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I have always imagined that calls for requests to see houses should/could be given with a 24 hour turnaround. The other thread about not working one weekend day makes me think that maybe this expectation is unreasonable.
So my question is this: How long does it take you from first point of contact, on average, to make a scheduled appointment to see a property?
24 hours. It is rare that I can get a request to see a house in the morning and show it that night.
BUT...and this is a big one...this is totally normal in my city. We have a very respectful real estate culture here where most showings are scheduled the night before. That isn't true in many places.
"Pop Tart" Realty is the sport of jumping whenever any Tom, Dick, or Harriet calls in a fever to see a house.
Getting the appointment is easy enough.
Qualifying them to determine if it is worthwhile, serious, safe, is a whole 'nother concept.
I do some Pop Tart, but I also listen to my Spidey Sense.
What is happening in terms of scheduling response for clients when a hot listing goes Active:
Minutes, when CSS and the sellers are capable. Call or go on line and schedule, and the seller gets a text, and bingo.
Usually, 1 to 3 hours otherwise.
Vacant, "Go" listings, immediately.
24 hours is often a "Snooze/Lose" approach.
I just put a listing under contract in Morrisville.
As soon as it went on MLS on Friday morning, we had 4 or 5 requests for nearly immediate showings, although it stated no showings until Saturday at 11:00.
So, with 8 showings scheduled, and 3 at 11:00, we had an agreeable offer in 72 minutes, and contract by 1:00--1:15.
"Pop Tart" Realty is the sport of jumping whenever any Tom, Dick, or Harriet calls in a fever to see a house.
Getting the appointment is easy enough.
Qualifying them to determine if it is worthwhile, serious, safe, is a whole 'nother concept.
I do some Pop Tart, but I also listen to my Spidey Sense.
What is happening in terms of scheduling response for clients when a hot listing goes Active:
Minutes, when CSS and the sellers are capable. Call or go on line and schedule, and the seller gets a text, and bingo.
Usually, 1 to 3 hours otherwise.
Vacant, "Go" listings, immediately.
24 hours is often a "Snooze/Lose" approach.
I just put a listing under contract in Morrisville.
As soon as it went on MLS on Friday morning, we had 4 or 5 requests for nearly immediate showings, although it stated no showings until Saturday at 11:00.
So, with 8 showings scheduled, and 3 at 11:00, we had an agreeable offer in 72 minutes, and contract by 1:00--1:15.
Lol! And Wow, to the other stuff. I knew the market was hot. Okay, so in light of the other thread, let's say I don't show anything on Saturdays. How many of these other requests for showings do YOU do *pop-tart style* on days Sunday-Friday? I know you have an established business and will obviously get many more calls, but I'm just looking for a frame of reference.
It depends on your market. If its a new listing; I know within minutes and have an appointment scheduled at the first available time. Waiting 24 hours would be certain contract death. Older listings or clients who don't seem as motivated; I'll still go asap, could be 24 hours but I won't likely drop everything like a hot potato to get there. Most of the lead times in our MLS say "2 hours notice"; it is a fabulous gift when that actually occurs.
Lol! And Wow, to the other stuff. I knew the market was hot. Okay, so in light of the other thread, let's say I don't show anything on Saturdays. How many of these other requests for showings do YOU do *pop-tart style* on days Sunday-Friday? I know you have an established business and will obviously get many more calls, but I'm just looking for a frame of reference.
I Pop when I wanna, but much, much more for clients than for people who haven't met or engaged me.
The sticky thing is, Friday and Saturday are the two busiest days for listing entry and showings.
I am sure you can generate business and protect your Saturday.
I just go back to the imperative that your clients know the score, and you make certain they are served.
The sticky thing is, Friday and Saturday are the two busiest days for listing entry and showings.
Yup. This is the problem with taking a hard line and saying "I don't work [Friday, Saturday, or Sunday]" in this business. These are the three busiest days of the week for us. It seemed that the majority of people who responded to my pole try to carve some time out for themselves during the weekend but realize they must be flexible should the phone ring.
For you, I realize you want to take Saturday off for religious reasons and I respect and understand that. However, if the market is hot your clients will need to see properties NOW and even in a slower market Saturday may be the only day they're available. If you can't accommodate that, they may move on to someone who will. You could certainly try to focus your clientele on other Jews who observe Shabbat but I also like your idea of teaming with a Shabbos goy to cover Saturdays when you're not working.
Thanks for all the feedback. I want to say again that I have absolutely no problem sharing with my clients exactly what they can expect, but I will not share my religious practices. All they need to know is how my schedule will impact them and besides I don't think it is professional to talk religion with clients. It would be just as accurate and truthful to tell clients that I have a partner who I work with so that we can both live a balanced life and handle our family affairs while still giving high quality service to our clients and then spell out how our system works and what they can expect during the homebuying/selling process.
Personally, I think clients can potentially get incredible service with a team who has excellent communication skills -- one of my personal strengths. Having a partner can actually be an asset rather than a deficit. I can also imagine how that situation could be a disaster if the team didn't communicate well and relay information well to one another. We would have to have very well-defined guidelines in writing so each partner would be clear on what their responsibilities were at what time.
Thanks for all the feedback. I want to say again that I have absolutely no problem sharing with my clients exactly what they can expect, but I will not share my religious practices. All they need to know is how my schedule will impact them and besides I don't think it is professional to talk religion with clients. It would be just as accurate and truthful to tell clients that I have a partner who I work with so that we can both live a balanced life and handle our family affairs while still giving high quality service to our clients and then spell out how our system works and what they can expect during the homebuying/selling process.
Oregon has one of the lowest church attendance rates in the US. We see "No Saturday showings" here regularly, and we have agents that don't work on Saturdays or Sundays for religious reasons. They do just fine. It seems to me that if a non-religious state like Oregon works with and accommodates religious needs, certainly other states can do that too.
I (and all my agents) have a "Business Practices" document that we give to buyers and sellers. It has our business hours and policies on it. I've been using it for about 5 years now, and not one client has ever questioned my business hours. They are not 24/7. I tell them they don't want me working 24/7 because I'll get burned out and be a bad negotiator for them. Consumers get it. Those that don't, well you wouldn't want as clients anyway.
Oregon has one of the lowest church attendance rates in the US. We see "No Saturday showings" here regularly, and we have agents that don't work on Saturdays or Sundays for religious reasons. They do just fine. It seems to me that if a non-religious state like Oregon works with and accommodates religious needs, certainly other states can do that too.
I (and all my agents) have a "Business Practices" document that we give to buyers and sellers. It has our business hours and policies on it. I've been using it for about 5 years now, and not one client has ever questioned my business hours. They are not 24/7. I tell them they don't want me working 24/7 because I'll get burned out and be a bad negotiator for them. Consumers get it. Those that don't, well you wouldn't want as clients anyway.
But, that accommodation is not a function of the state. It is a function of the market, which just happens to be in Oregon, or in North Carolina.
Can the OP prosper with her plan in the market she is in? Maybe. And, maybe it will be harder than we might think.
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