A Broker’s Guide to Real Estate Etiquette
A Broker’s Guide to Real Estate Etiquette – Apart from ethics, a key component of being a reputable professional in real estate is etiquette. These common courtesies help immensely in ensuring that transactions go smoothly, and often result in the establishment of strong relations with both clients and fellow real estate professionals.
While many of these practices listed here are simple and stem from common sense, all are essential in maintaining an environment of respect and professionalism for all parties involved in a real estate transaction and precede every step you take as a real estate representative.
Be Respectful
Being respectful goes a long way personally and professionally, and whether you are a broker, appraiser, or consultant, you ultimately want to be respected as well. It is the simplest of rules: treat others as you would like them to treat you. Be mindful—and respectful—of differences in culture, religion, and personal and professional opinions. Recognize when it is acceptable to speak in real estate jargon, because colleagues may know what you mean, but clients often don’t.
Be Punctual
Apart from being on time for meetings and property viewings, being punctual also means communicating with all parties in a timely fashion. This entails being mindful of and meeting all deadlines, responding to inquiries in a timely manner, and not making a client feel like their concern is last on your to-do list.
Promptly tell all parties concerned if a meeting or property viewing has been delayed, canceled, or rescheduled, among others, and present all offers and counteroffers, written or verbal, in a timely fashion.
Be Professional
Since it’s your career, it is paramount to remember to be professional at all times. When providing advice or information, always share what you know, not what you think. When setting expectations, promise only what you can deliver, and make sure to keep those promises.
Politely advise clients of other brokers or agents to direct their questions to their respective representatives. When making phone calls, always remember to introduce yourself and the company you represent. And by all means, always dress professionally.
Be Prepared During Viewings
Property viewing is often considered the make-or-break stage of a transaction, as it is often then that the decision to push through with the transaction is most influenced. As such, it is important to be mindful of several must-dos to ensure a successful showing.
First is to keep in mind all instructions from the owner/seller of a property before proceeding with any viewing. It cannot be emphasized enough how important being prepared is. Get a good grasp of the ways to go to and from the property, so that you and all parties involved can arrive on time with no one wasting time while getting lost. Emphasize the importance of setting up appointments. Occupants do not particularly like being barged on, and prospects and other brokers or agents, on the other hand, do not like having their time wasted.
In addition, keep in mind to observe common courtesy. Knock before entering the property or any room within when showing it to a prospective client, do not touch any belongings and ask before using the washroom. This applies to you or anyone else present for the showing.
Be Responsible for Your Client
Finally, it is your responsibility as a real estate broker to keep your client’s best interest in mind. If they are buyers, make sure they are never unaccompanied anywhere on the property. If they are sellers, make sure they are duly prepared to have visitors over.
Real estate brokering is mostly about relationships. If, as a broker, you have a good professional relationship with your client, transactions can go very smoothly and word of mouth spreads really fast. Observing this simple list of must-dos may not guarantee you a sale, but it sure will establish your reputation as one of the most reliable and trustworthy professionals in your industry. Sources: Real Estate Express, Inman | Image: FitSmallBusiness
