Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Rookie Realtor, What If Your Friend Is A For Sale By Owner?

     Do sales trainers ever tell you things that you do not believe?  Maybe you believe that could happen where the trainer lives but it could never happen here.  Here is a story about my personal experience.

     Before I start the story, let me ask you a question, Mr. Rookie Realtor.  In your city where you live and prospect for listings, if I put my house for sale by owner for thirty days, how many Realtors would call me and solicit my listing?  Would a hundred Realtors call me?  Would fifty call?  Would the number be closer to ten?  If I had a sign in the yard, a sign down at the intersection, a ad on Craigslist and a 3x5 card on the bulletin board at the laundromat where all the people that can not afford a washer and dryer are, how many Realtors would call me?  Do you know the answer?  How do you know? Are you just guessing?  Have you read a research report?  I think the answer is none.  Why do I think that?  I had my house for sale by owner for thirty days between September and October 17th.  Not one Realtor called me to solicit my listing. Zero.  None of your competitors are calling for sale by owners.  Call a few.  How did I choose the  Realtor that I listed with?  Go back and read my article about prospect traps that I wrote a few days ago. http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2014/10/new-realtors-set-some-prospect-traps.html  This Realtor had a very effective prospect trap.  My wife called him. Once Kathy contacted him, he did a great job of following up.

     I know a bunch of Realtors in Orlando, why didn't I list with one of them?  None of them ask me.

     As a training exercise, get together with several of your peers and ask them how should you handle it if one of your friends or acquaintances is a for sale by owner.  Ask your co workers how to handle this. How would you handle this situation?

     While I was a for sale by owner, I received a call from the Realtor that listed my house four years ago when I bought it.  She told me that if when I got tired of being a for sale by owner, call her.  If I had not ran into the person that I did list my home with, I probably would have called her.  I am certain she would have done a good job.

     Here is how I think you should handle your friend, your fellow club member, your acquaintance your previous customer that is a for sale by owner.  Treat them like any other for sale by owner prospect.  That is what they are. They are a prospect.  If you don't ask them to list with you, don't be surprised when they don't.  Watch my video about calling for sale by owners.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhzCdscDqxc    This video is about calling strangers that are for sale by owners.  If you use this approach with strangers, you will get listings.  We are not talking about strangers.  We are talking about your friend that is in the Rotary club with you.  He mentions that he has his house for sale by owner and he will be moving in forty five days.  He is going to try it on his own for forty five days and then he will call you and list with you just before he leaves town.  WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION?

      The best way to handle this situation is just like you would handle a for sale by owner stranger.  Agree that that sounds like a good plan.  Ask you friend if you had a customer , could we work out a one time commission.  This is exactly the way I would handle a stranger.  Ask your friend if you can stop by and look at the house.  Proceed with your friend just like you would with a stranger.  Here is a little hot tip they don't teach in real estate school.  You still have to meet and impress the spouse.  What better way than to go look at the house and treat this acquaintance like what he is , A PROSPECT.   If you don't know what to say to a for sale by owner stranger, here is the video .  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BYAiA7ayLw 

     if you read my previous article, you know that I think for sale by owners are super prospects.  A friend that is a for sale by owner is a super duper prospect.  Prospects don't buy what you are selling if you don't ask them to.  Don't wait for your friend to call you.  Call your friend, prospect.

     Get together with your sales manager and several of your peers.  See if you can find a better plan.  This is a perfect plan.  If you come up with a better idea, leave me a comment here.

     www.ronclimer.com      www.ronclimer.com

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