6 Steps Towards Proper Real Estate Etiquette
Keith Walker
“I care about people, not properties.” Keith Walker is an around-the-clock realtor, living and breathing real estate every day of his life...
“I care about people, not properties.” Keith Walker is an around-the-clock realtor, living and breathing real estate every day of his life...
The pandemic has caused so many challenges and necessary adaptations in the real estate process these days. One of the things we are witnessing with the stricter regulations is a larger exposure of lack of awareness to proper real estate etiquette.
I’m Keith, leader of the Walker Team of Intero … I am a second-generation Realtor who has been full time for over 22 years, runs a sizable team here in Silicon Valley and has taught, coached and spoke in front of large audiences of realtors.
My career has spanned both old school techniques and modern technology and I want to share a couple of tips for my industry on having fantastic real estate etiquette.
Read the Agent Comments in the MLS
The more knowledge we all have the better.
Agent comments were written for us as realtors so we can get all of the inside and pertinent information. Some of this information is critical … showing instructions, offer date information, desired terms, and even COVID restrictions.
As a Realtor, you will come off much more professional to your counterpart and will also save yourself unnecessary steps and possible frustration if you read these before taking any next steps.
Lock Up the Home and Leave it the Way You Found it (or Better!)
Always remember that we are guests and visitors of the homes we enter.
Someone owns this home and has their lives invested in it.
Simply walking around the home before leaving and making sure everything is locked tight, closed, and turned off are great manners to have.
Two things to think about:
- Safety
- What do you say to your children when they leave the lights on?
Be Respectful of the Time of Day
This business can be hectic on our schedules but it is important to remember that we are professionals.
Do you call or text your doctor at 9:30p on a Saturday night?
Do you get up at 6a and start calling your children’s teacher?
All of us in this industry have personal lives as well, family, friends, and significant others … think first, maybe I can just send an email and follow up during business hours.
Of course, if we are in the middle of a time-sensitive negotiation, times are bent but that’s not every day.
This Business is Not Dog Eat Dog
One of the things I have learned about with most respected realtors in this business is that they understand that we are all in this together.
Sure, there are times when clients chose a different realtor to work with or we didn’t get a deal together that we thought we would.
But if we understand that we are here to help each other and work together … essentially take the possessiveness out of the business … we will create a beautiful environment.
Put it in Writing
First of all, nothing happens in this industry without a written agreement.
Secondly, our profession includes writing and submitting offers and the disclosures that accompany them.
By trying to bypass these steps, the realtor is not only doing their client a grave disservice but their counterpart will generally question their professionalism and commitment to the property.
This Business is Not Dog Eat Dog
Just like the rest of the world … and something that is always accelerated here in Silicon Valley specifically … things change at a blistering pace.
Some of it is hard to keep up with and can indeed be frustrating to both experienced and new realtors.
One of the things I’ve learned though is as technology and styles of exchange adapt, we need to as well.
We all might even learn something extremely helpful in the process.
Thanks for listening to me on this video and I hope there was something good for you to take out of this.
Following these suggestions will not only help with your reputation in real estate but will actually even help you get deals accepted for your clients.
Once again, I am Keith with the Walker Team of Intero Real Estate, here to educate and navigate, not speculate and fabricate.
I welcome your comments and feedback. See you next week!
On the Walker Team, we have a wide range of experts who speak several languages to help you navigate the process with confidence!
Always remember, I am here to educate and navigate, not speculate, and fabricate.