David,  I couldn't agree more.

You had best tip that young lady when you go in next time, you never know,  in a few years she may be in Real Estate and telling people about the Realtor that got his coffee from her every morning.  You want her story of you to be just as good as your story of her.  That is how references get started.  My Mocha Shack lady Elsie,  hands out my cards to new people in town that stop by her Mocha Shack, her workers actually hand them out to.

In our crazy world we forget that time is our biggest gift to each other, we only are allocated so many days.

BRAVO David! Great post.  I agree with you 150% and this has been my philosophy for now 5 great years in real estate.  Our buyers and sellers are VIP's and deserve that.  Under promise and over deliver, be honest, smile and treat people the way you would like to be, and the business will come back to you 10 fold.  Some may poo poo me for my enthusiasm - it is refreshing to know that there are some agents out there excited to get up every morning and do what they do.  There is no Dunkin near me - but you can be sure that if I get the chance in passing, I will have to stop in there to test the good coffee and hope for excellent service.  

ABSOLUTELY!

There's a local pub here with a waitress who fascinates me - she has the longest 'babed out' nails I've ever seen and still walks around with huge trays of food without breaking them or dropping the trays. A greater mortal than I by far! LOL!

She knows what we like to drink and always has a couple waiting for us as soon as we sit down.

She gets big tips from me!

Good service is DEFINITELY value added!

We had severe storms here in the Dallas area last Thursday. Two days later I was showing a home and noticed it had some very significant storm damage. A large tree had been split down the middle and damaged the roof and patio cover. I called the listing agent to be sure she had a heads up on this and could pass the information on to the owners (vacant house), get the insurance company involved, etc. I would be very happy is another agent informed me of the same situation on one of my listings. She wasn't! She got very defensive! I went on to tell her that her own sign in the front yard was blown over and flat on the ground until I put it back up and even cleaned it off with a rag I had in the trunk of my car. She was still not friendly about this situation. I was being very friendly to her and even trying to make light hearted conversation to get her to lighten up. She said, "I'll take care of my own listings, thank you!" That was the end of the conversation. I had to wonder if she is just hateful with other agents (low self esteem) or if this happen to clients and customers she deals with.

When I was a teenager and before the freeway was cut through our valley, I worked at my father's little diner in our small town, (at the time) of Chino, CA. The diner was located on the main street in the city and it was a favorite of truck drivers. One trucker would drop in often at the same time in the evening and would order the same thing, a double burger and boysenberry shake. One evening I saw his truck approaching and I immediately threw the meat on the grill and started hand dipping the ice cream in the mixer to make the shake. I had the burger and shake ready and waiting for him at his favorite seat when he came in the door. He sat at the seat next the the burger and shake (with whipped cream and a cherry on top)  :) not knowing it was his. He ordered as usual and I pointed to the food next to him. He looked up at me with this grin on his face I will never forget!

It is a pleasure and a joy to serve people going the extra mile! I learned this as a teen and have never forgotten it.

Gosh Bill...it sounds like that agent was having a bad day! Rather than accept your call as a courtesy she must have taken it as a criticism...as you said "on the defensive".

Speaking of the "on the defensive" with listings, I have seen this a lot lately.  Is anyone else getting hassled over providing honest feedback?  I am never unprofessional with feedback, but honest if the house has an odor, seems overpriced for it's area or history or has features that are obstacles for my buyers (especially if it has been on the market WAY longer than it could be).  The reaction that I have received from some agents when trying to help and honestly answering their survey's makes me wonder if they only want "politically correct" or if they are truly utilizing their feedback to help their selling clients.  Whether positive or negative, I want as much feedback from the agent as possible and get some pretty lame responses.  So what should you do, be honest or vague?  Recently I had a local agent make me speak with him to show a listing because his seller was offended by my honest feedback and now they do not want me to give feedback - should I show the homes or are they giving me the big "go away with your buyers" message (and it really was truthful and not put in language to offend anyone).  So as a buyers agent, guess we have to walk on eggshells when offering honest, helpful answers??  Your 2 cents would be welcomed here!!

"Hello, seller's agent? Yes, this is buyer's agent from Best Homes Only Real Estate. I am returning your call requesting feedback on my showing of your home yesterday at 3456 Uppity Street. My client found the dog and tobacco ordor in the home a bit offensive, the home seemed dark and the carpet was stained and dirty. She liked the kitchen and open floor plan of the home very much, but there were other homes in the neighborhood the same size for less that were more appealing. We will get in touch with you if she is interested in another viewing. Thank you!"

Smart seller should appreciate the honesty on this feedback...get rid of the odors and clean the carpet! Make the home more appealing maybe with the smell of fresh flowers or cookies baking in the oven, clean the carpet or install new carpet and bring in a lot of light...open the blinds, clean the windows, turn on the lights! This is a buyer's market and the competition is fierce! If the seller is offended, their pride will cost them a whole lot of $$$ while their home sits on a declining market losing value every day!

Some sellers do not want to come down on their home's price and receiving feedback from buyers and their agents is extreemly valuable! Again...the seller is losing $$$ every day their home is on the market over priced! Give them a wake-up call, if they are offended, so be it. Later, they will realize they should have listened to your honest feeback!

I sometimes have trouble getting buyer's agents to give me any feedback at all on my listing and I really want honest feedback.  I call, e-mail, etc. asking for feedback and get very little response. Some agents do repsond and I encourage them to be absolutely honest, hold nothing back, because that information is very valuable.

I saw a FSBO that was priced WAY too high for quite some time. Then a Realtor picked up the listing and had it listed at the same price the owner had it at. I showed the home during the first few days of the listing and the agent asked for my feedback. I gave her my honest opinion that is was way out of line with the comps. She got defensive. I laughed and said, "You asked for feedback and I know you are not the one that picked that price. I have seen this listed FSBO for this high price for months." She softened up then and said, "Yes, I advised them they were priced too high but they won't budge." I refuse to take listings like this. I smile, and tell them, "this is why your home has not sold. When you are ready to drop the price I will be happy to list it for you. Otherwise we are wasting our time and my money listing it at this price." I have had sellers call me back and say "okay, we'll list it at your price, you are the professional." If they don't call back, I move on to listing I can sell.

I love good feedback, but have been a victim of not so good feedback as well.  for instance, my own home is on the market.  I had an agent show it and I called and asked for feedback. Now, I know the house was CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN... and no odors.  But I have a cat, who had been outside, and apparently came in the house and tracked a couple of pieces of the "new" mulch and it came off on the carpet in the guest bedroom.  Not a lot, but a few pieces.  and I didn't catch them on my way out.

The feedback?  "you should vacuum your carpet".  Are you kidding me?  This is brand new carpet with upgraded pad (it was only in the house a couple of days when this happened), a few pieces of mulch and this is your "feedback"?  Your client didn't want to buy my house because one room needed a quick vacuum or pick up the pieces of mulch your hands?

Come on folks, think about your feedback.  Be honest, but find something positive to say as well.  Don't think that feedback is just an opportunity to point out the negatives....  We want to ENHANCE the positives, and diminish the negatives.

Shelly