Sellers are now feeling the heat, as well.
The home-selling process is already a stressful one. But with the inventory shortage, aggressive buyers and quick sales across the country, that stress is creating a heavy burden on even the most laid back of sellers.
How can agents help?
Listing agents play a key role in not only guiding their clients through the home-selling process, but also by helping calm their nerves. Being a sounding board and reassuring voice is one of the many hats agents wear while servicing their clients.
Of the many attributes sellers value in their agent, among the most important is keeping them informed throughout the process.
Fortunately, agents who subscribe to ShowingTime services receive several tools that not only make their jobs easier, but also help keep their clients in the loop — therefore making the home-selling process less strenuous.
One of our most popular tools for sellers is the ShowingTime mobile app, which allows them to request and confirm showings, see showing feedback and view the activity on their listing on the go.
Using the app, agents can give their sellers as much (or as little) authority during the home-selling process as they want.
If sellers simply want to monitor listing activity, view feedback and communicate with their agent via the app, they can. Additionally, they also benefit from immediate push notifications regarding scheduled appointments that, unlike emails in an unorganized inbox, won’t get lost in the shuffle.
Agents can also give sellers the authority to confirm or deny showing requests on their own, allowing them to play a larger role in selling their home while giving them the ability to instantly know what’s going on. Of course, sellers won’t want to deny a request if possible; after all, it’s an opportunity for their home to be sold.
Some sellers may balk at the thought of having so much on their plate, while others may welcome it. The same goes for agents who might be debating giving their clients so much access to the process.
Two concerns include:
- A fear over not providing enough value to sellers
- A worry about losing business
Both of these worries, while understandable, can be overcome.
Fear not: Even in the Internet age, sellers still look to their agent for insight, opinion and guidance.
According to NAR’s 2017 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, here’s what sellers want from their listing agent:
- Help marketing the home (21 percent)
- Selling the home in a specific time frame (20)
- A competitively priced home (18)
- Finding a buyer for the home (15)
- Finding ways to fix up the home/selling for a higher price (15)
Another reason why agents hesitate giving sellers more authority in the showing-scheduling process is because they’re worried about losing business. But that’s not necessarily the right way to look at it.
Consider that just six percent of sellers expect their agent to help with negotiations and dealing with buyers.
Sellers understand going into the process that they might have to interact with buyers, change their schedules and be out of their home at odd times. They’re also aware that complete strangers will be coming into their house. Although that aspect of the selling process is expected — and welcomed, since they want to sell their home quickly — the thought of random people walking through your house is a tad scary.
Allowing sellers to have a say in accepting showing requests — without you having to act as the middle person — can help streamline the process, leads to less headaches and offers peace of mind for all involved.
Your goal as a real estate listing agent is to navigate your seller through the home-selling process as smoothly as possible. By empowering your clients with tools to help them make a stressful time seem less so, you’re also building a genuine, trusting relationship with happy sellers that will not only leave clients remembering how enjoyable of an experience selling their home was, but also the role you played in it.
Download the ShowingTime mobile app so you and your sellers can request and confirm showings, manage showing feedback and share listing activity reports.