Dear Agent 'No-Show'
"How to Demonstrate Basic Professional Courtesy"
Okay, so I've got these really awesome Sellers with a really nice view property out on Hood Canal WA. Their home had been listed previously with another agent for over 8 months, but with only 4 showings as a result. It's not a matter of pricing. I think the home is being offered at an attractively fair market value. The problem has been two-fold:
1. The previous agent did very little to effectively market the property, other than placement in the local MLS.
2. The home is located in a fairly remote area, narrowing the amount of prospective buyers.
My folks have done a wonderfully admirable job of keeping their home clean and presentable for showings. As you can imagine, they're extremely anxious to gain some exposure and generate activity.
As is typical with my listings, I have created a very strong Internet presence for their home. In addition to the MLS, it is currently uploaded to over 12 high-traffic listing aggregation sites and numerous real estate related domains. I am using vFlyer.com and Real Estate Shows for my virtual media presentations. I also have it featured on my own website and local blog.
This past weekend, my Sellers received a phone call from an agent in the adjoining county, requesting an appointment to show their home between 11am and 1pm. My folks called me giddy as teenagers in love, and notified me of the showing.
At 3pm my Seller called Agent 'No-Show' to find out if they were still coming. Agent 'No-Show' then informed them that his Buyers had determined that the property was "too far out."
So I'm wondering just exactly at what time in the process was it determined that my client's home was "too far out?" And why the most basic and common courtesy of a phone call to that effect wasn't made?
I emailed my Sellers back and apologized for the inconvenience and lack of professional courtesy.
Can you imagine how disturbing and disheartening something like this must be for a Seller? Especially one who has been patiently waiting so long for someone to show their home? No wonder the public perception of our profession is just slightly above lawyers and used car salesmen!
Every one of our actions, regardless of how small or insignificant it may seem, has an effect, for good or bad. Something as simple and basic as a phone call, or the lack thereof, can have a huge impact.
~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~
Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, SOUNDBITEBLOG, and Crabbing in the Hood.
Rich, you do have a very nice listing there and I do agree that the agent has been very unprofessional. When I am showing out in Belfair or abouts and my buyers say -oh, we didn't know it was this far I tell them we are seeing it anyway! I do believe I have responsibility for my reputation. I guess if my buyers really didn't want to continue I would stop and make a call. I am so sorry your sellers were put through this!
It does seem like common sense to let the seller know. I know about a year and a half ago everyone was becoming a Realtor. Now that real estate is not exactly booming maybe some of the Realtor wanna bes should get out of the business.
Gracious...
BB has been having the same type of problems with Buyers and Salespeople. He had one today in fact. A Seller rearranged his work day and cancelled a Doc apt to be there to open up for a Buyer and Realtor. Unfortunately, Buyer had other plans and wouldn't be available until tomorrow. It begs the question, Did the Realtor just make the apt for the showing without checking with the Buyer? We'll probably never know. To suggest that to the Realtor in question is NOT in the best interest of our Seller :)
TLW...ROAR!
If you don't show ,you better CALL and explain why so the sellers don't sit around wondering if you are going to come.
Precious...
You're absolutely right. I was tempted to call Agent 'No-Show' and give him a piece of my mind, but I thought better of it in the event that another of his Buyers may have an interest. Still, it bothers me that such inconsiderate actions take place when they could be so easily averted....
Maybe it is just the posts I read but it sure seems like a lot of agent bashing on AR and it makes no difference if it is members only or public post. Granted, it takes just as much time to cancell an appointment as it does to make one and the agent should have done so.
This is one of the risks of having a listing that isn't accessible by key box.
That doesn't excuse the buyer's agent's insensitive and unprofessional behavior.
Lenn: All of my listings have a key box. It wasn't an issue of my Sellers needing to be there on property during the showing. It was simply a lack of common courtesy on the part of the showing agent.
Unfortunately I had the same thing happen to me this past weekend. We've all been in a situation where a buyer changes their mind on seeing a home but out of respect for the seller(s) and their time, I always make a point of either cancelling the showing or previewing the property myself in the hopes that I may have another buyer for it.
Ross: I think it goes in spurts. But let's face it, there are those among our ranks who are in dire need of a bashing or two. If nothing else this post might help other members to simply be aware of their conduct and actions, and the way in which it can adversely affect others....
Jo and Samantha: Excellent comments, and I appreciate that you both would make use of the showing appointment.
Joe: My point exactly!...
Matt: One would only hope!...
Rich, Frustrating indeed BUT something our sellers need to be counseled about thoroughly at time of listing. Agents, when out with Buyers, will rarely call to cancel a showing. They are too busy talking and selling. My sellers have a choice to make. Either place it on lock box and go about their lives OR if they need to be present for showings be prepared to be frustrated. There is NO happy medium. No shows suck but they are expected.
Rich, it happens to all of us at one time or another. Throwing up babies, they've seen the place before agent has a flat rire. You know, all the lame excuses.
:)
You should have called to get an apology, especially since it is warranted. We have MLS lockboxes, and there is an automated showing service that also logs in who has used the box. I will not get harsh on an agent if it is an unoccupied house, or if the missed showing was around other showings where the sellers needed to be away anyway. I also have to plead guilty that two weeks ago I forgot to call and cancel a showing. Nobody is perfect. FYI, I apologized and the listing Realtor was gracious.
FYI, your Strother Martin picture says it all. Luke, you got to get your mind right!
I have been there too. It can nmake you wonder. That is the sort of thing that can make us ALL look bad-Dinah Lee
You are so right! The actions of one real estate agent affect how ALL real estate agents are viewed.
Bryant: Putting on a lock box doesn't resolve the issue or necessarily allow them any relief from the disappointment of a 'no-show.' For these folks it wasn't a matter of being inconvenienced, it was being teased into believing that someone was going to show their home to a prospective Buyer. Kinda like Tom Hanks not showing up for the date with Meg Ryan in "You've Got Mail."
I have had this happen too many times. It is just basic courtesy. I have been showing homes many times and havent been able to make it to a house that i had scheduled, but i let the owners/agent know.
Rich,
Great looking blog, I'm jealous! I used to know how to put together great blogs but I have to make a comeback! Hope the WA market is treating you well.
Rich - Can you say time management? too many houses, too little time. The shotgun tactic. If you know in advance you cannot make a scheduled appointment. Make the call prior not after the fact. Insensative bores that poorly treat sellers throw all of us in a bad pile. Maybe that's why there are FSBO's
Excellent post, Rich. I continue to be amazed by and disappointed in the lack of common courtesy I see by other agents. One should never be too busy or oblivious to others to make a simple phone call.
This was a great post...so many things are out of our control, yet we must deal with the repercussions. The only suggestion I can make is to instruct all of your sellers, that when a showing is scheduled to have them specifically tell the agent that will be showing the property: "If there are any changes regarding this showing, would you please call us to let us know?" I know it sounds so basic to most of us but honestly, I can't tell you how many times I've had an agent respond with an "oh sure" as if this was a totally new concept for them! I've been a seller and had this happen...it's infuriating!
Hi Rich. Unfortunately it is a story I have seen too often. Leave cards as well!
Enjoyed the post.
Ken
Ever thought of giving your sellers the agents number or the brokers number and let them call and ask. I did this back in 95 and the board even uses it as a tool to mention to new agents that they don't want their broker on the other end of that call. I don't even mind them mentioning my name, even though they tell the agents to not do what I did. But what the hey, it doesn't happen to me but maybe once ever 4 or 5 years.
Rich - we have one listing and it has received a good amount of showings. Lately thought about last 6 or so have all been no show - the sellers are mad as heck! and we get no curtesy of even a phone call or message for the reasons why? It's frustrating. ~Rita
I recently went through this and the seller was so annoyed. Beyond annoyed. Turns out the agent KNEW 1 DAY IN ADVANCE that buyer didn't want to see the house, yet she didn't cancel. Sellers were so upset they want to complain to her broker about lack of professionalism
It's annoying . . . and I hope your cathartic AR blog helps (it does for me!) Reminds me of the buyer who put in an offer (which was accepted) on a home three doors down from a tavern . . . and 'tavern' is putting it nicely. He changed his mind and backed out of the deal with the reason of "I don't want to live next to a bar." Hmmmmm . . . it didn't spring up overnight. Yup those second thoughts are so annoying . . . Second thoughts about seeing your listing . . . arghhh!
No shows are the worst. I make a habit of calling within a short period of time prior, and still get an occasional no show. I do not understand it. I've never 'no showed' and the worst I've ever done is call a few minutes prior to tell them (whoever) I lost track of time or whatever the case.
I always have...."call listor" (me) for all showing appointments...even if I have a LB out there. Because so many need instructions...I give it to them...."PLEASE NOTE to call me if they decide not to go". (did you write that down? LOL) The excuse 'too far out' indicates that they had some time driving half way out there....or before they even went to give a courtesy call.
I'm one of those....when out showing property to call and let them know even if I'm running late. If my buyers and I drive up to a property and they don't like it from the outside (and a seller or agent is waiting for us) I ask that they be courteous and take a peek. More often than not it gives them a bigger picture ...when including the inside.
Rich, I find the same frustration only it is with vacant homes. Some agents think nothing of not showing up at a vacant home for which they made an appt. and when I call for feedback, that's when I find out they never went. Their response is what's the big deal? The house is vacant. The big deal is that vacant homes still have sellers who want the same thing as other sellers which is to get it sold. And those sellers still want to hear the feedback. Granted, the urgency to cancel an apt on a vacant home may not be as great but it is still necessary.
Great post. Common courtesy is so easy to give - and so often missed.
Rich, as frustrating as a no show is, I think that I'd prefer that to some of the lame responses I get sometimes. Things like, 'house to small' (did you actually LOOK at the square footage), 'only 1 bathroom,' 'client needs 3 bedrooms, not 2,' or my personal favorite, 'Client really wants a basement.'
All of these are clearly marked (or not) on the MLS report, yet agents still show the house. What, do they think that a basement will magically appear? Maybe their figuring that the seller will add another bedroom or bathroom for that price? Or do they simply like wasting their time as well as everyone else's?
Terribly rude and inconvenient to our sellers.
Even if we pull up and my buyers don't like it, I have them wait in the car while I go leave a card.
Families with kids have to do A LOT of work to get their homes ready.
Rich, it happens far to often.
It's just rude to not call to cancel an appointment as soon as you know you won't be keeping it. It's a shame we can't charge for the act of NOT canceling... my dr. and dentist do that.
Try explaining "it happens" to an angry seller!
This is inexcusable. However, this is what I do when I take a listing: I tell the sellers that there are going to be agents who do not show up or call me. I tell them there are going to be agents who have people in their car and the people will refuse to come in. I tell them there are going to be agents who do not lock the house up or who leave lights on and I tell them there are going to be agents who show up early or come late and why.
And I tell them I will try and control the situation as much as I can, but that I can't control every agent all 700 of them here.
Hopefully I have prepared them for the worst so they don't get angry at me. A little preparation goes a long way to help them understand.
Rich, that is frustrating and we've all been there. I have news for all those rude people who "no show" - doing the opposite can net you more business! I work a rather small market and I go out of my way to notify sellers as far in advance as possible that I will be showing their home. As I set the appointments I make notes on my showing sheets and if for some reason my buyers are flaking out or we run out of time I call the sellers - that I know will be home - and let them know we are not coming. I also make it a point to inform my buyers when they get in the car which homes are appointments and when we are expected to be there. I never show up more than 10-12 minutes early or late.
I have had numerous positive comments on this and I have gained one listing and one referral that I know of that came from this respectful way of treating sellers. One seller even took the trouble to call my broker and tell him what a good agent I was.
Common courtesy can have benefits...pass it on.
Michael Layton GRI, e-PRO
Keller Willams Palm Springs CA
Common courtesy and professionalism is short supply. And it can be so easy - email or phone - to extend basic communication.
Richard
common courtesy is nice, however have a bit of sympathy for the agent and not go as far as call them unprofessional, as one poster said many times when you are out with clients you are busy trying to show and sell. At least she answered the phone when they called back.
This crazy stuff happens all the time in our business. It's always sad for the sellers that are so excited to display their home. What a let down.
HI Rich!
I have had buyers change their mind about seeing a home when they see the outside or location. If I have made an appointment, I ask them to please view the home anyway, since the sellers have made the effort to have the home ready to be seen. I have never had a buyer turn me down...in fact, they completely understand. Why anyone would not take the time to let a seller know that the buyers have changed their mind is beyond me.
Roger - points well taken BUT it really is frustrating when a listing agent conveniently "forgets" to fill out the basement info, make a non conforming basement bedroom into one (making a 2 bedroom house a 3+ bedroom), counts a half bath as a full, adds in a sort of finished attic space into the square footage......
No excuse for rudeness on the part of the buyers agent but another pet peeve is when you schedule showings between 1-2 and you are running "late" and show up at 2:15 only to have the seller tell you -in a huff - that you were scheduled from 1-2. AND???? If I had shown up promptly at 2, I would still be there.
We all need to educate our buyers and sellers and be considerate of everyone's time.
Denise Tower
This happens a lot and will probably continue to happen until the end of time. I always tell my buyer clients that I have to take a minute to cancel the appointment. Most always understand. We don't have control over the public but we do have control over our actions.
That's defintely rude. I always call if I'm running early or late when showing- it's a "golden rule" thing. What surprises me about most of these posts is that it seems common for listing agents not to show their listings? If it's a vacant house I can understand it, but it feels strange to me to put the seller in charge of showing their own home. It's not something I would personally do.
You struck a nerve for me!! I have a beautiful listing whose sellers take immaculate care of the home and really go the mile for showings. With kids, it's rough to get ready and out of the home and entertain them that long! Yet in the last month, we had 5 no-shows!!! They were LIVID and now agents have to call ME to show and have to have 2 hour notice and swear on their licenses that they will show up.
ARGH!
I couldn't agree more -- I had a wonderful listing for almost 5 months and we were doing everything right (staging, pricing, strong internet presence, etc), but this unique property only had a handful of showings each month. On two separate occasions, they had a no show / no call agent -- my seller (a new mother!) had to clean her home and take the infant out driving for 1 -2 hours only to find that NO ONE SHOWED THE HOME.
I hate to hear of this happening. Real Estate Etiquette it not a class you can take, but the lack of professionalism in our business needs to be addressed. It effects all of us.
Rich this is my biggest pet peeve! I understand people change their minds, but how hard is it to make a phone call informing me or my sellers of that! The other is when they are running late, don't bother to call and show up AFTER my sellers have already left and come back home!
Rich, this happened to me on one of my listings. The sellers were so happy that someone was going to show their home, but it was a NO SHOW. When I called the agent to find out why they did not show, she said "the buyers went by the property that morning, and said it as too far out." Crap. The agent was very unprofessional. So, I had to call the sellers and explain...they were so disappointed.
This is alsmost as bad as making an appointment and then having the listing agent or office never advise the seller. I had that happen a couple of weeks ago to me and the seller was quite upset. It just seems like there are a lot of sloppy agents out there on both sides of the fence.
Rich, That happens all the time here too and it drives me NUTS--I get the call from the Seller (just got home, no card, no evidence of anyone being there...WHY didn't they come?), I make the call to the Buyer's Agent (oh, my client got sick or they didn't like the neighborhood or they didn't like full brick--wanted stucco...BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!) Well, WHY, oh WHY was it on your list to show your clients? Then I have to call the Seller back and blame it on the Buyer b/c I can't bash my fellow agents to my sellers, now can I?!
ARRGH! Very frustrating--and buyers agents and the buyers seem to think that their poopy doesn't stink these days and they no longer have to play by the rules in real estate OR the rules of COMMON courtesy!
Can you tell this JUST happened to me?--Wasted about 30 minutes of my precious time, calling back and forth...
Rich,
This stuff never surprises me. It happened when the market was good and it is still happening now. Some things never change. :)
We are really talking manners that we should of learned in kindergarten aren't we? A little professionalism goes along way in this world. Whenever I have a buyer request to cancel a showing I encourage them to put a seller hat on and remember how it would feel to prepare your home for the showing, leave your home and then face the disappointment. Most buyers agree to take a look as a courtesy and those that won't get to hear me cancel the appointmentas soon as the decision is made. I actually hope the buyers would have greater respect for us when handled professionally. Would you want to work with someone that didn't have the common courtesy to cancel an appointment? Let's hope the buyer drops the agent that failed to cancel and finds a professional to represent them in the purchase.
Hey Rich, Great post, great topic, and great comments. This is definitely an area that needs some work as well as some others. Denise has some good points here too. I too have had a few customers that when they see the outside they decide that they don't want to look any further, but I always call to cancel. Congrats on the feature too!
I had the same problem here in San Francisco. I had no lockbox so the agents needed to make appointment to show the property, but 3 out of 5 was a no show. My client was very unhappy with this practice so instead of taking appointments and have the seller waited for the agents and clients not to show we decided to show only when the seller was going to be home after work a couple of hours. Thank you for sharing.
As much as we would like to point to courtesy being part of being a professional - it really is more of a reflection on one's upbringing & sense of community/self. In our society, manners & common courtesy have been waning for quite some time.
The same person who cuts in line at the grocery store, refuses to say "Thank You" for a small deed or will snatch the last whateveritis right in front of a child is the same one who will not consider the needs of a seller or another agent when making an appointment.
It isn't a real estate problem - it is societal. Sad to say, but it is.
I have a $2 mil listing with no keybox and showings by appt. with me only. One "agent" not only didn't show, but didn't answer his phone, return a voice message or even a text message asking if he was still coming. As I wrote to his broker, some serious training in common courtesy was appropriate, since he couldn't even send me an "N" in a text message reply! (& this listing has so many light switches, they are labeled by the owners!) Go figure, the brokerage name was "Easy Street" --ack!
That really stinks in a remote location like that.
It seems as if some BUYER agents don't even think twice about the NO-SHOW. They don't have listings and don't even think.. What if this happened to their seller.
Rich- We now call every agent that does the no show thing on us and get on their case because this is just plain rude. Do they also just not show up for their doctor appts? No, because their doctor will charge them for the no show. Maybe we need to start having them leave their credit card number instead of their agent ID # to charge for no shows:)
Seriously, we have a home with a tenant who is a federal agent with firearms. He has to rearrange his whole day for showings so we set them between certain times. He is not the seller and there is nothing in it for him to be willing to show. SO we try to be as courteous as possible. I can not tell you the number of times he calls us saying they were a no show. Even after we explain to the agents that they MUST call us to cancel. This listing is not in our town. We have very few agents who do that in our town. But when you get to the bigger areas we see this happens a lot more. RUDE!
I think it's important to let the seller know as soon as possible to minimize convenience. If a buyer changes their mind about a property, for whatever reason in the middle of showings, or we're running late, I try to call the seller.
I've never had a buyer complain when I explain it's what I would want another agent to do if it were my seller.
When I was still selling real estate I occasionally ran across buyers who would make appointments and not show up - leaving me sitting there waiting until past time that we should have been at a home. I always felt terrible when I had to call the sellers and tell them the buyers just plain didn't show.
Once it happened on a Sunday. I made a special trip the 10 miles in to town to meet the people. When they were an hour late I called their home and a little girl told me her mommy couldn't be disturbed because she was eating breakfast. I never called them back...
Rich - unfortunately this sort of behavior seems to be more common in thismarket than in the past. Since agents have to make th ecall to get the appt. it would seem to be a simple matter (and a courtesy) to cancel. Not too hard to do, even it not well before the appointment. Ya hafta wonder how the agent would feel if a buyer did that to them.
Jeff
When I have a buyer tell me they don't want to look at a particular property that has all ready been scheduled. I usually say to them as a courtesy to the seller since they are expecting us, let's go ahead and tour the property and that will also help me get a feel for exactly the type of property you are looking for. More so if it's an occupied property. It's okay for a buyer to think like the seller would. Also another one I get a lot, "What will the seller's take for this property?" What is your response? If it's our listing, I always say, "The owners have employed us to only quote the listing price to prospects. Anything other than that I'll be happy to present to them, but I know they'll take the list price." Sometimes I'll even ask them in that case, "If you listed your home with us, you would expect the same courtesy to quote only the listing price to prospects (and other agents especially)."
As noted in the comments before me, it occasionally happens. It is nice to be reminded and to see the seller's point of view. It happened to me once and I promised myself that that would not happen again and it didn't.
THere are so many inconsiderate people in the world. Unfortunately, some of them call themselves real estate professionals.
It just seems like common courtesy to take a moment and let either the listing agent or the seller know that you are either running late, or, your buyers have canceled the showing. Just switch roles for a moment and think how you would feel! These days I would venture to guess we all carry cell phones with us and could take a minute to make that call. We sure don't seem to have a problem when the cell phone rings the other way. Here we generally let our sellers know that when a showing is scheduled it is beneficial for them to depart the residence -- at times this can be an inconvenience if children, pets or weather are an issue. Again -- just common courtesy.
Even on vacant properties the sellers expect feedback on scheduled showings -- anyway they do here.
I bet one thing -- that seller will remember that agents name and it won't be in glowing terms.
Sue
I work with buyers and sellers, so I try never to stand any body up.
Another thing that I try to do is have my client do a drive by, before a showing is even scheduled. It cuts way done on unnecessary appointments.
It is sad and unprofessional when this happens -- but at times we have had things all lined up and buyers end up deciding right at the curb they don't want to go in ---- fortunately this is not happening often , but if it does we trot up to the door (if the owners are to be there) and tell them we are so sorry that the buyers have decided against viewing -- embarrassing to all parties ---- but sometimes there is no controlling buyers and their whims.
Rich,
Make the call..!! Register your complaint, and convey your seller's disappointment. The ONLY mechanism we have which will improve the public perception of our profession, is when we proactively hold eachother accountable. If your buyer is a "no-show", go preview it yourself. Leave a business card.!! I have some preprinted with "Thank you for allowing us to view your home", which I keep in my vehicle at all times.
Prepare the consumer for disappointment, delay and examples of bad behavior. For me, it's all in the numbers.
For every 10 appointments made to show a home, probably 4 will not show or cancel.
For every 10 homes a buyers agent tries to show, probably 4 will not be available or can't be reached for appointment.
For every 10 things that can go wrong, 4 probably will.
Just prepare folks and you'll hear those magic words, Lenn (Rich), everything that you warned us about is true.
THAT alone turns a negative (no show) into a positive - being prepared by their agent.
Reminds me of a recent showing request for one of my own listed properties. I arrived a few minutes early and saw a small red car drive away from the front of the property. Due to some rentals on the same street, I didn't think too much of it. I opened the house, turned on the lights, etc. 20 minutes later the buyer calls me and tells me they are running a little late. Another 20 minutes later they drive up in the same red car I watched pull away as I was driving up. When the buyers got out of the car, one was sipping on a straw from a drink cup. You guessed it, they decided to visit a restaurant two blocks away while I was at the property.
I'm going to go out on a limb but...sometimes you just can't let the owner/agency know. Unfortunately I've tried to reach agents/agencies to let them know I need to cancel, only to get a recording because the office is closed and no follow up call or worse, an admin who forgets to notify the owner. I had called an agency to cancel/postpone an appt because I was running way behind ( this was for a preview mind you) only to have the agent call me-the owner was waiting and was I still going? I explained I had already logged the cancel with the admin--she never called the agent or owner. Rural areas, especially in my mountains, sometimes have no cell coverage either. So, sometimes it is not from lack of trying.....just lack of ability to connect.
Still, courtesy goes along way in this ultra competetive market. I've had buyers not want to go in a house "that is just too far out" because...."they did not want to fall in love with it, only to have it too far to commute to work." No matter the cause of the non-showing an explanation is certainly warranted.
Unfortunately this happens all too often. Even worse when the listing agent has to accompany and you are standing there with the buyer waiting for a listing agent who couldn't make it.
Have also had confirmed appointments, driven miles with buyers in tow and waited for the homeowner to show up. Sat there, called the listing office and listing agent with no return calls.
I think all this just boils down to common courtesy and consideration all accross the board.
At the very least the showing Agent should have called you to cancel the appointment. But, sometimes you present a number of properties for consideration and the client likes them all so you set up the showings in advance. Then, when you are sitting with the client and it is time to plan the route for the day, the client decides to eliminate some properties that may be GU. It happens but the Agent should take the time to cancel in a timely fashion.
I had the unfortunate experience of scheduling a showing over a month ago that couldn't happen because my buyer was in the hospital - and I didn't know it until after the fact. I did send the listing agent an e-mail explaining the situation and apologizing for having missed the appointment. I have not had the experience that you've described here, but you make a valid point that the showing agent should have displayed some sense of decency by calling you ahead of time to inform you of his clients' decision to not see the property.
Buyer no-shows are very frustrating and disappointing when the sellers are there waiting for the agent and buyers to show-up. Lock-boxes help so the seller doesn't have to sit there and wait.
One of my worst experiences was a no-show listing agent (who had to be there) for the re-show of a large, vacant institutional property to a church group. Since this was a re-show, I had a good, long-time relationship with her office, I asked the agent if I could pick up the keys. No, she had to be there. (Not only was she the listing agent, she was a member of the church selling the property). Appointment was set up days in advance, schedules were co-ordinated so all members of the building committee could be available, re-confirmed with the listing agent the evening before.
Arrived at the property early thinking listing agent would be there opening property. (Wrong!) Pastor & church committee arrive right on time, still no listing agent. Immediately start calling agent's cell, get voice mail, continue calling cell and office every 5-10 minutes. No response. (Since it was Sunday afternoon, office was closed). Waited an hour, thinking something drastic must have happened: flat tire, accident, etc. Still no response. BTW: It was raining cats and dogs and I've got about 20 people glaring at me, huddled under umbrellas.
After apologizing profusly to the Pastor & building committee, sent them home. I continued calling the agent into the evening, no response. Finally get a call from the agent the next morning. She vaguely muttered something about a family emergency, no details. Too late to get someone else to open up the property. Asked her why she didn't just call me to get the keys from her, she didn't think of that.
Called the broker, who wasn't very helpful. His comments were something like, "Oh well, things come up" and "You have probably missed an appointment yourself." No, I have never missed an appointment without an immediate phone call or even a visit to the property to explain. And this isn't about me, this is about a licensee in your office who was totally unprofessional.
We finally did get to re-see the property a few days later. The agent was still nonchalant about the previous no-show, to her it seemed to be no big deal. What was a big-deal were the many leaks now very evident after the heavy rains and a huge chunk of fallen ceiling. Fortunately, this time, besides the Pastor and building committee, they also bought along a building inspector (who knew if and when we could get in again?) who was able to immediately identify other problems with the property. We did submit an offer based on the condition and repairs needed, however, no agreement could be reached. Probably a blessing!
When I list I explain the inconveniences of selling, no shows are one of the points. it happens sometimes especially if the house is far, old, or less desirable in some way. When you are showing property it does only take a second to call but we all know that many agents don't do it just like leaving a business card. But you can keep your sellers from getting mad at you if you explain this upfront.
Mmmm. A lot of different opinioins here as to whether or not call the No Show agent - personally, I do call. It's rude and unprofessional for the buyers agent to not call - NOBODY is that flippin busy as to ignore common courtesy.
However, when I wear the hat of a buyers agent and realize that I cannot keep an appointment made, I call to cancel (except when access is via a lockbox). The EXCEPTION is when the listing agent has one of those call centers used for appointments - I try to call but if the call center puts me on hold, routes my call several times, etc .... well I'm sure the h/o never gets the message of the cancelled appt. -
My seller wanted me to complain to the no-show agent's broker, but in the past every time I've had an issue/complaint with one of their agents, NOTHING has been done. She doesn't even reply most of the time. That's even sadder!
Great post...I had this happen as well and when I call to find out why it was not shown, I don't receive an answer.
It is the same with feedback. I have found the more and more agents do not give feedback after a showing.
Bettina
I hate these listing agent, vs buyers agent tiffs. We need to admit that we are in different businesses. There is no way we will ever understand each other.
I could go on all day with reasons for a cancelation and excuses for not calling, but the bottom line is that when Im with a potential buyer, Im not thinking about you or your seller. Im working to understand my buyers needs and wants, and find them a home. And I know Ive gotten sloppy since most of what I show is and yes, as a buyer's agent (or even as a person) I confess that I am not as courteous as some people think I should be. But Its not professional courtesy Im lacking, it's common courtesy.
There was a lock box, the seller keeps the home in "showing" condition all the time, and as you said in your answerr to BB's comment " For these folks it wasn't a matter of being inconvenienced,"
Why then did you feel it was necessarry to apologize for the inconvenience and pass the blame to the buyers agent?
Your clients were dissapointed, (call me insensitive but I dont care), My concern is for my client, not your's) You could have (and I think should have) prepared your client for the inevitable dissapointments that are involved in selling a house. Again referring to BB's comment You need to prepare your client for this sort of thing.
I wonder if your seller would have been any less disapointed with a phone call...their hopes would still have been dashed. Its up to you to handle the fact that there is a very small market for remote properties like theirs
By the way...its always price. It may be time to start cutting the price, or look into other ways to market the home..an auction perhaps. An open house, where each visitor (with a pre qual letter) gets a voucher for gas money, or pony rides for the kids
that's a shame since your sellers went to the trouble and were excited about the showing. And Bettina, I agree about the lack of feedback from most agents these days. It all goes to professionalism and ethics
Ron: Thank you for your very detailed response, but I beg to differ. To me it IS a matter of being a true professional. I represent both Buyers and Sellers. so we're both in the same business. Being relentless in your pursuit to represent your Buyer's best interests doesn't absolve or excuse you from extending the most basic of professional courtesies. Our code of ethics demand that we give equal professional service to ALL people, not just 'our' clients. This involves treating EVERYONE with honesty and mutual cooperation. The duties of a general licensee is to exercise reasonable skill and care, and to deal honestly and in good faith. If a Buyer's Agent can find the time to call for an appointment to show the home, then there is absolutely no excuse why they can't call to cancel an appointment. Any reason for not doing so is simply a mask for unprofessional insensitivity and laziness. I felt it necessary to apologize on behalf of Agent 'No-Show' because his actions bore a poor reflection on our industry. And there are 3 reasons why a home doesn't sell within a reasonable timeframe - 1) Some huge glaring material defect; 2) Ineffective marketing; 3) Price. It may be a combination of issues, and I would agree that price is usually the culprit.
Morning Rich, Totally agree with the premise of your post. The second half of an agent showing a listing is a candid/prompt feedback.
To everyone who has commented:
Thank you all for such awesome comments! I'll try to get back here later today and respond to some of you individually. Obviously, this post struck a nerve with many of you. It is an all too common occurrence in our business these days. While our primary fiduciary or statutory responsibility is to represent our contractual client's best interests, it doesn't preclude us from demonstrating basic professional courtesy equally to ALL people. And how sad of a reflection on our industry when we have to counsel our clients ahead of time to expect/anticipate other agents to act like idiots. An unfortunate, but true reality.
I don't care who you are or how busy you are, it's simply rude not to call and cancel. Secondly, if I have arranged a showing, regardless of my buyers objection, I do my best to encourage them to still look at the property. There's always a chance they could fall in love with it and decide the distance is a sacrifice they are willing to make. Once I had an agent ask to show a property between 4:30 & 5:00. I left her a message to make it closer to 5:00 so the homeowner could rush home from work and remove her dog. The seller drove around the block for an hour with her dog in the car and the agent never showed. Then the agent had the nerve to call me a week later to "reschedule" the appt. admitting her buyer had something come up and they ended up not looking at the house the week before. Unprofessional!!!
I agree it was very tacky on the part of the Buyers agent. Buyers can be tacky too, but we need to keep everyone informed and in the loop.
I have been doing this for about 30 years, and have recently been amazed at the change in the business. While there is no excuse for an agent not showing up for a scheduled showing, I am even more concerned - both by the original post, and by the majority of the responses - that no-one seems to be SHOWING THEIR LISTINGS! From the beginning of the process, you mention that the appointment was made with the seller, and the seller was disappointed that the agent and his buyer didn't show up. I have always felt that an important part of my job is to show and present the listings which have been entrusted to me. I work in New Haven County (Connecticut), and know that an adjacent county, Fairfield, works primarily with lockboxes. It boggles my mind that a multi-million-dollar house would have a lockbox on the front door, and no listing agent present unless he is a dual agent... I guess you should just put me in the back room with all the other dinosaurs!
I just had this exact same thing happen to me this last weekend. I didn't even findout the agent was a no show till i received my email feedback. The other agent was a relocation specialist and showing a high-end home and should have known better, I sent her an email with expressed disappointment in her professional courtesy. and to top it off I'm not sure I'll schedule another showing for her again, she will have to prove to me that she has professional courtesy.
Miss Manners would be appalled at such gross, toadish conduct...no matter what the excuse! Laraine
John: An interesting comment. There are certainly differences and nuances to each specific market. I know that in some parts of the country, many brokerages utilize call centers that do all of the arrangements for showing properties. And for higher-end properties, it makes more sense to be intimately involved in the showing process. In addition, some Sellers don't want to be bothered with such things, and so we need to accommodate them. But for the most part, in our market here, the majority of properties have lock boxes and the showings are arranged throught contacting the Sellers directly. I prefer this process primarily because it eliminates unnecessary steps in the showing chain.
I read over your crabbing blog...makes me want to move now! I LOVE crab. And, excellent post. call if clients don't want to see a home. I just let them know that since we made an appt, we need to cancel it. Most of the houses I show usually are vacant though, so we don't run into that too often.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! The pinnacle of REALTOR rudeness! I hate when people do this! If my buyers decide to not see a house or our schedule is not working out...I stop right then and call the showing service to inform them we are not coming! I have been on the receiving end of the angry seller call where they waited for hours or left the house on purpose and the No Show Agent never called or cancelled! Very annoying! Great post!
There's just no excuse for it anymore, agent should have called the seller and just told them. I'm sure the seller wouldn't have taken it personally! It's worse to be waiting and then be RUDELY disappointed. No class agent.
Rich: One of our pet peeves!! On any number of occasions an agent has scheduled a showing, usually with a two hour showing window, our clients get their home ready, everyone is excited, and then . . . no one shows! Is it really so hard to make a phone call letting someone know? Ugh!!
Rich, have had the same problem. Sellers have two dogs and an infant child. Agents make appointments for 5pm and show up at 9pm. Good thing my seller is understanding, but has called me to complain. If agents do not have the basic courtesy to call to cancel, or say they are running late, it makes us all look bad.
That's a shame. When I have to cancel an appointment and I call the agent, sometimes they are suprised and thank me profusely for letting them know. These things always come around to haunt you.
Rich,
When i have a situation like that while out showing i go anyway explain to clients they are
expecting us. That agent need to experience the same there really is no excuse for that
to happen.
No shows are a killer. And how about buyer no shows? Can't control that one either.
But I also think agents are not taking any time to talk to the buyers about the houses they want to see.
I had a listing earlier this year that had almost no rear yard. less than 8' from house to fence. Sellers wanted me to inform every agent and every buyer before scheduling the appointment so that we would eliminate that objection. Had an agent from my own office no less, called to schedule, told him about it, oh no problem he said, have they been by it I said, they really want to see it he said, please confirm they have been by it I said - sounds ridiculous but the emails went back and forth like this. So, I schedule the appointment and doesn't he call and cancel after all this because there was no back yard! I wanted to choke him!
Thank goodness I had another showing scheduled for the same time frame so at least they didn't get prepared for nothing!
Sounds like another example of why some homeowners feel certain ways about Real Estate Agents. Agents are not shown how to market a property, and some do not take classes to improve in that area either. Its a shame.
"No wonder the public perception of our profession is just slightly above lawyers and used car salesmen!" That says it all Rich.
Rich,
Professional courtesy seems to be a dying commodity. It is too bad. I do not know if it has to do with being rude or people just having trouble managing their time. Either way, it sucks.
I feel for you sellers, and even though I agree with you about the lack of common courtesy when deciding not to continue with the showings orto postpone one and forgetting to call the person waiting for them, I also believe in counseling the sellers about situations like these. Sometimes it is not the agent who does not want to show the property, but the buyer who does not take into consideration the time elements involved. Counsel the seller about no shows, and counsel the buyer about the importance of showing up. If we think of ourselves as professionals, that is the way we should act.
Antonio
Rich,
I feel your and sellers' frustrations about this event. It's happened to me a few times, too. Another frustrating thing is that showing agents sometimes go through and do not leave their business card, so sellers are not sure if the anyone came.
Most of my sellers will do "courtesy viewing" when we are in an area and the property doesn't seem to fit expectation prior to entering... 5 minutes and out. In other caes, it is simply the right thing to do to call on an occupied property if you aren't going to be there or are running late.
BTW, one of those courtesy showings turned into a $635k home sale. The buyers decided that they actually did like the property...
Hi Rich, it's unfortunate that there are so many unprofessional real estate agents giving the rest of us a bad reputation. We run into the same problem here in Pasadena. Hope all is well. Long time no talk!!!