6 Must-Ask Questions To Know For Your Next Listing Appointment
You're working your leads, setting the listing appointment, and now you know you need to find the right questions
to ask the sellers. Luckily for you, you found the right place!
The listing appointment is a chance to get to know your sellers better, but also to secure your role as the Real Estate expert in their eyes, which of course means they'll be pleased to list their house with you! That doesn't mean that your appointment should only address the marketing.
You should go over your listing presentation, the marketing materials and methods you plan to use, and answer their questions, but the following questions are important and will guide you in representing them the best that you can.
What We’ll Cover
1. What Initially Drew You to This Home?
There are things about their current home that drew them in originally - these features can give you an insight into what buyers are going to love about the home. They may be things you can play up or highlight throughout your marketing process.
Did they love the natural light, refrigerated air, an open floor plan, or a fully landscaped backyard?
Are there features you may not have noticed or known about the property? This could be anything from family history, to a historical event or benefit of the home's location.
It may be a fairly unique feature, but more times than not if it sold the home once it will likely work to sell the home again!
2. What is Most Important to You: Time or Money?
This will allow you to determine their motivation in choosing a buyer should there be a multiple offer situation.
Do they want to sell fast? Do they want to sell for a lot? Or do they want both?
This question allows you to better understand where your seller's head is at. Most sellers are interested in selling as quickly as possible for as much as possible. However you will encounter a seller every now and then that is willing to sell for less than they should, just to ensure a quick sale. On the other hand, you'll find sellers who don't mind a longer sales process as long as they get the most money for their property.
It's important that you're able to align your services to what the seller needs. That's why we're asking these questions.
3. What Property Services Are You Interested In?
During your listing presentation, you should ask which services interest them the most: Home staging, photography, open houses, video walk-throughs, full floor plans. More often than not your seller will want the works. This is your chance to ensure that you play up the benefits of each service, remind your seller that they stand to make tens of thousands more in the sale if they utilize these features. Also, it's worth reminding them that it's all part of your role as their agent, you do everything for them. This is a chance for you to upsell any alternative or additional products and services you & your brokerage offer, such as social media marketing, etc.
4. Why Are You Selling Your Home?
This gives you insight into their motivation and position. For instance, are they in debt and need to sell quickly? Do they own the home outright and are interested in downsizing? Are they adding to their family, moving out of state, looking to invest the profits?
Overall, you're determining their situation and just how urgent it is. If they are selling in a less urgent scenario they may be more inclined to wait for the highest offer. If they're highly motivated or in a more urgent position, they'll need a different kind of support from you.
This question can also be a strong segway into whether or not they plan to buy another property, where you can determine their buyer needs and how you might best serve them.
5. What are they looking for in a real estate agent?
It’s likely that someone who is selling their house has already worked with an agent or brokerage before.
Inquire more about what they did and didn't like about their previous experience. Did they feel supported? Were they frustrated or overwhelmed with the process? Why aren't they working with the Realtor they worked with before?
It's possible that their previous agent retired, left that area, isn't in residential sales, or isn't a Realtor anymore. They may even have been the resource that referred this seller to you. Regardless of what they say, this is your opportunity to show your expertise and reassure them that your services are great. You'll be able to address previous or current concerns, doubts and questions at this point too.
And Finally...
6. Do You Have Any Concerns About the Home Selling Process?
This is a chance for you to better understand any concerns or objections they may have. This is also your opportunity to get ahead of any doubts that you're not the best agent for the job. Maybe they're concerned that you're a new or young agent. They might have a question they've held back, or are trying not to expose a deeper truth such as a lien, or the fact that they're nearing foreclosure, that embarrasses them. By allowing them to open up and talk to you you'll learn more about them and their property which will give you the ability to better serve them.
Following Up After a Listing Appointment
You've left the property, given your potential seller your pre-listing packet, and you feel confident you're the agent for the job.
A lot of agents are fairly aggressive with their follow-up methods - bashing other agents to build themselves up. Would this approach work for you? Maybe. But, it's very unlikely that it's the right route for you to take. Truth is, it all depends on how good of a salesperson you are. If you have the sales skills required to pitch yourself and your services you will likely walk away with a seller willing to work with you. A lot of sellers will go with the first agent they meet with that makes them feel comfortable. Showing your expertise and knowledge is vital.
Treating the listing appointment as a way to get to know your potential clients, address their concerns, and learn about their needs will win their trust more than any aggressive tactic will.
It is always a good idea to follow up with the potential sellers after the listing appointment, send them your marketing materials and a handwritten thank-you note for visiting with you. Then, call and ask if there are any additional questions you may be able to answer.
FAQs
What do you say during a listing appointment?
A listing appointment is supposed to serve as an introduction between the realtor and a potential client. You should be selling your services aggressively while focusing on answering the client’s questions and concerns.
How do you win a listing appointment?
A realtor should be open and honest, outline their marketing plan, and feature their knowledge about the current market. They should go over their process with confidence and answer any of the client’s questions, keeping the client the focal point.
How many leads does it take to get a listing appointment?
On average, most real estate professionals will go through about 50 seller prospects before they land an appointment with a prospective client. Don’t get discouraged if you haven’t acquired a lead yet; it takes time and hard work!
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