Auto Email is a Cop Out
My cabin sold.
It went for over asking with no conditions and a quick closing. It was more money than I was expecting so I accepted the offer but now I have to find somewhere to live by the end of October.
I went on a house buying trip to Vancouver Island for four days. I hadn’t chosen an agent yet so I was reaching out to agents through the realtor.ca site on properties that interested me, likely about 20 properties all listed with different agents. My preference would have been to call them but most didn’t have a cell phone on their listing information or they didn’t pick up their phone.
It’s BC and the rules here are tricky but that’s a topic for another blog post.
What agents kept emailing back to me was, “Can I put you on auto email so you get the latest updates?” It was a big disappointment each time. I didn’t want updates – I wanted a house to buy. Only one agent asked me what my timelines were. Only one agent offered to show me properties. Only one agent asked if they could phone me. This was all the same agent and yes, I saw some places with him. Had the perfect property been available in his area he would have had a nice sale and if I choose that part of the Island, I will commit to buying with him.
If someone contacts you about buying real estate, ask them what their timelines are. Don’t assume it’s long and offer the routine copout of putting them on auto email. Auto Email is the fastest way to lose a potential client.
Once a relationship is established, many of your clients will want to be on auto email as a way to gather information but it’s still your job to help them find the perfect home.
If you only do what a computer can do, you will be replaced by one.