I am new hear and wanted to start off by saying how great it is to find a site that has so much useful info. As a Realtor I am constantly swamped with junk mail and referred to sites that are filled with info from people not really in the business of selling and buying homes. It is refreshing to hear others real life experiences and suggestions.
That being said, I need help with implementing a plan that works to promote myself to expireds and FSBO’s. Does anyone have a strategy that has worked for them? I’m not sure if it is best to call or mail or what? If mailing - does anyone have a template for a mailing that has received good responses? I have also checked out Talking House a little and am thinking about that. Anyone used them? Have an opioning about them?
Sorry to ask so many questions. Thanks in advance for your help!
When I first started in Real Estate, I joined Talking House. I think it is okay for areas that allow you to stop and tune in. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel like it helped me at all. I live in the boon docks of CT and the areas around here weren’t fit for that kind of advertising.
The sales people for the Talking House just never stop talking once they get me on the phone so I hear their sales pitch now almost even in my sleep! I had to ask them repeatedly to please stop calling my cell because they were calling my cell several times a day and actually getting pretty rude to me when I wouldn’t sign up for their service. They started yelling at me that “I was throwing away thousands of dollars and why wasn’t I taking my business seriously”! Just wanted to make sure it wasn’t the perfect sales aid they are making it out to be.
Crazy isn’t it! Any other ideas? What do you find works best for you?
yea, it can get pretty crazy. I just use that as a reason not to hound people myself. The bottom line is that people don’t want to be bothered. I wonder how they think we are supposed to make our money. I just do postcards and other letters and such. I have been running ads in the local paper. I did for the past year, enroll in HouseValues.com. It was pricey but I did get 3 sales out of it. It ended up costing me about $5,000 a year but I made that money back after a couple of months. The only problem is that most of those people checking out HouseValues are people just “wondering what the value of our home is”. It was very frustrating on that end. I did get a few people that were going to keep my name so when they were interested to sell they would call me. We shall see though. My husband might get transferred to CA and it is VERY expensive out there. I won’t be able to work. I’m not sure if I will try real estate out there. I might get eaten alive!!! Keep in touch
For FSBO:
Don’t call them they might be on the do not call list.
Go to there house with no intention to list property. First ask them if the property is still for sale, and then introduce yourself. Ask them if you can preivew there property. If the say no, then say thank you, and leave your card. Go back in a few days and try again.
If they say yes, then you ask them questions and answer there questions. Offer to make some flyers for them. but don’t put your contact info on them, because you don’t have a listing contract. This is a good excuse to go back to the home and check up on there progress.
In Ca there is a Realtor form for FSBO, that will pay you commission if you bring them a buyer. Introduce that form to them and see if they will co-operate with you. Also, what helps is sending them some post cards thanking them for there time. Keep in contact with them once you feel it’s a good time, ask for the listing.
I was thinking the same thing when my family was just thinking about relocating to NC. The real estate market is so cut throat there!
There are actually realtors driving through new housing developments just waiting for people to stop and pick up a flyer and then they get you! I found a very nice realtor that way but don’t think I would like to get my buyers like that!
It’s like you don’t even want to be in this biz anymore. I don’t have that in me to attack people like that. I might not be rich but I can at least sleep at night…Oh well, times a wasting…Have a great day…Anna
My experience with Expired’s has been this: The day a listing ends, these sellers are absolutely flooded with calls from other agents. Even though their house sat on the market for, say, 3 or 4 months, sellers seem to get in their head that the property is suddenly HOT!!! (Why else would all these people call?!?!)
Those who seem interested end up expecting you to pay retail and are “offended” when offered below market value. Most others are smug and think they’re sitting on a pile of gold.
As you can see, I haven’t had much luck with Expired’s either.
Have you ever had any luck getting listings from FSBO?
I’ve only ever got one but it was a friend so I think that dosen’t count. When she was FSBO she was on the phone w/ me every day and I even helped her w/ marketing ads, ad copy, making flyers, where to put them, etc. Basically, she got me for free before!
It was a bad experience when I finally did list her. Her and her hubby constantly reminded me of how much I was costing them. Her hubby even went as far as wanting me to call him every day to tell him what I was doing that day to sell his house. They even got me down to a 4% commission when most listings here are more in the 5-6 range. Needless to say I don’t want to ever work for friends or family again!
Hi everyone, MI realtor here.
As far as expired listings and FSBOS go, I have created a package that is about 10 pages of valuable info for either one. I have an intro letter and explain my marketing to them etc. My RE board sells these cool little see thru plastic bags that have a hole in them for…you guessed it…a door knob! Rather than try to call, push my way thru their door or any other forcefull way you can think of I simply drop the package on their door. I’ve been doing this for 3 years and it works. I get listings this way. I’d say for every 100 I drop off I get 2 or 3 listings. Sometimes more sometimes less. Considering that if I am really working it I can easily drop 100 packages in a week. There’s a lot of expireds and fsbo’s here in MI. I don’t do them all the time only when my listing inventory is getting low. I will hit it for 2 or 3 weeks and pick up a few listings. As far as my package content goes…that’s top secret! (lol)
I don’t ever call anyone to solicite business and I don’t ever knock on doors. I believe that is an intrusion to privacy that I myself don’t care for at all. I guess the best thing to do is think if you’d like having it done to yourself. If not then it’s probably not a good idea.
As for talking house, I think it’s a gimick. a waste of money. I think up here in MI I have only seen like 2 agents use it and that was awhile ago. I don’t think it’s going to get you any listings. Maybe it’s different in other parts of the country but that’s the story here in MI
First let me say, I’m floored the Agent Antagonist haven’t flooded into this thread to point out "this is an investor website,‘’ as they invariably do.
“Don’t call them they might be on the do not call list.”
As Agents…you can set up an account to have access to that information. I would never get in my car & drive expireds…I don’t drive FSBO’s for that matter.
I’ve a slightly different niche, and have an extensive valuation background to offer expireds, and might be able to help them discover why their property didn’t sell initially.
Try hitting up stale expireds (3 months-2 years old)…fewer Agents follow up on those leads.
For FSBO’s; the state in which I live allows Agents to charge for CMA’s. I won’t do a CMA for free anymore (I no longer have to), but I will apply the $200 fee to my commission if they decide to list with me.
I also provide FSBO’s with a book (I have a binder) on how to sell their home themselves. Among other things…it’s packed full of a lot of potential legal problems they could find themselves in if they make a mistake.
An Agent in our office just listed a property for 1.1 million that had previously expired.
I would love to get a hold of that book. Can you tell me where to find info on FSBO’s legal ramifications if they make mistakes.
There are alot of mistakes that they make but nothing legal I know of.
I don’t know of any agent in my area that charges for the CMA. Although I would love to. I wouldn’t get any business if I started doing this. Unless other agents did it as well. It would be a great way to make some extra cash…Anna
I’ve appraised for going on 16 years now…some 4500 valuations. I’m also an Associate Broker, and don’t typically list much. If someone wants the benefit of my knowledge (especially for higher end, or unique properties…they’re going to have to pay for it…I’ve too many other alternatives otherwise).
Keep in touch