Are you planning to buy or sell a home? If so, you’re likely to be among the 90% of sellers or 88% of buyers who effect their transaction with the assistance of a real estate agent, according to the National Association of Realtors.
And, if you don’t already have an agent, you’ll need to find one. But what’s the best way to reach out — phone, text, email? And what should you say during that first contact to catch that agent’s attention and let them know you’re a serious buyer or seller?
“First impressions matter, especially in real estate,” says Megan Sullivan, an agent with Sotheby’s International Realty in Greenwich, Connecticut. “With agents juggling countless calls and messages daily, a clear, professional and direct initial contact stands out.”
Sullivan says that whether the initial contact is by phone, email or text, prospective buyers or sellers should quickly convey their goals and express genuine interest in the agent’s expertise. That shows that the person is serious, she says.
[Read: How to Sell Your Home While Living In It]
How to Reach Out
What’s the best way to make that initial contact with the agent you want to use? Should you call, text or email — or perhaps show up at that person’s office?
Sullivan says she prefers the first contact to be by email or text. With many phone calls being spam, she can at least verify the person’s name and contact information with a text or email. Once she receives that communication, she’ll further confirm that the person is legit by asking them to fill out a form. Once they complete that form and provide her with the additional information she requests, she knows they’re really interested.
Larry DeVardo, a sales associate with Coldwell Banker Realty in Hillsdale, New Jersey, welcomes phone calls from potential clients. “So much can get lost in translation, or information left out, via text or email,” he says. “A phone call saves so much time and will always be my preferred method of communication.”
DeVardo does not recommend that buyers or sellers simply show up at a real estate office without an appointment, however. No matter how tempting it might be to stop in after you check out home-for-sale flyers posted to the windows of a local brokerage, make an appointment with the agent first.
[Read: Should You Work with a Real Estate Agent Who’s a Friend?]
What Not to Say
It’s important during that initial contact that you catch the agent’s attention and demonstrate that you are serious — not, for example, that you’re visiting for the weekend and thought it would be fun to look.
“I would politely direct them to open houses in that case,” says Alley Buscemi, a broker with Compass in Raleigh, North Carolina. “I work very hard for my roster of serious clients, and I don’t want to take time away from them for people with no intentions of buying.”
Buscemi also says she won’t take on clients who tell her in advance that their strategy is to throw out lowball offers “to see what sticks.”
“I respect people’s time, including my own and my colleagues,” she says. “Lowball offers, especially on properties new to the market, just offend sellers. They don’t start negotiations — they end them.”
Janice B. Leis, a broker associate with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty in Boca Raton, Florida, who also practices in Pennsylvania, says a red flag for her is someone who reaches out but is not forthcoming with information. “I have no way of knowing if they are qualified,” she says. “The most important thing in real estate is to lay your cards on the table. Even if you say you’re not ready today, but you will be in six months and you want to get a feel for the market, that’s fine.”
[Read: Real Estate Agent vs. Realtor vs. Broker: What’s the Difference?]
What You Should Say
Leis says that in a first message, she would like a prospective client to tell her their time frame, how long they’ve been looking and whether it’s a cash deal or they will need a mortgage. “I recently had a detailed written inquiry, and the prospect was clear about their needs and wants, had a superb ability to ask great questions and was extremely responsive in their communications,” she says.
DeVardo, who prefers phone calls, said a perfect call from a buyer would include their name, their timeline, whether they’ve been preapproved for a mortgage, the amount of their down payment and details about the kind of home they’re seeking and where. “There are so many buyers house-hunting online or going to open houses without knowing what they can afford,” he says. “It is a tremendous waste of time to search for a home when you have no idea what your true buying power is.”
Tiffany Shannon, an agent with Southern District Sotheby’s International Realty in College Station, Texas, says that in addition to location, number of bedrooms and type of home, she also wants to know if the prospect has been approved for a mortgage. “Preapproval is especially important,” she says. “Without it, we’re shopping without knowing what’s financially feasible, which can lead to disappointment.”
The more details you provide upfront, the more willing an agent will be to work with you. Sean Adu-Gyamfi, an associate broker with Coldwell Banker Warburg in New York City, likes to know the following information from any potential buyer: their maximum budget, how many bedrooms and baths they’re looking for, their preferred neighborhood, condo or co-op for New York City properties, whether they have pets, must-have amenities in the building and their timeline. “These questions allow for a solid understanding of their overall needs from the start,” he says.
But for sellers, the info he needs is a bit simpler — their timeline and goals. “Just like with buyers, the more detailed the sellers can be about their property, the better we can assist them,” he says. “Sellers have to be 100% transparent so that we can properly advise them and set proper expectations.”
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The Best Messages to Send When Reaching Out to a Real Estate Agent for the First Time originally appeared on usnews.com
