How to get a listing from others?

Question

I just started out real estate. It seems hard to get my first listing? How can I talk them into it convince them or even have them if they change their mind they should come back to me. How should I start out and explain every detail to them. Please help!

Answer 1

You "talk them into it" as you say, by being personable and asking questions. You sell by asking questions, anticipating their answer, and being prepared with a follow-up to whatever answer they provide, and most important, stressing how you can help them through every stage of the selling process. Plus, you are a full service real estate company, and can also help them with whatever real estate need they have.

"Oh Mrs Smith, this is a lovely picture on your mantle."

"Yes, that's my son and his wife. They were just married."

"Great! When I do an excellent job for you, I hope that you refer me to them. I'd love to help them with their real estate needs, as well. Can I ask you, Mrs Smith, why are you selling?"

"Well, this house it too big now. I'm going to need to find something smaller."

"Mrs. Smith, my company and I will provide services to you that will help you with that. We want to maximize your profit on this property while helping you find the perfect new home too. In fact, I have a few in mind we can look at later. Can I ask...do you have a mortgage? Do you know if it assumable? What are the taxes you pay a year? Does that include a homestead exemption?"

And on and on...stressing how you and your company can provide service, and meet their needs.

I think you should start interviewing with other real estate companies in your area. Find a broker who will give you more help than what you are getting now. You should not be on a real estate listing appointment, unless you understand the listing contract and can explain it to your potential client. Many of the larger brokers have training classes where you can ask one on one questions. Many larger firms have mentoring programs where an experienced agent agrees to accompany you to your listing appointments, and you pay them a percentage of your commission for their time. They also make themselves available during the entire sale process. You probably would benefit from this type of mentoring program.

The listing agreement is your employment contract with the seller. You must to be able to explain what it covers--Not word for word, but generally the terms to which you expect your client to agree and sign.

Also, judging from the grammer and wording of your question, it might help you to practice your listing presentation over and over until you can smoothly explain to your client the benefits you and your company will provide to them. You must be able to explain why it is important they list their property with you rather than someone else. You are a salesperson, and you must make a competant sales presentation. Practice is the only way make the words flow smoothly. Sit in front of a mirror with a tape recorder going, and then review what you said, and how you sound to others. Practice. Review. Practice. Review Practice. Review.

People usually talk to several real estate agents before chosing one to list their home for sale. You must understand that you will make many presentations, to many different homeowners, for each single listing you receive. So, if you make a good presentation, but your don't get the listing, you should not get frustrated. You must continue to meet with potential clients looking for someone to say "yes", while you keep in contact with those who said "no".

You should contact people in your circle of friends and relatives looking for leads. These people already know you, and are likely to refer you to others.

Don't try to acquire a listing in one visit. Visit the home, gather information from the homeowner, then if your mentor is not available, ask the homeowners to come to your office to go over the comparables and set the listing price. Hopefully, your broker or an office manager can meet with them at the same, and help out during your presentation.

Call on expired listings in your area. These clients need your help. Call on friends, or friends of friends, who already have their home listed and check to see how things are going with them. It is unethical to try to steal a listed home away from another Reator, but you can ask the homeowner (your friend, or friend of your friend) when their listing agreement expires, and why they think their property is not selling.

Contact everyone within a 1/2 mile of where you live, and ask if they are considering selling, buying, or planning a move. If they are not personally thinking of selling, ask if then know of anyone who is.

Contact "For Sale By Owners" in your farm area, and keep in touch with them on a regular basis.

Take "phone duty" at your office. Usually, inquiries who call while you are manning the phones are considered your clients if they do not ask to talk to anyone else.

There are many other ways to get quality leads. Ask your broker, or mentor for ideas.

One of the hardest things you must do is contact people on a regular basis and ask them for their business. It's easy to call a list of people one time, then put the list away. But you should plan to call your contacts on a schedule to keep in touch with them until they either become clients or ask you to stop calling them. Hopefully, the latter won't happen.

Tom Hopkins is one of many "Top Class" listing salepeople with training material such as books, seminars, and videos. It never hurts to take as many training classes as you can, beyond whatever continuing education courses are required in your state.

Contact your local Board of Realtors for access to their library, and training material.

Good luck building your business. And good luck getting that first listing.

Answer 2

Drop your commission to the bare minimum you need to cover the company's cut. You'll be able to attract a bargain-minded seller or buyer. Once you have had a couple of successful closings, you can go back to the normal commission rate. Realtors are a dime a dozen in many areas; the competition is horrible. Without a track record, it's hard to prove yourself but there is always someone out there who is willing to take a chance if the price is right.

Answer 3

I would suggest that you begin by having a plan. The real estate business is a people business -- others will do business with you because of you. You must be knowledgeable about the niche you will focus your efforts on. I would highly recomend that you read the book "The Millionaire Real Estate Agent" by Gary Keller. Gary is the founder of Keller Williams Realty.

Answer 4

Don't try to explain every detail, be personable fill in details as you go, first you must establish that you know the material. Focus on working with buyers first. Buyers will eventually turn into sellers. Usually top agents take 95% of sellers.

Answer 5

The market is slow as molasses at the moment. Everyone is selling but no one is buying. See if you can loiter around some open houses and pick up buyers. Do not cut your commission if you can help it. Good luck to you.