This week's interview is with Matt S. When he prospects FSBOs, he doesn't ask for the listing.
This is where he makes the difference. Offering help and offering FSBOs materials that help them, stands out compared to agents asking for the listing over and over again.
In the interview we talk about:
- Matt met the FSBO - who was against hiring an agent.
- He didn’t ever ask for the listing or pressure the seller.
- He only offered to help him with his book.
- Because of this - when the time came - the owner listed with him.
Highlights:
Full Interview:
Transcript:
Smart Agents: All right. We are up. How long have you been a realtor?
Matt: 10 years.
Smart Agents: How long have you been a member with Smart Agents?
Matt: About one year.
Smart Agents: True. Have you had any success with the books in helping getting listings?
Matt: I have. I just did one.
I know the book made a difference because I saw the look on the guy's face.
Smart Agents: Can you explain how you got the lead, and how you got the appointment, and then what happened today?
Matt: I actually ... The one today didn't work.
He's got the book, so it probably eventually will, but this same thing happened with this guy.
It was a sale by owner. I simply called him and got him to let me come over and talk to him. At the end of the whole thing, as he went on and on about how he's not going to hire a realtor, I said, "Okay. Then let me give you this book, and maybe it'll help you."
He was like, "Wow. I can't believe you wrote a book." Then I simply called him two more times. I gave him two more weeks. On that second follow up, he said, "Okay, you're hired."
Smart Agents: When you called him and followed up, what did you ask and how did you phrase it?
Matt: I don't even ... I guess I've just been doing it so long I don't generally use a script. I think I just kept calling him and saying, "Have you sold it yet?" because that's the best question. The answer's no. If the answer's yes, then you're done anyway.
Smart Agents: Yeah, makes sense. How did you find the lead?
Matt: I don't want to give this secret away really, but ...
Smart Agents: You don't have to.
Matt: I have somebody that I pay.
I have an Uber guy that ... He takes a picture of any for sale by owner, of the sign, and sends it to me and emails it to me. If I end up closing the deal, then I pay him a little bit of money.
Smart Agents: That's awesome. That's amazing. How did you approach him first?
Matt: He just gave me a ride one night. I don't even remember. I was blabbing about flipping a meth lab or something.
Smart Agents: How did you approach the for sale by owner first? Did you mail drop off.
Matt: That guy?
Smart Agents: Yeah.
Matt: I just showed up and ... On this one, it was different because I can talk and I'll never stop, but I just kept my mouth shut.
I said, "Okay, show me around." This guy talked for 20 straight minutes.
Smart Agents: Wow.
Matt: It's hard for me, but I just let him go. When it was over, I just said, "Well, it's not worth even close to what you're asking and it won't sell for that much."
Smart Agents: Wow. You've been with ... Today's appointment, you still got in there and gave him the book. We always say to give it and to wait. How did you find out ... What type of owner was the guy today, and how'd you find the lead?
Matt: Same way. This guy just sent me a picture of it. So then I looked it up, and I called him. This one's a vacant lot.
There's a lot of that going on where they're tearing down stuff here in Austin and building mansions. So that lot is probably, it's worth a little over 300,000. What I did was looked at the tax records, and I called him.
First I called him and said, "Hey, I want to list it" or whatever. He, "Oh, no, no. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that," blah blah.
I don't remember if I followed up with him another time. I guess I did. I said, "Hey, I'm looking at your thing on the tax record, and it shows, and this is what everybody looks at because you don't have a survey. So every builder, every possible buyer you have for this lot is looking at the tax record for the information on the lot, and it shows it to be only 49 feet wide. Well, that precludes them from building two structures on the lot, which is the only reason anybody would pay that much for it is because they can build two houses on it," blah blah.
I basically just solved his little problem. I said, "That's why no one's bought it. That's why your last ..." Actually, he had a realtor before and it didn't sell. But when I found him, he was for sale by owner and he still is. He did not hire me a couple hours ago. But what I did, I said, "You'll never sell it. I don't care who you hire, you'll never sell it until you do survey." He, "It's more than 49 feet." I said, "Well, if you have a survey to prove that, then great but until that day everybody's going to look at the tax record and they're not going to buy your lot."
Smart Agents: Yeah. How many listings overall have the books been involved in that you've had?
Matt: Honestly, just that one. I've only had, but I've only ordered like 20 of them.
Smart Agents: I think you cut out when you said before. Can you say that again? You were cut out.
Matt: It was just one. That listing I'm talking about, the one I just closed a month or so ago where the guy talked for 20 minutes, that's really the only one that I can say that the book did it.
Smart Agents: But you've only ...
Matt: But I have only sent out 20, yeah.
Smart Agents:Yeah, all right.
Matt: Yeah.
Smart Agents: That makes sense.
Matt: It was 10 for sale by owners and then 10 expireds. The expireds haven't done anything for me yet, but I suspect at some point they will.
One of the best methods we use at Smart Agents to separate yourself is books. Books have a huge perceived value. They don’t get thrown away.
They can get tucked away somewhere, but most people aren’t going to toss them in the trash. They’re worth something, and they’re worth something to the author’s name.
Do this and you will position yourself as the authority in your market. When you give away your book, it will separate you from your competition. That’s how a smart agent thinks!
Want to get a free sample of the book that will get you more listings? Click the link below.
Joe Nickelson is a real estate professional dedicated to helping home buyers and sellers achieve their dreams of owning property, and helping real estate agents stop using the sometimes-vicious tactics that weigh on their consciences. He believes that the Smart Agents books will, quite literally, change people’s lives for the better. Check out his full bio here!
