The Builder You Hope to Represent Asks: "Why haven't you brought any of your clients to see my development?"
You Say: "I can understand why you'd ask that, and if I were in your position I'd probably ask that too. The truth is, in order to catch the mice you have to have the cheese, and your houses are the cheese that bring the buyers in. Eighty percent of sales are done between the fifth and 12th contact with a client. I have the systems in place to follow up with potential buyers. Let me tell you more about it..."
— Jared James, CEO and Founder of Jared James Enterprises, www.jaredjamestoday.com
A Script For Texting Your Past Clients:
"Hi [client's name], The market's really moving and home prices are going up, up, up. Curious about your home's value?"
Text people you sold homes to between 2004 and 2009. Schedule as many CMA coffee meetings as you can!
— Tom Ferry, Founder, Tom Ferry-yourcoach, www.tomferry.com
More Scripts
They Say: "How do you determine the market value of my property?"
You Say: "Let me make one thing clear: You choose the price, not me. But I’m happy to share all the information and expertise I have to help you determine the best price. Do you want me to recommend a price or at least a price range?"
— Rich Levin, Real Estate Trainer and Coach, www.richlevin.com
They Say: "Things aren’t looking good. At this point, I think my only option is foreclosure."
You Say: "Sorry to hear about your very stressful situation. Did you know that the lending industry and the government have made some very recent massive changes in how they are helping home owners like you? There are now other options for you instead of foreclosure. I would be happy to sit down with you to go over those options, so you have all the information to make the best decision for you. Do you have time this evening, or would tomorrow be better?"
— Tom Ferry, Founder, Tom Ferry-yourcoach, www.tomferry.com
They Say: "We appreciate your interest, but we want to list with a friend."
You Say: "I think your loyalty to your friend is admirable. But what about your family? Most people have the bulk of their net worth tied up in their home, so don’t you owe it to your family to get the best negotiator so you can get the best price? "The average real estate pro in this market gets X percent of the list price and I get Y percent because I am a better negotiator. That’s money in your pocket. And even in this market, I never leave any money on the table. In addition, you will have peace of mind knowing you can fire me at will without ruining a friendship. As a friend, they will want what is best for you — not what is best for their pocketbook."
— Tom Ferry, Founder, Tom Ferry-yourcoach, www.tomferry.com
They Say: "Another agent said if we list with you, we will only see you twice: at the listing and at the closing."
You Say: “Would you rather have me making frequent, face-to-face visits with you or connecting with as many buyers as possible so I can sell your home? And we will be in touch regularly, if not in person. We will be corresponding weekly, as I will be calling you with updates. Now let’s focus on what’s important here."
— Tom Ferry, Founder, Tom Ferry-yourcoach, www.tomferry.com
They Say: "I want to keep the price the same as the last listing."
You Say: “Have you received any offers on your home? How many? Let me tell you why that number is so low. People shop for homes by comparison and for 90 days, the buyers have compared your home to other homes out there, from $__ to $__ and didn’t even like your home enough to make you an offer. What we need to do is get you out of a price range that you can’t compete in and get you into another range — say, from $__ to $__, where you will look great by comparison!
"You know, it really doesn’t matter where the offers start; all that matters is where they finish. Your job is to price the home attractively enough so sales associates bring their clients to show, and my job is to negotiate a price that you can accept, and that is usually full price or within a eyelash of the full price.”
— Tom Ferry, Founder, Tom Ferry-yourcoach, www.tomferry.com
They Say: “If we reduce the price of our house, will you reduce your commission?”
You Say: “That’s an interesting thought, but let me ask you a question. Has there ever been a time in your life when you had to accept something that was outside of your control? That’s what’s happening right now. It's the market determining your price, and that’s truly out of our control. When your price goes down, so does my commission. So we are both in this together. Now, let's work together to get this sold!”
— Donna Fleetwood, co-author of "Now What Do I Say?" www.harrisburghomes.com
They Say: “I don't need an agent. I know my home better than any real estate practitioner.”
You Say: “I'm sure that's true, but knowing your competition can give you a huge advantage. I will be in your neighborhood previewing homes that compare to yours. Would you like to join me? Also, do you have any other selling concerns I can assist you with?”
— Cheri Alguire, Business Coach, www.ProRealEstateCoach.com
They Say: “I heard that agents will still show my home if I just have it on the MLS and don't work with a real estate professional.”
You Say: “That’s true, some may show it. But what arrangements have you made for compensating associates who show your home? I may have some suggestions for you on how to attract more practitioners. Are you available sometime soon to discuss a few options?”
— Cheri Alguire, Business Coach, www.ProRealEstateCoach.com
They Say: “I want to look at houses before sitting down and talking about searching for homes.”
You Say: “There are two ways I can help you look for houses. The first way is to simply take you out and show you houses, which would be a disservice to you. The second way is to take a little time to answer your questions, give you a copy of all the documents you’ll be seeing, and put you in a position to make better decisions. The choice is yours, and I think you will find the second way extremely valuable. So would you prefer to just look at some houses, or would you like to sit down and get a better understanding of the process first to save time in the end?”
— Rich Levin, Real Estate Trainer and Coach, www.richlevin.com
They Say: “I am too busy to make an offer or even look right now.”
You Say: “I am just curious, is there a way you set aside two hours in your schedule each week so you can search for homes? I don’t want to see you miss some of the great opportunities for buyers right now, such as the $8,000 tax credit and low interest rates.”
— Cheri Alguire, Business Coach, www.ProRealEstateCoach.com
They say: “I don’t want to hire a real estate agent because I can’t afford to pay the commission.”
You Say: “I understand exactly how you feel. Most people in this economy who have sold their homes successfully have felt the same way. But they probably lost money when they chose not to use a real estate practitioner.
“Here’s why: This year, and every year for decades, the National Association of REALTORS® survey of sellers found that home owners who do not use a real estate pro sold their home for an average of 20 percent less than a home represented by a practitioner. So even with the commission of (insert %), you are likely to make more money. And people who don’t use a real estate pro, despite their best efforts, usually sell their homes for far less.”
— Rich Levin, Real Estate Trainer and Coach, www.richlevin.com
They say: “If I can’t get $x for my house, I can’t afford to sell.”
You say: “I understand your concerns. Have you considered what you will net if you get that amount? Let’s take a closer look at the numbers including what it is costing you each month if the property doesn’t sell. Could I stop by and explain those numbers to you later today?”
— Cheri Alguire, Business Coach, www.ProRealEstateCoach.com
They say: “How come my home didn’t sell when it was on the market before?”
You say: “With the current market we are in, there are so many houses that are similar on the market. In order to get your house to stand out on the MLS, it is important to market it so that it stands out. Can I share with you how I market homes differently on the MLS than I do for potential buyers in, say, the newspaper? Can we meet later today?”
— Cheri Alguire, Business Coach, www.ProRealEstateCoach.com
They Say: "I don't want to reduce the price of my home."
You Say: “I understand. But no matter what price we set for your property, there is always a chance it may not sell. I would like to set an appointment to review the activity and reconsider the price in two weeks. We will be monitoring the calls from signs, ads, and open houses to determine our best strategy for locating a buyer. Then we will analyze this information and adjust our marketing campaign as needed until it is sold.”
— Rich Levin, Real Estate Trainer and Coach, www.richlevin.com
Are you interested in joining our team of script contributors?
Send your sales script to echristoffer@nar.realtor.
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