Two thousand seven has arrived, and it begs the question, "Have you ever yearned for the good old Halcyon days of real estate?"
For those of us who have been around the block a couple of hundred times, there is a great deal of pining for what was a simpler time. Often, when we yearn for the past, it is because our memories blur reality in such a way as to make things seem better than they actually were. However, in this instance, there is much good to be said about the practice of real estate in years gone by.
Creating distance between the client and the agent has done little to increase coveted repeat business. Much is said about the importance of relationship selling, yet we are doing far less building lasting relationships than in the past. The number one culprit for creating the great divide is the Internet. In many ways, the Internet is the panacea of the last decade. Hailed for creating a pathway to knowledge previously unknown or thought of, it nonetheless put distance between people. Kids hide in their rooms and use the Internet, while kids used to use their extended families as links to their much-needed support systems. Now, they connect with the outside world to fill the voids.
Great scores of us depend upon the Internet for news, research, shopping and entertainment. We've allowed e-mail to replace the personalization of the letter or note. Can you imagine a grandparent saying to his/her college-bound grandchild, "Be sure to write to me often, dear." Necessity being the mother of invention, grandparents (or the over 65 crowd) are the fastest growing segment of new Internet aficionados. Why? It is certainly not to communicate with their kids. They are trying to stay in touch with their grandkids. Any parent who is being in the least honest will confess that a main reason they had kids was so they would be given grandkids.
Real estate professionals are using e-mail to say in touch. There are many reasons to applaud e-mail, not the least of those being that the typical buyer uses e-mail frequently. However, that does not excuse the need for the far more personal and much appreciated personal correspondence. The agent who takes the time to write to say hello, thanks, happy this or that, is the one who will be remembered. The chance of a message being deleted or quarantined by a SPAM filter is pretty high. The chance of a note not being delivered by the postal service is slim. And beside that, we remember the personal note more than ever because it is a bygone treat to have anyone write you anything that does not contain an invoice.
It is often said that note writing has gone by the wayside because people cannot write. They fear sounding inane or communicating poorly. Well, here is a fact. When you take the time to write a note, spelling and grammar are not what is remembered. It is the effort and uniqueness of the effort that stands out!
Oh, the days of the broker tours were fine days indeed. Yes, there are companies that still take (require) their agents out on tour together, but they are sadly few and far between. When I think of how we'd pile into a car together and go and see houses. We laughed and learned from one another. New agents got to learn from the seasoned pros. Sellers loved seeing the team effort put forth on their behalf and we were able to give immediate and accurate feedback to the seller as to price, condition, etc. By sharing and batting around our opinions, fewer mistakes were made. When sellers are clamoring for feedback, why did we stop giving it to them in the easiest way possible? And, not touring begs the question, "How do new people learn the market?" We have people taking floor time/opportunity time and they can't even match up houses or streets with their own company's inventory, let alone any one else's. What a sad thing that is for the company's bottom line and the clients they serve!
There are numerous arguments for not doing broker tours any longer, but with all due respect, those arguments are wrong. There is not a single good reason to limit agent knowledge/expertise and/or to expose sellers to the power of the company they hired. Let's hop that time machine and go back to the days of the tour. We'll all benefit from the effort.
Then we have the new and improved practice of negotiating all offers by phone or e-mail. Now, if the seller being represented lives hundreds of miles away, it is unavoidable. But let's get real. Most agents represent sellers that live quite nearby. Yet, we resort to lifeless communication tools, when instead we could be closing more offers far more quickly if we just sat down and face-to-face talked through the offer.
Yes, that's the way offers were presented when we sold caves to the local cavemen and cavewomen. We grabbed our loin cloths, donned bear-skin throws, fetched our clubs and the coveted piece of roasted wildebeest meat as a small offering and off we went to meet with the seller. There simply is no substitute for looking your seller in the eye and negotiating. You bond over all the grunting and gnashing of teeth. It's special.
Want to go back to the good old days here? It's easy. When you take the listing, just be sure to tell the seller that when an offer comes in, you'll want to come and present it to them in person. It is such an important part of the process that the phone just won't do. That's just the kind of agent you are -- dedicated!
Real Estate sales professionals have been known for generations as being gregarious, outgoing and full of passion for their careers. We're a group who would talk to anyone at anytime. As a matter of fact, we were successful because we were "people people." The old joke, that in order to be successful in real estate you had to love people and houses, was right on. You could always tell a Realtor® in an elevator. They'd be the one talking to the whole group and handing out cards at the same time.
Fast forward to today, and it is astounding how often new recruits lament having to speak to strangers. Imagine having to approach and speak with persons unknown to you? The mere thought makes one shudder. Give me a break! Not wanting to talk to strangers is an occupational hazard of the first accord. Wouldn't you agree? After the rookie speaks with the 50 or so people they know, they spend the next year wondering who else they can approach. Think about this. Our best friends were strangers till we met them for the first time.
We have to get out there and "schmooze." Meet the neighbors, attend community events, go to tag sales and say "hi" to the owners. In other words, get out from behind the desk and the Internet and make things happen. The great agents of bygone days (and those of today who fit the bill) are the ones who knew everyone. They made themselves known to the communities they served. They understood the power of networking. No one ever got to be known as the person to call if you have a real estate need by remaining persona non grata. Are you the 007 of real estate? In other words, are you a secret agent?
Okay girls and boys, it is time to examine your business and decide what you can do to go back to the future and adopt some of the behaviors and practices that bonded us to our clients. To be invaluable you have to be innovative and stand out from the uninspired crowd.
