I have been house hunting lately and I must say I have been surprised at how little “real selling” I have seen from many of the listing agents. For the most part, a lock box is put on a house and you can stop in and look around with your broker. Often times the listing agent either isn’t there, or he/she gets out of the way to let the buyers wander around without any commentary whatsoever. This leaves me scratching my head because these moments present so much opportunity for a listing agent . . . who really knows how to sell . . . to sell.
First of all, when you are touring homes, they all start to run together, so anything the agent can say or do to make the homes stand out from one another in the buyers’ memories, can be a HUGE advantage. Also, many homes have subtle and/or interesting characteristics that prospects might miss as they blow through it. These kinds of things may range from a school bus stop nearby to a sprinkler system that may not be visible. Most importantly, all homes have personalities, and a good listing agent can bring a house alive with vivid imagery, personal passion and conviction.
I have asked a number of agents about this and some are saying that the Internet has taken over the selling process. True, I am using the Internet to shop, but guess what . . . I have never seen an Internet application that can close me.
Personally, since the last time I was in the market, I think the industry may have gotten less proactive on the sell side, perhaps figuring that listing, not selling, is the name of the game. This opens up a huge opportunity for agents who master and make the commitment to practice the fine art of personally selling a home.
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