Excerpt from an article called Sellers: Dump Your Real Estate Agent Efficiently - Published November 21, 2011 | FOX Business                             

Between listing and sale, some home sellers find that the relationship with their real estate agent sours. Typically, relationships between agents and their clients turn south because of poor communication, says Jennifer A. Chiongbian, a broker with Rutenberg Realty in New York City. The problem of unresponsive agents "plagues our industry," says Chiongbian, who estimates that 70% of dissatisfied sellers blame their agents for a "lack of communication."

So what do you do to make your clients feel loved!  Communicate, communicate, and communicate! You have access to much useful information, so share it with your sellers and if it leads to more questions, it makes it even better!

My Gentle Suggestions are:

Ask them how they want be contacted! Skype, Facetime, Text, E-mail, Phone!  Ask how often to contact them and when! Don’t forget to see if they are on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google + etc. for additional ways to connect and see what they like and don’t like. It is always nice to make favorable comments about things your clients like and their family.

Consider having 10 or so, envelopes made up with your clients address already filled out.  Put these in your listing or client folder with a sheet for time and date of delivery!  If you can’t deliver in person, put a stamp on the envelope and mail it!   You can have premade flyers and information ready to send or deliver.  Number them for easier management.

What to deliver? 

• A current RPA with all related documents marked as SAMPLE! (Will help later if your clients claim they didn’t know or you didn’t explain)!

• Information and warnings about Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com (They probably will look there).

• Advise them about Seller’s (Buyer’s too) Remorse (They will experience it).

• A blank Statement of Information/Identity. They will have to submit for title to clear their names, though it is usually done just before closing. You don’t want to find out at the last minute that a revenue & recovery or tax lien exists.

• Reasons why you use your vendors.   Are they affiliated or non-affiliated and what that means.  

  Are they bonded, insured, experienced, professional etc.  What is their reputation and ability to complete the work for your client?  If appropriate, what is their financial strength? Do they have errors and omission insurance?  For title insurers, have they paid claims in the area & do they have the ability to pay claims?

• Information on who pays what, closing cost explanation, sellers guide, what happens in escrow, capital gains information, information on California propositions 60/90/110 (All of this and more is usually available from many title companies’ sites, like http://chicagotitlesd.com/sbi.aspx).  *Remember, if one of the owners is close to 55, the property is owner occupied and they might be buying a replacement home in California, it is probably your fiduciary responsibility to let them know about Propositions 60 and 90, in my opinion.

• Copies of the Ads you placed.  Give them copies, even if they are in the local paper (You can’t assume they saw them).

• Statistics about their area.  For Example.   www.sandicor.com and go to resources and www.sdar.com/stats

  More things you can do or discuss!

• If market conditions demand more from the sellers, explain the Seller’s Offer (Sellers, offer to sell the home and provide something extra, such as---spa/club membership, vacation, HOA fees for some period of time, landscaping maintenance etc.).

• Discuss Paying Points to help the buyers qualify (buying down the interest rate).

• If it is a two story home, suggest that they get an idea of where an elevator might be placed (might appeal to older buyers).

• Consider offering to video tape your clients possessions for insurance purposes, before they move. You could just video each room, for example.

• Offer to send their friends and family the Seller’s new address, via e-mail.

• Before your open house, deliver or mail, VIP Neighbor Invites (can have them pre made as      postcards) to area residents; you could give the location, time (maybe just before the public open house) and if you will be serving refreshments.  The invite shows that you value neighbor’s opinions and shows the level of work you do, to market listings.

• Remember that handwritten thank you notes are best and only work if you write them!

   

  My parting thought is – “Be willing to do today, what others won’t do, so you’ll have what others won’t have tomorrow”!

   

   Fred Eckert is an AVP with Chicago Title (22 years) and is a former

   Naval Pilot/Officer with a Master’s Degree in Business.  He has been

   Affiliate of the Year multiple times for both PSAR and CREA!  He is on the

   Board of the San Diego Creative Investors Association and is an honorary

   Member of the North San Diego Creative Investors Association.