimes |
| persuade other agents that your house meets | | | | for months. Recognize that many sales people |
| the needs of their clients. You want the person | | | | use 'sales scripts'. Take the time to see through |
| who is making the commission on your house sale | | | | the sales approach and try to get a feeling for |
| to be making the best pitch possible to other | | | | the genuine person underneath. |
| realtors. | | | | |