DISCLAIMER: What follows is being written first-hand from one individual’s life experiences. In other words, this won’t be definitive but will try to be comprehensive.
So I had my first showing and it was a comedy of errors. I debated whether or not to share my unique mishaps and then decided that I’ve been honest so far. Those who have been reading my posts know that I pursued my real estate license so that I could take calls and assist as needed. I had no anticipation of that including listing or showing homes so I didn’t give the process a thought. Bad idea.
Every 2nd Tuesday of the month the local realtor board meets to discuss important business. It is basically a time for them to get together and learn what changes or challenges may be headed their way. It is an advantageous meeting and a good idea to attend. The problem is that the public still calls with questions. The customers don’t go away just because you have a meeting. That is where I come in. I take those calls.
At first the call was a simple request for information and then it changed. Can you come show us the house right now? Wow! Determined to do right by the agency, I verified that the house was vacant and that it was our listing. No need to set up a time to show so…sure I could meet them and show it. Hanging up the phone, that’s when things went wrong. Adrenaline was not my friend.
Because I hadn’t ever considered that I would be showing a house, I hadn’t given the process my full consideration. I knew enough to make sure my pass card was current and that I had print offs for myself and the clients about the listing. I also grabbed business cards to leave at the venue for the listing agent. So far so good. Have car keys can travel.
Problem, I didn’t verify my pin number for the pass card nor did I pause to collect my phone. Most probably carry theirs with them all the time. I don’t. It was in my office whereas I took the call at the front desk. I just blithely walked out the door with an accelerated heart rate and a fervent wish that I found the place easily. Can you see it coming?
I arrived on site and introduced myself. I gave the clients the print out and business cards. So far so good. I went searching for the lock box. Here is when it went wrong. I couldn’t remember my code and I didn’t have a phone with me to call the office for a little assistance. I ended up borrowing the client’s phone and getting a one day code to get into the house. Go ahead and laugh. It’s kinda funny. I certainly laugh when I tell the story.
Here’s the good news. I just owned it. I let the customers know that this was my first showing. It was fairly obvious by this point. They’d already made that conclusion but hearing it helped to dispel any uneasiness that was building. From there it was a lot of looking and answering as needed.
So here are the don’ts.
- Don’t leave the office without your phone
- Don’t forget your pin number for your passcard
- Don’t forget to take a moment and breathe before acting
- Don’t conclude that you may not list or show items no matter your original intent for getting licensed
- Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know”
My next post will include what you may want to do as a showing agent to create the best impression.