How many times have you heard that message and never received a return call? Do you return your calls? Some days it’s difficult to get back to everyone who has contacted me during the day and often I find myself returning calls at 7:00-8:00 p.m. Returning phone calls is an important part of our business, even when the phone call doesn’t involve a current contract.
Recently, one of my listings produced such a call. A sign call! The listing she called about was already pended, still – I returned her call. She wanted to see the home. I explained my home was pended, but I would be happy to show her the home next door, which was the exact model. One of my associate agents met with her and did sell her the home next door.
In return they listed one of their homes with us, which we now have the buyer for, who also has a home to list. The original caller also has another home to sell. This one returned phone call now equals six transactions.
I know the AG crowd doesn’t need to be reminded of the potential of a sign call, so why do I write this. When I listed the original home (#1), the home next door(#2) went on the market a few weeks later; then another home was listed within another few weeks (#3).
All the same model; all on the same street.
We listed home #1 and sold it – we have the buyer for home #2. Home #3 had an exclusion clause with the Realtor that if a “certain” person bought the home, the Realtor was out of the picture. As luck would have it, the “person” did buy the home and the Realtor was excluded from the transaction. I know this because the Realtor who represented the buyer of my clients home (#1) also called about this home.
Now…….back to the woman who called me. My listing was the last one on the street and I wondered why she chose to call us versus the other agents. The reason – she actually did call the agent for home #3, but he never returned her call. Why would someone do this, knowing there was another home in the neighborhood for sale?
Unfortunate for him – wonderful for me! I can now claim four sales in this one neighborhood in the last three months. What better way to market my team to this community than with numbers for listed and sold homes.
I know this is not the norm – but you never know until you answer the phone.
Call me, I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible 🙂
Steve Trang
June 18, 2009 at 6:12 pm
It’s funny that it’s little things like this that keep us ahead of the curve. I’ve heard that fewer than half of the agents will return calls. I don’t mind, though.
Missy Caulk
June 18, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Gee, 4 sales in one neighborhood and 6 all together. Gosh, what a lesson. And Paula, it is good to say it here on AG as we all need to be reminded.
I had a short vent today on AR about a VM message I got today from the President of the mortgage company I was calling. Still no call back.
Louise Scoggins
June 18, 2009 at 8:44 pm
I think this post was written for me today. Seriously, people, how hard is it to call someone back? I am working with a lender — NOT my preferred lender — and for 3 days I have been emailing him and leaving him voice mails, with NO response. None whatsoever. Unfortunately he is a specialst for the 203K loan my buyer needs and I am unable to find another 203K specialist. I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to NOT be called back.
Paula, that’s a pretty amazing testimony to the benefits of calling people back. Congrats!
Matt Stigliano
June 19, 2009 at 1:31 am
Paula – As Missy said, although some of these things seem so obvious, it’s nice to see the reminder once in awhile (and backed up with sales like that in one neighborhood, it makes it easier to make the point). I’ve found that a lot of real estate is common sense and obvious things we should know. But sometimes, we seem to forget the simple things while getting wrapped up in the things that are more involved.
Gwen Banta
June 21, 2009 at 8:20 am
Hi Paula – It seems I read somewhere that according to recent polls, people expect a call back within a MAXIMUM of twenty minutes before moving on. The most successful agents are the most responsive.
Incidentally, how is Indy? I graduated from Butler and lived in Indy for years. It’s a great city and it’s full of wonderful people…including my sister 🙂