Psst: Your Sacramento Agent Does Not Want You to Call Listing Agents

With such an abundance of wrong / incomplete information online, it’s no wonder that buyers feel compelled to call listing agents. They spot a home for sale, think their agent must have missed it, and then try to call listing agents to try to extract more information. Or, get an appointment to view the home. The problem with this approach is multi-fold. For starters, most of the time they are not contacting the listing agent. They are calling an agent who would try to represent them if they did not have an agent already. No money in that call.

Second problem is most listing agents do not show properties to buyers represented by other agents. That’s because the listing agents expect the buyer’s agent to show their own buyers the property. Part of what a buyer’s agent does to earn a commission. It’s that buyer’s agent’s job. However, I will show if the buyer’s agent calls and directly asks. Extenuating circumstances could prevent the buyer’s agent from performing that function. I want to sell my listings, so I do what it takes. But not every listing agent does.

When I get these sorts of calls, it generally starts with a property address I’ve never heard of. With more than 2,400 active listings in Sacramento right now, I don’t have every house address memorized. The first thing I wonder, especially when the caller seems to have trouble speaking on the phone, is whether the property is a rental. Tenants interact differently than buyers. Their tone is different. For some reason, tenants also seem to hope agents work on rentals when we do not. I get those rental calls because they see my photo and cell on a lot of websites. I become familiar.

Once I eliminate that they are not calling about a rental, I have to figure out if it’s really a home for sale or just a picture of a house. A house that is not for sale. Or, a house that sold years ago. Or, a preforeclosure which will never be for sale. Next up, after it is clear that it is a home that is for sale, I let the caller know that I am not the listing agent, but we would be happy to show them the home. Providing it’s not pending. However, they need to realize that we will be their agent. Is that that what they want? Do they want to work with an agent?

Often this is when they admit that they already have an agent. You don’t say the obvious: like what are you doing calling random agents? I do say: you know, if your agent knew you were calling listing agents, your agent would not like it one little bit. Your agent expects to do the legwork for you and will call listing agents herself. You should not try to do your agent’s job. It could really hurt your agent’s feelings if she knew what you were doing. Your agent can get more information than you can anyway. That’s why you have an agent.

Oh, no, the caller says, my agent knows what I’m doing and is OK with it.

Right.

Best of luck to you in your search.

As I’m hanging up I hear a meekly-worded question fading, but who do we call then . . . and they’re gone. Makes me wonder where the disconnect is between them and their agent. Do buyer’s agents address house hunting protocol upfront with their buyers or do they truly leave these people to their own devices?