15 Ways to Ace a Listing Presentation

By Deborah Ball Kearns, RE/MAX Editor
Posted 11/8/11

 
Pictured (from left) are: MARK LINDER, LINDA VAN DEN BROEK and JENNIFER KIBLER

Want to ensure that you’ll walk away with a signed listing agreement at your next seller presentation? Three top RE/MAX producers share their best tips for you to seal the deal and earn more business.

The panel:
Jennifer Kibler, a 100 Percent Club member with RE/MAX Patriots in York, Pa.
Mark Linder, a Hall of Fame member with RE/MAX Select in Greenwood, Ind.
Linda van den Broek, a Lifetime Achievement Award winner and Chairman’s Club member with RE/MAX Executives Realty in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Here are their tips for perfecting your listing presentation:

First of all, how do you get your foot in the door to schedule a listing presentation?
KIBLER: Most of my listing leads come from referrals and from staying in touch with past clients. But when I’m at an open house or get a call on a listing appointment, I do a softer sell and try to get to know the client by asking a lot of questions; people don’t care what you know until they know that you care.

LINDER: Up front, I offer to walk through the home and make a list of things that need to be done in order to list the home and sell it quickly for top dollar. 



VAN DEN BROEK: Always start with a personal phone chat, and ask how long a seller has been in the home, what the neighborhood is like, time frame for moving, family situation, and other details that will help you get information as to why you’re going to the presentation. Keep it friendly and informative, and establish up front what you plan to bring with you. Here's a link to my in-depth seller's guide, which I give to all of my sellers.

What should agents show during a listing presentation?
KIBLER: I still use a book-style presentation. I always beginwith the latest statistics, and I also include copies of my marketing brochures, in-home information and a full-color market analysis report. I just got an iPad and I'm looking to incorporate it into my presentations so they're more appealing and memorable.

LINDER: Clients don't like to HEAR; they want to SEE what we have done so I bring in fliers, color brochures and other marketing pieces in a branded RE/MAX folder for sellers to keep. When other agents show up with just a business card, you’ll stand out if you have high-quality, printed marketing materials. Remember that you have only one chance to make a great first impression.


VAN DEN BROEK: My listing presentations are two hours long; I chat as we go on a walk-through tour. When we sit down for the actual presentation, I share press releases, market trends and graphs illustrating that I’m the No. 1 RE/MAX agent in the office. High-end color brochures, professional photography for high-end listings (depends on the state of home), visual tours on 80 percent of properties are a given in my list of services.

What are key points agents should make?
KIBLER: Your initial phone call must establish what’s important to sellers from the get-go. Are they techies who will want an Internet driven presentation? Do they come from a math or science background that makes them more receptive to a detailed statistical analysis? Be prepared and have pre-tailored presentations ready to appeal to different personalities. Make your presentation more about them, not you.


LINDER: My team is known for the one-stop listing appointment, and we use this to our advantage. We put it all out there in that initial meeting: we do a walk-through, present a customized marketing plan, and provide a price on the spot. Our philosophy: If agents refuse to provide a price at a listing appointment then they don't know the market well enough, or they’re not confident in estimating home values.

VAN DEN BROEK: Talk about how to deal with multiple offers and bidding wars; they do happen. If you want to walk out of there with a signed agreement, you have to be genuine. Stop looking at clients with dollar signs on their foreheads. Give them the impression that they are your only clients. Be attentive and do not rush through the presentation.

How can agents set themselves apart in such a brief amount of time?
KIBLER: Sellers want to see tangible items you use that will sell their homes. I put brochure boxes in front of all my listings, something I’ve always done during my 20-plus years as a Realtor. Driving by a sign is still a great way to capture a lead and put information in their hands. I also encourage certain clients to use staging services if the property needs it. Sometimes I will even include a consult as a part of my service; it’s less than the cost of an ad and can save me advertising expenses in the long run.

LINDER: Find out who the top agents are in your MLS and send them direct-mail marketing for some of your standout properties. Another unique thing we do is to find out from sellers who they have left to interview. If they decide to list with us, we offer to call the other agents to cancel those appointments. It makes for a smooth, gentle close that usually works.

VAN DEN BROEK: I strongly believe that all clients should get the same quality of service, whether the property is $100,000 or $1 million. Mention that you will follow-up after every showing, as well as handle all calls and direct contact. Never ever bash your competition. I always encourage sellers to interview several agents to ensure they’re working with someone they’ll be comfortable with. Never pressure potential clients; be informative without being aggressive or pushy. Give them the good, the bad and the ugly but be constructive about your advice.

If a seller doesn't sign with you that day, what steps do you take to secure the business down the road?
KIBLER: I follow up with a personal note and add them to my mailing list. I also try to send them updates on the market monthly by email. If the client doesn’t list right away, I’ll stay in touch so they remember me when they are ready to sell.

LINDER: We have a system for this very thing called the "Lucky Bamboo System." We send a lucky bamboo in a small vase (professionally delivered) with a note that reads, "The Linder Team wishes you luck in choosing the right agent. We know you will make the right decision!" This token shows our confidence and professionalism and, so far, we have acquired seven out of the last eight clients we have used this technique with. 


VAN DEN BROEK: Follow up three to four days after a presentation to ask when you can contact the seller again. It’s important to me to find out why I wasn’t chosen. Sometimes, it’s because agents cut their commission lower to get the business; I refuse to do that. If that conversation comes up, I provide valid reasons for what I charge (5 percent across the board). I explain that if I can't negotiate my commission, why hire me to negotiate the price of their home? After all, anyone can show a house, but not everyone can sell one, and there's a difference.

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Ever wondered whether a team is for you.  Click below for a few pointers.

To Team or Not To Team - That is the Question

Feeling Left Behind?

As I was driving down the road the other day listening to some commentary on the news channel, I heard an interview with the CEO of a Fortune 500 company talk about the importance of innovation within his industry.  He discussed how the company's strong commitment to innovating and reinventing their product has helped them maintain their #1 ranking in customer service and market share for nearly four decades.


The term innovation derives from the Latin word innovatus, which is the noun form of innovare "to renew or change"


When many of us picture innovation, we think technology or product development.  Some brainiac engineer in the back tweaking and mixing chemicals to produce the next world's greatest idea.

Innovation though is the result of small strides taken daily by each of us and it is just as important in the real estate industry as in any other industry in the country.  To see innovation at work, look at Google.  They give their employees 20% of the work week to engage themselves in whatever project they want to, whether it is within their day-to-day scope of focus or not.  Look at a Realtor® delivering contracts digitally so a purchase offer contract can be executed by a wife on a business trip in Asia and a husband traveling in California.  


So what can you do to innovate and invigorate your business?

• Work "on" your business - So many of us spend our days working "in" our business.  Running around chasing the issues of the day.  It is imperative that you have time to reflect "on" your business.  Take some time, say every 6 months, to take a step back and analyze what is working and what is not working.  This is innovation at work.  Small tweaks here and there in pursuit of success.
• Try a new marketing idea - perhaps you have been mailing a newsletter or calendar to your clients for five years.  Maybe send them a personal note or instead of a monthly newsletter you decide to throw a party and invite all those on the calendar mailing list.
• Send a video email - Video marketing certainly looks as if it is here to stay.  Why not try to send a video response to an email inquiry instead of the same old same old canned response.

The key here is try something different and new.  By now, we should all know Albert Einstein's definition of insanity.  Yet, so often in our business we practice the art daily without ever realizing it.  Constantly expecting different results, while we stick to our old tricks.


Before the end of the year, try something new.  Commit to it and enjoy the results.  Remember, progress is achieved through change.

Are We Having Fun?

Sometimes we forget to smile and have fun.

Local realtor toasts West Norriton's '100 best places to live' designation (video)

Published: Monday, September 12, 2011

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By GARY PULEO
gpuleo@timesherald.com

WEST NORRITON — Was it the legacy of a legendary golf course architect that draws golfers from far and wide, or the low crime rate that nudged West Norriton into Money magazine’s best 100 places to live?


Or maybe it was our renowned comfort food, like the chopped steak smothered in mushroom gravy and the real French fries at Amedeo’s Too in the heart of Jeffersonville.


No doubt about it, there are plenty of feathers in the township’s cap.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY!

Conshohocken - Boom Town?

Conshohocken has the resources to become a boom town on the Schuylkill

Conshohocken, Pa., is a borough of more than 8,000 people, located in Montgomery County, on the north bank of the Schuylkill River, about 10 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Its location on the river and proximity to interstates and rail corridors make it an ideal place to start or relocate a business.

Now Mittman — a real estate agent who serves as a member of the city’s planning commission and as the chairman of the borough’s business development commission — is trying to get the word out.

“There is a main street, which is Fayette St., and it is full of retail shops and businesses. We’re also close to a number of main routes, such as Interstate 76 and 476, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and U.S. 202,” Mittman says. “I would tell a new business owner that we have just completed a revitalization plan, and a plan for the future of Conshohocken. And it digs down to what is needed in the borough. We already know that banks want to be here; we have Wawa (that) wants to be here. So there are other successful businesses that want to get into the borough.”

Click Here for the Full Article From Smart Business Magazine

RE/MAX Realty Group gives advice in tough times

By GARY PULEO

Published: Tuesday, August 30, 2011

gpuleo@timesherald.com

CONSHOHOCKEN — Those brawny S&P tough guys may have kicked sand in the faces

of the somewhat skinny U.S. housing market, but nobody should be throwing in their beach towel

over it, cautioned a local realtor and financial expert.

According to a statement recently released by Standard & Poors, the simultaneous 

browbeating of both Uncle Sam and mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from 

a triple A credit rating down to AA+ signifies both FMs are overly dependent on the government.

For the rest of the article: visit  

RE/MAX Realty Group

Fun with the MLS

"MLS BLOOPERS"

"Freshly stained bathroom."

"Will smell fast."



We’ve all seen these kind of typos – or unintended messages – in MLS ads. Lisa Loper, a Sales Associate with RE/MAX Realty Group in Harleysville, Pa., found several MLS entries that will give you a chuckle. Her comical observations are featured in an online article on a local news site.

Here’s an edited excerpt from the article:　

You really have to wonder sometimes what some Realtors are thinking. 

Our MLS has lots of funny bloopers in the descriptions of homes. These mistakes are certainly comical, but no seller really wants their listing to be the object of jokes or ridicule. 


The following are a few examples of what can go wrong with a listing:

Shower with multiple heads (That and "Psycho" will scare me out of the shower)
Heater with new boils (Sounds painful)
Seller is motivated – doesn't like the area (TMI, TMI)
Big lard in back of house (Is that included with the sale?)
Freshly stained bathroom (Will the seller clean that before settlement?)
Large walk in closet and hanging area  (Lethal injection seems more humane)
Big fenced-in yard with kennel and sandbox for the kids (Good for when you can't find a babysitter.)
Large in-ground heated poo. (Sounds like an environmental hazard.)
A sinking living room. (Does that go along with sinking house values?)
Will smell fast! (The Realtor must be stinky too.)
Oak bra with brass accents. (Sounds terribly uncomfortable.)
Good property for investigators. (Why? Are there bodies buried in the yard?)
Owner evacuated - will consider all offers. (Talk about your fire sale.)
Seller will not pay for any introspections. (Gee, and I've been feeling a little conflicted lately.)
This house is a real germ! (Got hand sanitizer?)

The World's Greatest Roller Coaster

The roller coaster of emotions that is the stock market never ceases to amaze me.  Take the last 4 hours the market was open yesterday and the first 4 hours of today and you'll see what I mean.  The major indices were sliding by about 6% yesterday afternoon, only to see a 2% gain this morning.  So tell me, has the value of the companies that make-up our indices changed that drastically in 12 hours?

Of course not, it is simply the emotions of our psyche being tracked and reflected in an index.

Of course, the burning question in the real estate world is what should I do?  Well, for starters;

Don't Jump, Yet!

A Home Is A Lousy Investment - could it be that I agree?

There is no disputing Robert Bridges article in the Wall Street Journal is a must read and quite informative.  

Let's expand a bit on some of the concepts and thoughts.  Do we understand there are two totally different processes for buying a home compared to buying property?  When will our yearning for a national real estate index wane and thus Mr. Bridges wish in the final paragraph can begin to come to fruition.  

We need to understand there are real estate investors buying "properties" for a profit and that we are buying "homes" for a future.  The fact this article has to be written speaks to how far things swelled up in the early part of the century.  Real estate investments can be compared to the major indices (think REITS, real estate partnerships, etc); homes cannot and should not be.  That is not the primary reason for them.  You buy a home to build a foundation for you and your family, to squelch your desire to meet new friends and share good times, to make a difference in a local community, and of course to feed your hoarding addiction.  

We are constantly trying to find the index or indices that reflect the appreciation and investment return on our homes from a national perspective.  The problem is, the value of a home is inherently tied to the community in which its concrete is poured.  A home is anything but a national statistic. 

Take for example a local community dependent on tourism or a community dependent on one particular industry?  The idea that we can examine the real estate market nationally lies at the root of the issue of us considering it as a financial investment worthy of being compared to the equity markets.  


Take two towns 90 miles apart from each other.  We'd all agree in today's world, 90 miles is a lot of people's daily commute.  Price a home in New York City and price a home in Philadelphia and you'll see property values 5X's greater in New York City.  That's right 4 bedrooms in Philly $500,000, 4 bedrooms in New York City a cool $3 mil.  That's comparing two major cities just 90 miles from each other.  Now try comparing the local economy of a Santa Barbara, CA to the local economy of a Pittsburgh, PA.  

The point being, there is no magical national index for us to look at and review.  The homes that create the market create the very communities, neighborhoods, and block parties that we are in search of when searching for our perfect nest egg.  Buying a home is a contact sport.  Get out there, get local, and talk to the local experts.  That's how you buy a home and build the foundation for your wealth.  Not by researching graphs, earnings per share, book value, and by simply clicking "confirm trade".