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Tell your agent to put in the remarks only one agent can show at a time and everyone must enter in their code. Otherwise, what if something happened in your house such as a theft? You would have no recourse of who was actually in your home! If they don't leave a card, fine but by them entering their code to get in it allows your realtor to track the activity.
As far as realtors not leaving cards, as a person who has bought and sold homes over the years I think it's really irritating when I'm selling a home and the showing agent doesn't leave a card! When they do, it lets me know they actually came. However, in Illinois and Indiana it's common for realtors to leave cards.
We have properties going under contract first day, with 20 showings requested.
Managing showings in such traffic is extremely difficult, and some agents just go with a cattle call Open House. At that, you can have 6 or 7 agents on the property, and one listing agent in the kitchen with a big nervous grin.
Security concerns? Another reason for sellers to move and sell a vacant property if they can.
Not exactly. It is a regional thing.
It is extremely uncommon here to have a request for cards.
I would never leave a card without specific instructions to do so.
Leaving cards here is considered solicitation of another agent's clients.
Heck, then if I have to run to the car in the rain, they don't get a card.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bbronston
Sometimes, leaving a card feels like the real estate version of "marking territory", or is that just me?
Quote:
Originally Posted by CGab
It's extremely common her to leave a card!!
Tell your agent to put in the remarks only one agent can show at a time and everyone must enter in their code. Otherwise, what if something happened in your house such as a theft? You would have no recourse of who was actually in your home! If they don't leave a card, fine but by them entering their code to get in it allows your realtor to track the activity.
As far as realtors not leaving cards, as a person who has bought and sold homes over the years I think it's really irritating when I'm selling a home and the showing agent doesn't leave a card! When they do, it lets me know they actually came. However, in Illinois and Indiana it's common for realtors to leave cards.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoPhils
Seems like the consumers knew what to choose. 19-0 for expecting agents to leave a card right now.
Please allow me to weigh in. Originally I thought this was just another Jaquish boring poll but actually some very interesting things have been revealed on this thread regarding the thinking behind card vs no card.
If consumers overwhelmingly want cards as shown in this poll, let 'em have cards. I understand better now why consumers want cards (or rather the unfiltered, direct information of exactly who has shown their home and the brokers that they are associated with). I had never given it much thought. It's not just about security or courtesy, it's also information regarding who's generating activity on the home. And it's unfiltered by your selling agent. It's just basic information that the consumer should have. Or at least the agent should not be "discouraged" from leaving cards by mafioso-like, anti-competitive practices.
The solicitation of other agents' clients and the 'marking of territory' comments are very interesting. Why should your territory and client "ownership" issues trump an overwhelming desire for consumers to have their cards? Correct me if i'm wrong but data from electronic lockboxes goes to the agent, not the consumer. So, for example, the agent tells the seller that there were 12 showings. But it may not be shared that of the 12 showings of the home, 10 were by the same agent or by the same broker. It's a subtle but important difference and I'm sure agents will say "I'd tell them if they ask". But a pile of cards is a stronger visual representation of activity and again, unfiltered, no spin. Just info.
So from an agent's perspective it sounds all nice and polite to draw boundaries against 'soliciting' other guys' clients. But actually this is an agreement to withhold important information from the consumer, including who's generating the most viewing activity. And it's information that this poll shows is overwhelmingly wanted by consumers. If an agent doesn't want to leave a card, fine. But why is there a tacit 'agreement' in the market that this information is not shared directly with consumers? This sounds like anti-competitive behavior and collusion. Whenever there are tacit "gentleman's agreements" not to do things that might look like competing or soliciting, huge red flags go up. I think the DoJ should look at those practices. Agents can leave cards or not (that's not the issue) but any kind of cross-market "understanding" that this is "just not done" looks like collusion and anti-competitive behavior to me.
Similar principles to illegal mafia style "agreements" or "understandings" not to go near certain customers because "those are Tony's customers". It's not just about the current transaction. If a consumer in the example above sees most viewings from a certain agent, this may cause him to be interested in engaging that agent or broker in the future instead of using the original one. Or may refer friends to that agent instead of the one who thinks he "owns" that client. So the practice of "discouraging" and tacit (unwritten, informal, "it's just not done") agreements and understandings against card leaving serves to reduce competition and reinforce client "ownership". Very problematic from a competition perspective.
It is good business to leave your card -- leaving the card is for the sellers' benefit as we well know. What other agents do, I wouldn't care. As a seller I would like to know who came thru the house because sellers have no way to get info from the lockbox unless their listing agent gives them a report.
I would not want any agent to hand off the key to another agent (because they are lazy), the lockbox is there for a reason. If I knew an agent was handing off my key to another agent, the glad-hander would get booted from showing my house. Five agents coming through at a time to show the house or preview? If five agents come through with their buyers, that is nuts. They evidently want to avoid the lockbox. These are issues that should be brought up seriously at a board meeting as sellers would not be happy about this lack of professionalism.
Is the ink dry on their licenses Mike ?
It IS nuts. But, it is a market reality.
I recently showed a house, with three other agents in it. Later heard that there were 30 showings and 5 offers the first day.
I don't avoid showing a house because someone else is showing. My buyers need access to see and decide.
There is no way to get 30 showings in any calendar day without multiple people in a property all day.
Even limiting to 30 minute windows, with an agent gatekeeping the front door would mean a 15 hour showing day.
In a home occupied by a family with toddlers.
So, agents do what they have to do.
Reality in our local market.
If I was to put my house on the market, I would expect a ton of showings. No way would I be occupying the home with personal property in it. Of course, selling a vacant house is always best anyway, but under current conditions, even a better idea than usually.
Many offices in our area do office tours once a week, where they tour new listings... And our local realtor's assn has an early breakfast once a month, where they tour listings afterwards. People fight to get their listings included on these tours. They might have five agents just in one car. And several-to-many cars.
They may not all log in to the box in such situations, but in our area, they should all leave a card.
I always look at the other cards to see who's who and who's been out and about, and who has a good looking card... because we're all nosy... and when there's 20 cards from the same agency on a new listing... or a bunch of cards from the regulars at the breakfast meeting, we know this house was on the tour.
And, cards are not expected or even allowed without direct request.
It's a bit nuts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by just_because
Please allow me to weigh in. Originally I thought this was just another Jaquish boring poll but actually some very interesting things have been revealed on this thread regarding the thinking behind card vs no card.
If consumers overwhelmingly want cards as shown in this poll, let 'em have cards. I understand better now why consumers want cards (or rather the unfiltered, direct information of exactly who has shown their home and the brokers that they are associated with). I had never given it much thought. It's not just about security or courtesy, it's also information regarding who's generating activity on the home. And it's unfiltered by your selling agent. It's just basic information that the consumer should have. Or at least the agent should not be "discouraged" from leaving cards by mafioso-like, anti-competitive practices.
The solicitation of other agents' clients and the 'marking of territory' comments are very interesting. Why should your territory and client "ownership" issues trump an overwhelming desire for consumers to have their cards? Correct me if i'm wrong but data from electronic lockboxes goes to the agent, not the consumer. So, for example, the agent tells the seller that there were 12 showings. But it may not be shared that of the 12 showings of the home, 10 were by the same agent or by the same broker. It's a subtle but important difference and I'm sure agents will say "I'd tell them if they ask". But a pile of cards is a stronger visual representation of activity and again, unfiltered, no spin. Just info.
So from an agent's perspective it sounds all nice and polite to draw boundaries against 'soliciting' other guys' clients. But actually this is an agreement to withhold important information from the consumer, including who's generating the most viewing activity. And it's information that this poll shows is overwhelmingly wanted by consumers. If an agent doesn't want to leave a card, fine. But why is there a tacit 'agreement' in the market that this information is not shared directly with consumers? This sounds like anti-competitive behavior and collusion. Whenever there are tacit "gentleman's agreements" not to do things that might look like competing or soliciting, huge red flags go up. I think the DoJ should look at those practices. Agents can leave cards or not (that's not the issue) but any kind of cross-market "understanding" that this is "just not done" looks like collusion and anti-competitive behavior to me.
Similar principles to illegal mafia style "agreements" or "understandings" not to go near certain customers because "those are Tony's customers". It's not just about the current transaction. If a consumer in the example above sees most viewings from a certain agent, this may cause him to be interested in engaging that agent or broker in the future instead of using the original one. Or may refer friends to that agent instead of the one who thinks he "owns" that client. So the practice of "discouraging" and tacit (unwritten, informal, "it's just not done") agreements and understandings against card leaving serves to reduce competition and reinforce client "ownership". Very problematic from a competition perspective.
I had assumed that it was just some kind of tacit "gentleman's agreement" not to tread on other agents' turf by all tacitly "agreeing" or "understanding" not to leave cards but I missed that it was expressly "not allowed". Then I definitely think that the DoJ should look at this. Systemically suppressing information from consumers to protect "turf" is a very bad and anti-competitive practice. Mafia-like.
Many offices in our area do office tours once a week, where they tour new listings... And our local realtor's assn has an early breakfast once a month, where they tour listings afterwards. People fight to get their listings included on these tours. They might have five agents just in one car. And several-to-many cars.
They may not all log in to the box in such situations, but in our area, they should all leave a card.
I always look at the other cards to see who's who and who's been out and about, and who has a good looking card... because we're all nosy... and when there's 20 cards from the same agency on a new listing... or a bunch of cards from the regulars at the breakfast meeting, we know this house was on the tour.
If it was custom, in my area, to leave cards, I would have them dropped into a box, so no one could tell how many showings there were, and could not take cards away.
It is nobody's business, except for the listing agent and the sellers, how many showings they are having.
We have this little thing going on now, where 5 agents come through at the same time, or really, one after another.
No one knows who is really showing, and the lockboxes aren't closed and reopened. Just the key handed off to a next agent.
Some agents don't even ask for my name, etc.
And, cards are not expected or even allowed without direct request.
It's a bit nuts.
Are those what is called a "Show & Go"?
Our youngest son is selling his home here in Michigan and his Realtor has today and tomorrow (Saturday & Sunday) reserved for a "Show & Go" where any Realtor can bring in Clients without making a reservation/appointment. (From your previous comments I am assuming that the lock-box is now computerized and not just a simple hollow box to contain one key with a Realtor lock to open it.)
I had never heard the term before and the practice sounds a little loosey-goosey to me.
With the genteel nature of North Carolina, this same son lived in Raleigh for 5 years, I am actually shocked that Realtor cards are not a necessity to leave after showings.
My son is selling his home here in Michigan and his Realtor has today and tomorrow (Saturday & Sunday) reserved for a "Show & Go" where any Realtor can bring in Clients without making a reservation/appointment.
I had never heard the term before and the practice sounds a little loosey-goosey to me.
Local terms and customs rule.
"Where I am," a "Show and Go" means one can call, or log into, the appointment call center and set a time to visit with no notice.
We use a third party service called "ShowingTime," and that appointment spurs a text and/or email to the listing agent and the sellers.
Most often this would be a vacant property, and there are times I call from the driveway, and ask for a showing "Right Now." But some sellers are so flexible, they allow showings without prior notice.
Does your son not get notice that someone is setting up showings?
Does your son not get notice that someone is setting up showings?
The house was listed Thursday. As of late Friday night he had received two above listing price offers and was aware of another 11 or 12 scheduled showings to be held Saturday and Sunday. As you indicated, there must be some time of automated scheduling system, otherwise he would not know about today's and tomorrow's showings.
When I first heard the term I had the impression it was more of a free-for-all Open House. With my son's comment and your comment it is obviously controlled by some type of scheduling method.
Our son is staying with us this weekend, 45 miles away, to keep the weekend open. I believe his Realtor set this up even before the house went into the Listing Services on Thursday.
With the genteel nature of North Carolina.... I am actually shocked that Realtor cards are not a necessity to leave after showings.
I'm shocked that it's expressly forbidden!
We can debate what's preferred, whether cards can be taken or seen by other agents, or if agents should or should not leave cards as they choose but forbidding the leaving of cards sounds legally dubious and like an anti-competitive practice. DoJ where are you?
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