From referral, to turned down, to a happy beginning - signing the listing

Call:  (301)943-4370

adambashein@mris.com

 

 

So, there I was a few weeks ago on one of the websites where I advertise and a person private messages me.  He says that he likes what I have to say and the recommendations that people have written about me.  I say thank you very much!

 

The gentleman than messages me that he has friends nearby who are going to move and he will suggest that they call me.  It will probably be in a few weeks

Wonderful!  I can't wait.

 





 

 

 

Time passes on one morning, around between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m., while in an appointment This person called...I couldn't pick up because I was in a meeting.  Right after the meeting, between 11:30 and 12 p.m. I returned the call, introduced myself and asked when we should meet?

He said thank you very much, that he called several realtors between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. and didn't understand why nobody was able to pick up and couldn't meet right away.  He got through to one agent and met with that agent a little while earlier. 

 

I replied that it is hard to find someone who is available for an appointment immediately.  Continuing that he sounds like  a great person and I really wished he called me a day or two in advance, so our meeting would already be on my calender.  But, given our great telephone conversation,  

 let's figure out a time that I can come over.

 

The gentleman said that I sound like a very nice person, a good agent, but he didn't want to waste my time and have me come over because he was going to work with the

one agent he spoke with earlier in the day. 

 

We talked a little bit more, I tried nicely :-0 asking in a couple different ways for an opportunity.  Finally, I said,  don't you think, especially since you were referred to me that  you should get a second opinion and invite me over?

 

He said thank you very much but was pretty certain what he was doing.

I said, ok.  My door is always open if you ever want to talk or if you want to change directions.

The next morning, to my complete surprise I received a call from the same gentleman. He just starts talking and apologizing because I was so nice and invited me over :-)!  I said of course. What time?!

 

So, I went to my office, prepared some reports and went over to his house.  He and his wife gave me a very warm greeting and nearly melted when I gave them a hospitality gift. 

They placed the gift on their fireplace mantel and I knew something good was brewing :-).

We had a nice hour or so conversation, walked through the house, he asked me to refer him to a couple of contractors to do touch up work and we agreed to a time for meeting number two. 

I need to say that the sellers were extremely respectful and wonderful.  They wanted to know when I could not meet because of the holiday season and my Sabbath, just so we could plan around those times. They brought this up before I had a chance to say anything. Amazingly kind and sensitive. 

I came back for our second scheduled appointment, took off my shoes because their shoes were off and they asked me what I was doing because it was cold. I said I was following their custom. They said to please put on my shoes so I would be comfortable.  We walked and talked, but they weren't quite ready. So, I left them some sales documents to read over and we agreed to meet in a couple of days..

The meeting went perfect.  The sellers got the touch up work done that they planned to do, they read through the paperwork I asked them to review and we took care of signing the listing papers and getting pictures of their home.  I am delighted to say that their home is now listed on the market with me.

It was extremely flattering that the sellers had a chance of heart and decided to invite me over for a listing appointment after initially telling me that a decision was already made.  What do I attribute this turn of events to?

1.  In a respectful way, not  just initially accepting no as an answer :-).
2.  Being kind and professional; not pushy.
3.  Reminding the sellers that we connected because their friend highly recommended me.
4.  Keeping the door open, if you will, so the sellers would be comfortable calling. Never burn a bridge or hang up as a sore loser. 

Looking forward to giving these sellers sold results.

Life is good!

Adam Bashein
Licensed in MD & DC
www.basheinhomes.info
adambashein@mris.com
Cell:  (301)943-4370
Office:  (301)469-4700 -ask for Adam
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
information deemed to be accurate but not guaranteed

Terms of an exclusive listing agreement

When you put your home on the market for sale,you can have an exclusive listing agreement with a realtor for any time frame which you mutually agree to. I believe that a 6 month listing agreement is fair. My practice is to look at the average days on market for homes that have sold in or around the neighborhood,in or around the price range where my listing would be. If it has taken more than 6 months to sell other homes in the neighborhood,then I would ask for a longer listing period. I also look at how competitively priced the person's home is and if it shows well or not. If the home isn't priced above market,I also think it is fair for a real estate agent to ask for a longer listing. If the seller is adament about a certain time period for the listing--let's say the seller says he/she will only sign for 60 days and either extend or not extend when the time is up,then the listing agent has to decide whether it is a good business decision and expense to take on a short term agreement. That decision comes down to first and foremost whether he/she thinks the home will get sold or under contract in that time. Secondly,if he or she doesn't believe the home will sell that quickly,then he or she would have to consider whether having the listing agreement would be good exposure and generate more business leads,if the house he/she lists doesn't sell. He or she also has to consider how much money to invest in the listing if it were what he or she considered to be a short term.The listing agreement has a place to write down where the agreement begins and ends. You can always use a listing addendum to extend the listing. Most listing agreements have a clause stating that with X days (you and agent fill in)of written notice,you can terminate the listing agreement.