From Dave Ludena, Real Estate Rockstar …
So… FINAL installment, guys and gals.
Today, let’s tie this all up with how to work with the realtor, how to properly refer leads to your realtor and then finally popping the big question for MLS access.
Up to this point, we have targeted the right kind of agent, approached and introduced ourselves, given them a compelling reason to work with us (we are legit; we will refer seller leads to them; and we have exquisite taste in music as evidenced by our extensive Justin Bieber collection). If you haven’t had a chance to see my previous posts in this series, definitely check them out!
Now the Fun Begins
We are going to market and take seller leads. As you know, we move a lot of dirt to find the gold when it comes to finding motivated sellers.
EVERY single seller that is NOT a deal for me now or in the future (I have my criteria that I will outline in different topics and blog posts) gets referred to my agent. By the way, it makes sense to line up several different agents to spread the love around.
Think about that. If you need 20 different comp searches… it ain’t gonna be too long before your one and only is going to go into the witness protection program when she sees you coming.
How I Achieve a High Referral Rate is Simple
I assume that it is just a no brainer for the seller to want to talk to my realtor…
Way back when I first started, I would just say to the seller: “Well, looks like maybe you are looking for more of a retail sale. Would you like me to refer you to a great agent I know?”
To which 9 out of 10 sellers would say, “Thanks, but no thanks…I know a realtor.” Remember, they called me first because they didn’t want to speak to a realtor.
Instead, I now say:
“Mr. Seller, it sounds to me like you have a nice property and you’re not in a huge rush to sell it. Did I understand you correctly? Well, I’m not sure that I’d be the best buyer for you, but I’ve enjoyed speaking with you and I like you, so let me do a big favor for you. I happen to work with one of the top realtors around and she knows your area like the back of her hand. In fact, Sue has a HUGE buyer’s list, and she may just have a family that would love to know about your house. She is super busy, but let me have Sue give you a jingle and see if you guys have anything to talk about.”
Notice the posture and assumption? I didn’t ask to refer…I told him.
Sure the seller can still say “no,” but I’ve found that by stating it like this, I have a high referral rate to the agent.
In fact, when I am first speaking to the agent, I will say, “This is how I will introduce you. Is there anything else you would like me to add or say?” This shows the agent that you are actually serious about referring her some leads.
Get to Know the Agent Well
Now you’ve got some lead flow going to the agent and she’ll be running some comps. You will get a sense for when this next conversation feels right based on the conversations you have had leading up to it.
I have found that after a few pleasant interactions with an agent, the ice is broken and things are at a more friendly stage.
A little side note: Feel free to send the agent things that may be of interest to her. For example, if you read a good article about the local market, shoot her the link…
“Sue, just came across this great article on housing that I think you’ll find interesting. Have a great day!”
And it’s even better if it has something to do with one of her hobbies. Be a real person, be interested…and they will find you interesting.
Stay in Touch
At this point, I send Sue at her office a $10 Starbucks gift card with a “Thanks for everything…kick back and have a coffee on meJ” thank you note. Alternatively, you could ask her if you can just invite her to a 15-minute coffee break at a local coffee shop.
If Sue doesn’t call or email to thank me, I will find a reason to call her a couple days later….
Me: Hey Sue, this is Dave, hope your day is going well.
Sue: Hey Dave… doing great. I just saved 15% on my car insurance. By the way, thanks for the gift card to Starbucks.
Me: No problem, Sue. I just wanted to say thanks for being so awesome to work with. I’m really glad I found you and in fact, I have some great news. I’m doubling my marketing efforts, so I’m about to get us both a lot busier! Sue, I gotta say…I’m so impressed with how responsive you are, but I know that I’m not your only client and as we get more leads coming in, I realize this may put some additional work on your desk. I want to do some of the heavy lifting for you. I called the realty board and they told me I could gain MLS access by becoming an assistant to an agent. I won’t wear miniskirts and heels, but I figured that would help you out quite a bit if I can now run my own comps and I’ll just keep referring all my non-deal leads to you. Sound like a plan?
Do Your Due Diligence
A couple extra calls may be needed…
Do the research and call the realtor’s board and say, “I’m looking to become an unlicensed assistant to an agent and need MLS access. Can you please tell me the process or direct me to the right person who can?”
Now, not every area has this option, so if you get a “no way, Jose,” you can try to call back and speak to another person and if you get the same answer, this may just not be an option.
At this point, you can ASK the agent if they have a way for you to access the MLS, but most areas are getting strict on agents sharing login info. If that is the case, you can always go get your license. But that’s a subject for another time…
So there you have it.
Rock on,The pick-up artist’s guide to romancing a realtor... Now go make a love connection.
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