Real Estate Magic! : Things That Will Unfailingly Make Me SMILE :)

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Things That Will Unfailingly Make Me SMILE :)

By: Candice A Donofrio
Monday, February 04, 2008 9:30 AM

I have an investor client who's been monitoring listings for a while now. He wrote me to ask about a property that has piqued his interest.

He had a question I couldn't answer, and being unfamiliar with that particular subdivision, I shot an e-mail over to the listing agent at 7 am.

I GOT AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE, with the answer to my questions AND the gate code should I wish to show the property.

By 'immediate', I mean within 5 minutes. BRAVO!

What a good practice! I checked to see what other listings that agent had. If an agent is this easy to communicate with, they probably will be easy to transact business with. Perhaps I have clients for some of the other inventory! And then there are referrals.

I'm fairly sure I'm not alone in this mindset.

Check your e-mail and respond quickly. Especially to agents. Of course, you should to everyone else too.

You will sure make a friend of me! :)

Comments

Member Since '03	Mike Farmer said: I'll be the first to respond. I accept referrals 24/7 February 4, 2008 10:54 AM
Member Since '07	Candice A Donofrio said: Yay Mikey! :) :) :) February 4, 2008 11:00 AM
Member Since '03	Gary Szolosi said: Hmmm, interesting Candice. I get those responses all the time, it says that I'm sorry, I am out of the office and check my mail.... I always thought that if you can send me that message, why not just answer my question. This is so confusing. I think that message may be automated. I guess automation will never replace good business practice. Unless someone uses their Blackberry or Raspberry or what ever it is called. February 4, 2008 11:45 AM
Member Since '07	Candice A Donofrio said: LOL! Amen Gary! I am not a huge fan of autoresponders replacing personal responses, though they are great for info on demand. But even an autoresponder is better than nothing. And the number of agents who don't respond timely is really surprising to me. I sent out a request for info 2 weeks ago to an agent about a property and just got a response today. Of course, I already have my client under contract on another property. February 4, 2008 12:19 PM
Member Since '05	Cindy Hartman said: Things like that tend to make me smile too Candice. :) February 4, 2008 12:30 PM
Member Since '07	Candice A Donofrio said: See how low maintenance we are! Just show that you have a pulse and you're golden! ;) February 4, 2008 12:44 PM
Member Since '05	Keji Iluyomade said: I have a property in Raleigh that we are trying to sell- I send email to 3 agents in Raleigh- 2 of them Point2 agents and 1 from activerain. Only one of the agent respond back to me . Imagine that!!!!! February 4, 2008 1:03 PM
Member Since '03	Mike Farmer said: Yes, just suiting up and showing up is 90% of it. February 4, 2008 1:15 PM
Member Since '06	John Rainville said: Ohhhhhhhhhh can I relate to everyones comments! We had an agetn leave us for another firm, as he "wasn't doing enough business"... only to find that he had ---- I am NOT kidding --- OVER 8,000 un opened e-mails! many requesting showings, info on listings etc.. I am amazed that this shmo did ANY business! Yet he carried a Blackberry and acted all tech savvy! LOL A Bad Caricature of a Real Estate Agent! February 4, 2008 4:00 PM
Member Since '07	Klaus Nicholson said: I respond to most e-mails, most voicemails, most rikki tik. I just can't get into leaving feedback comments. There are a number of broker/agents that have not responded to numerous phone calls. I took my clients elsewhere! Keep smiling and have a good evening. Realtor, Columbus Ga February 4, 2008 4:02 PM
Member Since '07	Candice A Donofrio said: 8000 unopened e-mails! Lordy. My condolences to the new firm, LOL! We are in the business of exchanging and distributing information. It's pretty amazing that some can't/won't do it. February 4, 2008 6:03 PM
Member Since '06	Cathy Clark said: I sent an email to an Agent in Kansas several days back on a "featured property". Nuthin'. February 4, 2008 6:36 PM
Member Since '07	Candice A Donofrio said: Oh brother! I wonder if that agent's client knows how poorly their interests are being represented. February 4, 2008 6:41 PM
Member Since '07	Abe Hantout said: Answers heard last week while arranging some showings: 1. Cannot do it, tomorrow is my mother’s birthday. How about Sunday? No, it’s my day off. 2. I cannot do it, but call my partner X and she’ll do it. I call Partner X who says, cannot do it, call my partner Y and she’ll do it. I guess partner X and Y haven’t met yet 3. No you cannot reach the listing agent directly, she doesn’t have a cell phone. Probably still deciding if she should buy that slick beeper. 4. We have multiple offers, so we are not showing the house, but they are all bad, so call me next week. 5. We have a “terrific” offer, but it won’t be accepted. What time tomorrow? 6. No cannot do it Saturday. How about Sunday? No, can’t do. How come? I am going away for the weekend Can you have someone from the office show it? No Are your clients aware that it is not easy to show their house? “Click” This house has been on the market for 692 days and 5 different agencies. Maybe there is a reason for increased inventories and a decrease in sales. February 4, 2008 6:45 PM
Member Since '07	Craig Barrett said: Hi Candice. Also, in an effort to get the latest whiz-bang-watchadoodle, I think agents have technical processes and work-flow notifications set up that they either don't understand, aren't working correctly or have forgotten entirely all about! February 4, 2008 6:58 PM
Member Since '07	Candice A Donofrio said: LOL! Number 5 of Abe's is a keeper! He he he! As for number 6, sounds like the clients and the agents working together currently are well matched. Sad--but there's a butt for every saddle . . . :) Craig, I am thinking you are right--and also that there are still some agents who don't recognize e-mail as the 'killer application' it IS. Bad for them. Bad for their clients. Good for the agents who get it . . . and will eventually get their clients too. February 4, 2008 7:04 PM
Member Since '04	Mary Welch said: Suiting up AND showing up? Mike would be hard to work for, lol. No that Kansas agent Cathy is talking about isn't me. Oh Candice, sorry you posted this blog this morning and I am just NOW getting around to answer you, my bad. But call or email and I will be Johnny on the spot. :) February 4, 2008 7:22 PM
Member Since '07	Candice A Donofrio said: It's a deal Johnny, er uh Mary! ;) February 4, 2008 7:33 PM
Member Since '06	Cathy Clark said: Definitely not Mary! She's a commando when it comes to returning phone calls! February 5, 2008 7:53 AM
Member Since '04	Mary Welch said: Only a commando sister would know that Cathy!! Wasn't it Gary that said "all for one and none for......?" February 5, 2008 9:56 AM
Member Since '07	Candice A Donofrio said: LOL! Who trusts commandoes! ::raises hand:: February 5, 2008 10:30 AM
Member Since '05	Jay & Francy Thompson REALTORS® said: There's an agent in my office who will gladly inform you that she "checks her email once a week". Like that is a GOOD thing.... February 5, 2008 12:27 PM
Member Since '05	Cindy Hartman said: I check my email constantly - if I'm working in my office, it's on all the time - the only time I don't immediately respond is of course, when I'm in the car (don't have the whatchamacallit blackberry yet). BUT, cell phone is a bit of a problem. Unknown callers, restricted callers etc. - I have multiple calls a day right now on my cell phone from lead generation services and marketing companies - so I'm tempted if I don't know the number to wait for the voice mail and call right back. Not a good practice. Is there a program out there for cell phone spam? Like maybe it could come up on your cell phone that "this is a possible spam call" so you can decide whether to pick it up right away or not? If there isn't yet, PLEASE, someone develop it and make a million bucks and I'll be the first in line to sign up. February 5, 2008 1:53 PM
Member Since '03	Gary Szolosi said: You should always be in the commando mode while checking emails. In Florida the gentle gulf breeze flows by as you click and reply. It is soothing on a warm afternoon. Quick action is the secret and while in the commando mode you can be quick at many things or at least a lot quicker. February 5, 2008 2:01 PM
Member Since '07	Candice A Donofrio said: Jay should tell that agent she doesn't know what she's missing! ;) February 5, 2008 2:35 PM
Member Since '03	Gregory Bain said: Come on, Candice. This what made you smile 1970. http://youtube.com/watch?v=GzViV6PUOSM You could have seen them live for $20 and a nickle bag back then. Not that I would know. But, ahhh, we were so young. February 6, 2008 7:26 PM
Member Since '07	Candice A Donofrio said: YAY! I saw em in 74 with Beach Boys at Anaheim Stadium. Tickets cost 8 bucks! What's a nickel bag? ;) February 7, 2008 9:01 AM
Member Since '06	Sharron and Steve Lobman said: I smile when the listing agent calls me back! Many agents leave directions to call listing agent before showing. About half of them NEVER call back! February 7, 2008 10:46 AM
Member Since '05	Mary DeWitt said: As an agent I will call a fellow agent if I have no response by email. I represent the buyer! do my best to get info. How ever when it comes to listing property what you don't do will be used against you... February 7, 2008 4:34 PM