Step 1
Answer every showing request the same day
A showing request is a buyer who wants your listing this week. Confirm it the same day: the time, how to get in, and anything the seller needs, such as shoes off or pets away. Write down which agent asked and how to reach them, because you'll need them for the feedback and for any offer.
You do
- Agreeing on the showing rules with your seller
Hand off
- Taking the requests that come in while you're busy, with the agent's name and number
- The confirmation message to the agent
Step 2
Get feedback in writing after every showing
Ask every showing agent the same two or three short questions the same day: what the buyer liked, what held them back, and whether an offer is likely. Post the answers in the listing's channel. They feed your seller's next report and your next price conversation.
You do
- Reading the feedback for what it means about price
Hand off
- Asking each showing agent for feedback, and posting the answers
Step 3
Give one answer to compensation questions
Agents will ask what your seller pays the buyer's agent. Since August 2024, MLSs that follow NAR's rules no longer show offers of compensation, and compensation is negotiable and not set by law. Agree with your seller on what they'll offer, if anything, and give every agent the same answer, in writing.
You do
- The compensation conversation with your seller
- The answer you give to each agent
Hand off
- Telling a caller you'll answer compensation questions yourself
Step 4
Handle every offer the same way
Tell every agent the same thing about offers: the format, the deadline, and what to include, such as proof of funds or a pre-approval letter. Confirm each offer you receive in writing. Then show your seller the offers side by side, with their net at each price, so the choice is about what they walk away with.
You do
- Advising your seller on the offers, and negotiating
Hand off
- The written confirmation to each agent
- A seller net sheet at each offer price
Step 5
Keep one line open until closing
Once you're under contract, agree with the other agent on one way to reach each other and share the deadlines from the signed contract. Check in at each deadline, so neither side hears about a problem from the title company first.
You do
- Working through problems with the other agent
Hand off
- Listing the deadlines from the signed contract
- Status calls to the other agent, with the questions you approved
Set it up once
Send Reddy this message once, in your own words. Reddy saves it as a playbook and follows it each time that work comes up. You can read and change it in the Workspace.
When an agent calls about one of my listings and I miss it, ask which listing, when they want to show it, and the best number to reach them. If they ask about compensation, tell them I'll answer that myself. When an offer comes in on one of my listings, make a seller net sheet at the offer price, and ask me for anything you need for it.
Where Reddy fits
Give out your Reddy line, and every call rings your phone first. Reddy answers the calls you miss, asks your own questions, keeps a record of what was said, and posts each call to the Slack channel you pick. On a call, it doesn't quote prices, commissions, or availability. It tells the caller you'll cover that.
Give Reddy the price, the commission, and any payoff, and it sends an itemized seller net sheet as a PDF for each offer. Send it the signed contract, and it lists the deadlines it finds. It can call the agent on the other side for a status, after you approve the purpose of the call and its questions. The negotiating stays with you.
Questions agents ask
What is a cooperating broker?
The broker on the other side of a deal who isn't the listing broker, usually the one who works with the buyer. The agent who works under that broker is often called the cooperating agent or the co-op agent.
Can a seller refuse to pay a buyer's agent?
Yes. Compensation is negotiable and not set by law. A seller can offer to pay the buyer's agent, offer part of it, or offer nothing, and the buyer's written agreement with their agent says what the buyer owes.
Is buyer's agent compensation still on the MLS?
No. Since August 2024, MLSs that follow NAR's rules no longer show offers of compensation. Agents can still discuss compensation directly, so agree on an answer with your seller and give every agent the same one.
How fast should a listing agent answer a showing request?
The same day. A showing request is a buyer who wants the home this week. Confirm the time, how to get in, and the seller's rules, and write down which agent asked.
How should a listing agent handle multiple offers?
Give every agent the same format, deadline, and list of what to include. Confirm each offer in writing, and show your seller the offers side by side, with their net at each price.