Real Estate Marketing Advice: Realtor sinks to new low! The R/E Maven

 

 

I was surprised by the comments a Realtor recently made in an article about FSBO’s in the question and answer section of www.trulia.com. What was particularly bothersome in the article was the Realtors use of scare tactics.

The Realtor questioned whether a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) female would be prepared to have someone else around, at a moments notice, to help with security during a showing.

This Realtor did give equal billing to the men by also questioning the comfort and security a male would feel about allowing strangers into the home?

Is this a new low point in the need for Listing Realtors to maintain or justify their necessity?

The fact is that most Realtors are in fact females. Are they so concerned about being accompanied by others during a showing that they refuse to perform showings if a suitable person cannot be found?

What about lock boxes? Realtors have relied upon these for years. The use of a lockbox almost guarantees that only strangers will enter the property and this will take place when there is not a soul to watch over the real or personal property.

Let’s face it showing your home is an imposition but a very necessary one in order to secure a buyer. There is no other alternative. Buyers need to enter and see.

So according to the Realtor/Author of the original article, he or she feels that the female Realtors do not need to worry about their security and can be unaccompanied with buyers but the female property owner is running a greater risk.

And the security of the male is also a problem.

The world is full of dangerous people and I do think everyone needs to take precautions and have a back up plan if possible. Simple steps such as requiring a buyer to register and then following up with a phone call or email to verify the information is a wise move.

Questioning where a buyer currently lives or works and if the buyer intends to bring along their partner (how is that for politically correct) or children is always appropriate.

But if you decide to list your property for sale with a Realtor just because of scare tactics like this then you might as well stop the mail, UPS or even the oil delivery from coming.

Remember showing do not have to occure on a moments notice. By appointment is a usual and customary situation for showings.

 

 

Realtor attempts to justify usefulness by using scare tactics on For Sale By Owners (FSBO). The truth is most property is shown and seen by complete strangers. Cooperating agents (buyer’s agents) in most cases have never been to a property before.

Simple measures can be taken to gain security in showing your own property.