Perfect Listing Presentation
1:57 Minute Read.
We’ve all faced resistant clients, plenty of competition and difficult situations when listing homes. This is how to successfully talk clients through (not away from) their objections. Answering questions and removing objections along the way clears the path in getting to “yes”. Answering their questions before they’re even asked will help clients clear their head so they can focus on what you have to say.
“Your clients called you for a reason. Answer their main questions first.”
Clients think they only have 2 questions for you. “How much am I going to make?” and “What are you going to do for me?” Truth is, every client has several more questions that need to be answered. One goal of a listing presentation should be to listen for the client’s questions and answer them throughout the appointment.
Before pulling out any paperwork, engage a candid conversation with them answering these three questions first. Be conversational. There will be time later to support your information and start placing documents on the table.
What is the range of value of my home? Never pinpoint an exact value on a property. Offer a range of values. Bring plenty of data to support the range including a CMA, RPR, Appreciation Forecaster and Zillow. Then, based on that information and a walking tour of the house, suggest a reasonable listing price. Test the waters by asking if that number is within the range of what they were expecting.
How are homes selling in this area? Clients need to know what to expect regarding a timeline. Explain what a balanced market feels like (6 months of available inventory) Explain the benefits and drawbacks of the current selling environment and whether it is a buyer’s or seller’s market. Make them aware of the average DOM from your CMA.
What do I need to do to make the house “market ready?” This is the time to address any issues regarding preparing the house to list. Divide issues into repair/safety and staging/cleaning concerns. Discuss everything. Hold nothing back. Do it gently. Explain your concerns from a buyer’s perspective. My wildest listing story involved several hundred hamsters running loose around the house. Can you top that?
Before pulling out a listing presentation, decide whether your client has a reasonable perspective about the valuation, timeframe and effort needed to prepare their house to list. If they are willing to accept your recommendations, move to the next step. If they need more data before agreeing with you, pull out all the valuation information you’ve brought. Working with printed information supports your opinion. Can’t get them into agreement with your assessment? It’s very common for sellers to want to list their property at prices that are too high to attract a buyer. Before giving up, creatively try to negotiate a plan that will move them to accept your professional recommendations. Try, “I don’t mind listing your house at that price, as long as you and I can agree to listen to buyer feedback and make changes as necessary.”
And if you can’t remove objections no matter how hard you try? It’s best to walk away as respectfully as possible. I’ve only done that once in my career. And it involved a seller refusing to remove or even cage bazillions of those loose hamsters.
Here’s the key point – Answer your client’s questions first. Don’t move forward with your presentation until all objections are removed. If objections aren’t cleared, they’ll be in the way when you ask for the listing.
