15 things you should bring to your listing appointment
Listing appointments can be intimidating for new real estate agents.
Many ask similar questions like “What should I bring to the listing appointment?” or “What should I include in my listing presentation?” To help answer these common questions, we compiled a list of 15 things we believe agents should include in their listing appointment presentation package.
Let’s dive in:
1. A CMA (Comparative Market Analysis)
At the end of the day, your potential client wants to walk away with the most money possible for their home (and of course you do too). Providing a CMA is a good way to set expectations before you’re hired.
When you bring a CMA to your listing appointments, you’re showing the sellers that you’re prepared to win. You also show them that you are familiar with their community.
To create a CMA that is customized to your listing appointment, find similar homes within the area that have sold. What do they have in common? What features stand out between them? After that, take a look at neighborhood quality, schools, and lot sizes.
Some agents suggest holding off on a CMA until you tour the listing and do your homework. If you fall into this group, we still recommend you offer the homeowners comparables based on lot size, square footage, and neighborhood desirability.
2. Your range of value
The listing appointment is your time to shine! Don’t be shy about what you’re capable of as a seller’s agent. Show the homeowners your prominent successes by discussing your history as an agent. Include your specialties and any trainings or certifications you’ve completed.
You don’t need to have these in a presentation, but do make sure you add it as a key talking point.
3. A handful of client success stories
Selling your home is an emotional rollercoaster. Homeowners are already nervous and likely overwhelmed by the home selling process. This is a great opportunity to soothe their worries with some client success story time.
Instead of casually sharing your previous listing experiences, tell an encouraging story about how you helped a family sell their home for more than they thought possible.
Along with your success stories, share real estate photos that you believe helped increase showings and sell the home faster.
4. Multiple net sheets
With an expense net sheet in hand, continue on this path of easing the home buyers’ biggest selling fears. The net sheet will show sellers an approximate amount of what they will walk away with at close.
Better yet, provide your prospects with multiple net sheets. This strategy will help them visualize different outcomes and create a “flex” room when viewing offers.
By the way, the preparedness you took to bring in more than one net sheet is guaranteed to impress.
5. Your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
According to the 2018 NAR Member Report, there are 1.3 million realtors in the United States (up 6% from 2017). Competition between agents is more fierce than ever with an increase in REALTORs and a decrease in house inventory nationwide.
To give you an idea of the number of agents in a major city, take a look at these stats:
- Atlanta: 15,352 agents
- Baltimore: 6,354 agents
- Chicago: 25,016 agents
- Denver: 14,789 agents
- Los Angeles: 39,307 agents
- Seattle: 10,641 agents
While a majority of agents have their real estate industry ‘niche’, you’re still competing for business against hundreds if not thousands of agents. That’s why it is crucial to have a USP or Unique Selling Proposition. To have a USP is to have a brand identity. For new agents, it may take some time to discover your USP, but when you do, put it in writing.
Stay true to your USP and make sure to feature it throughout your marketing.
For a listing appointment, your unique selling proposition can be covered in your presentation, your marketing materials, and your pitch.
6. An eye-catching listing presentation
If you don’t already have a generic powerpoint presentation template, create one ASAP.
Your USP, net sheets, and range of value are great, but showing a visual presentation will leave a great impact on your viewers.
Why? Because 90% of the population are visual learners and the human brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text. Furthermore, when it comes to retaining information, people recall only 10% of what they hear.
According to FitSmallBusiness, your listing presentation should include an introduction of you and your brokerage, local market data, your sales process, and your marketing strategies.
Make sure to add your previous listing images to your listing presentation, especially if you use professional real estate photography for all of your listings.
7. Confidence
Homeowners know that great listing agents are confident, put together, and knowledgeable. Listing appointments are a very appropriate time to show your confidence as an agent. Confidence, however, is not to be confused with arrogance.
“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.”― Arthur Ashe
Confidence is seen in the way someone carries themselves, how they dress, how they speak and how they interact with those around them. It’s not about talking over anyone and it’s not about wearing the most expensive suit or dress.
“Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her.” ― Lao Tzu
8. Business Cards
This seems like a bit of a no brainer, but we can all admit we have forgotten our business cards while at big events…probably more than once. An easy hack to help you never leave your cards at home is to incorporate them into your listing presentation kit. Simply secure your card to your marketing materials with a staple or paper clip.
A professional business card is a convenient and affordable way to provide homeowners with your contact information while also showcasing your brand and staying top of mind.
9. A tablet or notebook
We always suggest bringing something along to take important notes. You’re going to be asking a lot of questions during your appointment and recalling those answers will be much easier with typed or handwritten notes.
If you decide on going with the tablet, just make sure its charged!
10. An appointment agenda
An organized agent is a reliable agent. When you arrive with an agenda overview of the listing appointment, you’re showing the homeowners that you value preparation and efficiency.
Something as simple as an agenda with bullet-point topics is enough for homeowners to place confidence in your abilities and to consider you a methodical machine.
Here is an example listing appointment agenda:
- Tour of your home
- My consultation – Q & A session
- An overview of my brokerage and my business
- My listing presentation
- My marketing strategies
- Appointment conclusion
11. Your listening ears
Listing appointments are all about listening intently to the homeowners’ needs. Make sure that you allow plenty of time throughout the appointment to ask open-ended questions that encourage them to share their story.
The homeowners want to close the appointment feeling like you have their best interest in mind. Listen more, talk less.
12. Printed marketing materials
We always encourage realtors to have a digital listing presentation prepared, but we also believe that printed marketing materials leave a big impact for homeowners.
When you walk away from the listing appointment with a win, your new clients will appreciate having a tangible marketing booklet for their review. This strategy leaves a lasting impression on your new clients and can lead to future referrals.
Some of our favorite marketing packets include:
- A brochure or flyer with your preferred vendors (i.e. real estate photographers, professional stagers, landscapers, etc.)
- A marketing deck with real estate images from previous listings
- An infographic or flyer of the neighborhood real estate statistics
- A one-sheeter of the listing agent’s metrics for the year
- An outline of the listing agent’s tried and true listing strategy
- A few business cards
13. A video of the exterior
This one is a tip we grabbed from a realtor on Facebook. They said they always take a quick video of the exterior of the home before they head into the listing appointment.
When they win the listing, they tell the homeowners that they will send the video to all of the brokers in the area. This creates a buzz for a coming soon listing.
The realtor who suggested this tip says that it impresses the homeowners and shows them that he is thinking ahead and eager to meet their needs.
14. Compliments about their home/neighborhood
As soon as you walk into your listing appointment, you are the homeowners biggest advocate. Show them that by complimenting features in their home and their neighborhood.
Even if the home is not your style or the neighborhood isn’t your favorite, there will always be something positive worth highlighting. Whether it’s mature trees, a corner lot, vintage hardware, or other.
15. The listing contract
Lastly, you will want to bring along your listing contract. When you equip yourself with the 14 actionable items above, there is little doubt you will walk away without the listing.
This number correlates with number 7. Homeowners know you’re a confident real estate agent if you arrive at a listing appointment prepared to win the listing.