Do you give feedback after you show a home? If not, why not? 
Agents give various excuses for not giving showing feedback. For instance:
- It takes too much time.
- It’s inconvenient.
- That’s not my job.
- Why should I help my competitor?
If you’ve been ignoring it for one of those reasons, please consider these two reasons why you should reconsider.
- Giving feedback helps the seller and the listing agent
- Giving feedback helps YOU and your buyers
You know how giving showing feedback helps the listing agent.
If the agent has been encouraging the seller to lower the price, de-clutter the house, do some clean-up or fix-up, or hire a cleaning service, your comments will give the agent some reinforcement.
It also lets the agent know whether the sellers are following instructions regarding having the house ready for a showing, locking up the pets, and getting out of the house.
By informing the agent, you are also helping the sellers.
No – it’s not your job and he or she is your competitor. But does it hurt you to give them that courtesy?
Courtesy doesn’t cost, it pays.
When you are courteous, you’ll be remembered for it. When you are discourteous, you’ll be remembered for that. And since people love to talk about negatives, discourtesy will cause you to be remembered by even more people!
And – whether you believe it or not, working with a cooperative spirit is better for everyone concerned.
One caution: If your buyers love this house, give feedback carefully.
Don’t overdo the praise, or you’ll ruin their chances of negotiating the best price. At the same time, do not go the other way.
Back when I was an agent, I sometimes heard buyer’s agents talk like the house their clients wanted was a complete wreck. The sellers and I always saw that for what it was, because it if was as terrible as they described, they wouldn’t want it at any price!
Now consider how collecting and giving feedback after showing can benefit you and your buyer clients.
It will help your clients focus.
First, letting your clients know that you’re going to ask their opinion about price, condition, layout, suitability for them, and overall impressions will help them focus on the house itself, rather than the décor.
You’re right – the layout and the suitability for them isn’t part of what you’d report. That information will help them consider whether this house is right for them or not, and will thus help you if you need to search for more houses to show them on another day.
It will enhance your knowledge.
Collecting feedback from your clients will build your knowledge base and your expertise. You won’t just guess what appeals most to buyers in the current market, you’ll know.
So keep notes. You might even create a spreadsheet so you can see at a glance how many would-be buyers turned away because the house was cluttered or they could smell the cat’s litter box. You’ll see how many decided not to look inside because there was no curb appeal.
And of course you’ll see the things that appeal as well. Are buyers more apt to buy if the refrigerator stays – and is new? Will they buy if a carpet is neutral, but not if it is blue?
Will knowing what appeals to buyers this year help you when you sit down to write a property description? Will it help you when you’re talking with a seller about things they should do to get their house ready for market?
I think so.
Giving feedback promotes cooperation.
Giving feedback is a courtesy. And when you’re courteous to the agent on the other side of a transaction, things naturally proceed more smoothly.
If this is the right house for your buyers, negotiations will be friendlier and more cooperative. And even if it isn’t, you may run into this agent again before long, and proceeding from a friendly perspective will make life more pleasant.
(Yes, I know that some agents are of a nature that nothing could go smoothly when you deal with them. But they ARE the exception, not the rule.)
Your reputation will always precede you.
- You may be known as someone who either answers the phone or replies
promptly to messages, texts, and emails. - You may be known in the real estate community as someone who always does your own share of the work – and possibly pitches in when someone else slacks off.
- You could be known as a listing agent who enters all the pertinent information into MLS, and is also willing to answer questions that a specific buyer might have.
- Agents might know that you will convey offers to your listing clients in a timely manner, and that you will help them compare and contrast offers when they receive more than one.
- You could be known for helping your buyers respond to counter offers in a timely manner.
- Others might know that you will attend every inspection and closing.
- You could be known for handling the issues that often come up between agreement and closing.
And what happens when you are known for all those things?
Other agents want to work with you. They want to show your listings and they might put your offers at the top of the list – encouraging sellers to negotiate with your buyers.
If the opposite is true…
Agents will only show your listings when they run out of others. Agents will encourage their listing clients to look more closely at offers coming from more cooperative agents.
It’s just human nature. We want to do business and spend our time with pleasant, cooperative people.
In conclusion… if you haven’t been providing real estate showing feedback, consider doing so.
It just might be good for business.
For more advice for new agents…
Please visit www.promotemyrealestatecareer.com.
And for more success strategies for all agents, click here.
Reputation image courtesy of Stuart Miles at freedigitalphotos.net
