I guess with a title like that I should give a little background on how a portion of the real estate business is done here in the DFW Metroplex. Here and many parts of the country now use a showing service to set-up appointments for showings on listings of homes for sale. We use Centralized Showing Service, and this article will not be intended for pointing out the negatives or issues I have noticed with them, I will save that for another. 
How it works:
- A listing agent after entring their listing in the MLS1 goes to the CSS website, or by phone and sets up the showing instructions for the agents who will be showing the home for sale to prospective buyers.
- The Buyers agent can then call, or go to CSS website and set-up when they would like to show the home. If the home is vacant it will usually report back immediately the home is Vacant, and advise if the house is on combo lock-box, or on the electronic Supra lock-box. We call this a GO-SHOW. If the home is tenant or owner occupied CSS then calls and makes the appointment in a time-block, usually an hour or 2 block. This way, hopefully, the occupants are not in the shower when the buyers and agent tour the master-bathroom. Preferably, the buyers have excused themselves or gone for a walk when before prospective buyers arrive.
- After the showing time has passed CSS then sends an email to the Buyers agent requesting feedback on how the showing went. The responses are then sent to the listing agent, and/or made available to the homeowners through a portal on the website. There 4 default forms I believe, one has nothing but a comment box, and the others are a form with check boxes of 4-8 questions. This is the form I use.
Ok, so it is practical and simple service. When I was a Florida agent we had not yet switched to using a showing service, so unless the MLS had specific instructions, we had to spend time calling the listing agents or listing office to set-up appointment times. Of course many times it took several tries to reach those agents who do not answer their phones, or did not work weekends. Alas, as I said, I still have issues with showing services but I will keeps those to myself for now. But now you are thinking:
…this is all great, and incredibly interesting! But, please tell me why some real estate agents suck…
I am sure just by highlighting that process you can guess where I, as a listing agent, can become very frustrated, and almost disgusted with lazy or just plain inconsiderate real estate agents. Leave some freak’in Feedback!
Here is my school of thought, and why this is so disheartening to me:
- The sellers have opened their home to the agent and their customers
- They may have had to adjust their schedule to accommodate the buyers and their agent
- They may have not had many showings recently and are just itching to see what buyers in the current market think of their home
Yes, I realize they asked for all this when putting their home on the market, but isn’t it just common courtesy to show appreciation by spending 30 seconds to click some check marks on a web page?
Besides, that agent may be showing that same home to other buyers in the future. I have had clients in the past who remembered the agents who have brought buyers through their home before, and called me saying
“That agent who would not leave feedback wants to show my house again”
Of course, I advise them we do not want to miss any prospective buyers, so let’s see how it goes this time. But, that seller can make it difficult or even awkward for that Buyers agent if they really wanted to, why risk it?
Furthermore, strictly from a real estate agents perspective, the listing agent may be telling the sellers of the property things that need to be improved, or repaired. That selling client may start thinking their listing agent is just being nit-picky, or making excuses for why the house has not sold; albeit this is possible, I am not one of those! But, if fellow REALTORS®, and their buyers point out some of those same things, those things are more apt to be corrected, or fixed.
I guess it may come down to the “Golden Rule”
Do not do unto others what you would not want them do unto you.
What this means to Buyers:
If you are working with any agent and out looking at properties, make sure your agent is taking notes of what you are saying about the property. I don’t believe they have to be writing it down. I have a great memory when it comes to properties, but make sure they know what you think. That seller is never going to know you are the one that said “The house had a strong odor of cat urine” that is unless you are the one who buys it. Hopefully the agent has the good sense to not leave that feedback if the home is still a possibility. But trust me, that seller needs to hear it if is the truth.
What this means to Sellers:
If your home is listed with an agent, tell that agent you WANT! NEED! DEMAND! feedback, even if it is nothing more than “Too Big!” or “House faced North” get something. If you want it and they won’t try to get it — Get yourself a new agent. Showing services have made it easier for us to do our jobs, and I believe in earning my commission, so if some lazy or part-time real estate agent, can not manage to log-on and provide feedback, they are going to get a call from me until I get it.
What this means to other REALTORS
As I said, leave the feedback. If you already do, Thank You! I know, my sellers and I both appreciate it. If you haven’t — start now. When you have a listing that I show, you can rest assured I will be leaving my and/or my buyers thoughts. We are in this business together, and we all need each other. One of the reasons I do not like showing services is it takes out some of the interaction with other active agents, but it is almost a gang we must join. Oops — I digress I was keeping all that to myself.
I must admit I did get a little lax with this last year, on a vacant property I have listed. But it is not bank owned, and not a foreclosure, which means I still have a seller that can make improvements. So one of my 2009 resolutions, get the feedback, so fellow Dallas / Ft Worth real estate agents be forewarn. I am coming for my feedback!
Obviously, with the title I have other thoughts on aspects of the business, and the people in it. So this may be a continuing series of articles. Of course the trick will be not too sound negative, and bring to the forefront the things the better agents do. I was inspired to write this after reading post such as Real Estate Listing Photos. Or not. From the “I don’t get it” files and All those crappy MLS pictures…a pet peeve. Needless to say these folks are in the gang of the better agents.
Here is the feedback questionnaire I have CSS send automatically — Seems simple enough to me, radio buttons, or check boxes align accordingly and none of the fields are required to be filled in for submission.
1. How was the curb appeal of this home?
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
2. What was the appearance of the interior of the home?
Clean and well-kept
Average
Improvement Needed
3. What did your buyer like MOST about this home?
Location
Layout
Interior
Exterior
4. Are there any features of the home that need improvement or updating?
No Improvements
Exterior
Interior
Carpet
Appliances
5. How is this property priced in comparison to similar properties in the area?
About Right
Somewhat overpriced
Substantially overpriced
6. Is your buyer considering this property?
Yes
No
Not Sure
7. If your buyer is not interested, what factor(s) caused this decision?
- Multiple Listing Service [↩]
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Keller Williams Realty 2611 Cross Timbers Rd Suite #100 Flower Mound, TX 75028
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