Please welcome our newest writer, Ginny Cain McMurtrie, Bay Area marketing specialist with over 10 years of real estate focus. We would like to welcome you to her series, “Dear Ginny, WTH?” which is like a “Dear Abby” column for real estate objections. If you have a tough client or a marketing problem, “Dear Ginny, WTH?” is for you. Questions can be funny, they can be serious, it doesn’t matter, just ask!
Please take a moment to welcome Ginny to AG!
Dear Ginny,
I have a client who insists on researching everything on their own and second guesses every data point I give them. They’re on Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, blogs and elsewhere researching which is great, but how do I communicate that I don’t appreciate being second guessed and armchair quarterbacked by the Internet (without sounding rude and holy)? -Anonymous
Dear Anonymous,
It can be frustrating to get the old Monday morning quarterback routine especially in this market. First, if you are not on all of the sites that your clients are on, you should be so you know the pass they’re throwing before it’s thrown. The best defense is a good offense (sorry for all the football references).
Look especially at the valuation sites, like Zillow and Cyberhomes and see what they report as it relates to your listing, assuming this is a seller. You know the nuances of the neighborhood, the city, the area and other human aspects that these sites can’t “do gazzintas” on.
Then it’s comparables. Online sites that report information such as valuation or current listing inventory don’t have feet on the street. You know what’s on the market (sometimes before it comes on the market), for how much, for how long and why. You know what’s sold, for how much, in what time period and why. Don’t underestimate the power associated with that knowledge or be intimidated by consumer-gathered information.
In today’s transparent and tough market, you’ve got to be prepared. Check out these sites. Know their strengths and weaknesses and package that with your human knowledge and understanding. Touchdown all day long!
Have a question you want answered in “Dear Ginny, WTH?” Email Ginny now!
