Taking Calls and Setting Appointments

Once your home goes up for sale, interested buyers will begin calling for more information and for directions to the home so they may drive by as well as to set up an appointment to visit the home. Real Estate agents will also be calling.

It’s important that you be prepared. Here are some suggestions and tips:

Make sure you have voice mail or an answering machine. You won’t want to miss a single call while you are out.
Have the message on your voice mail or answering machine acknowledge that your home is for sale. Also let them know they can obtain additional information by visiting www.homesellerpak.com home id”______ .
Sample Message:

“Thank you for calling the Smith residence. We are unable to take your call at this time. If you are calling about our home for sale, at the sound of the tone, please leave your name, telephone number and the best time to contact you and we’ll get back to you A.S.A.P. If you would like further information on our home please go to www.homesellerpak.com, Pak is spelled PAK and enter in home id#_____. Thank you for calling. Please leave your message.”
Return all calls promptly. Listen to your messages as soon as you get home.
Keep a pen and paper by the phone to take notes.
Have a Home Information Fact Sheet by the phone at all times to answer questions a prospective buyer may have. Make sure you have easy-to-understand directions to your home from all major routes.
Have an appointment log by the phone. Write all appointments down. You don’t want to miss an appointment or book two at the same time.
Ask buyers what they are looking for in a home. If your home even remotely matches what they are looking for, tell them how your home meets their requirements.
Example: A buyer may say: “We’re looking for a bigger home as we just had a new baby”.
You may say: “You’ll have to see our nursery, we just had a baby as well, and the nursery is just beautiful”.
This will get a buyer excited, and they will want to see your home.
Talk about the features of the home you believe will make your home stand out above the rest. Get the caller excited. Remember what got you excited about the home when you bought it.
If the caller is calling for more information or directions for a drive by, ask the caller if they would like to make an appointment to visit your home.
Set an appointment that is mutually agreeable to both you and the prospective buyer.
Make sure to write all appointment down in your log book.
When making an appointment, ask the caller for their full name and phone number. Read it back to the caller to verify their name and number. Call back the caller prior to the appointment to confirm the appointment, as well this serves as a security measure to make sure the caller is who he/she says they are. When you call to confirm, if the person you called for does not reside at that number, it is likely they will not show for the appointment. If they do show for the appointment, be cautious. Let them know you called and the phone number they gave you was incorrect. Ask to see a drivers licence or show some type of I.D. If they cannot adequately explain why they gave you the wrong number, do not show your home. You don’t know what their intentions really are. Be cautious.
Set appointments about 1.5 hours apart. Allow lots of time. Interested buyers will want to sit, chat and ask questions.
Be prepared to answer the question “Why are you selling”. Be careful – the wrong answer may scare buyers. Answers like “I don’t like the neighborhood” or “it’s too far from town” may make buyers think twice. Be careful. Have this well thought out.

You are ready to start taking calls. If you do not want to take calls we have an answering and appointment setting service available. See our a la carte rates and contact our office if you would like this service.

Happy Selling!