What do you tell web surfers who request additional photos of listings that are not..

[coastal]

What do you tell web surfers who request additional photos of listings that are not your own?

I get requests from potential clients almost daily to supply additional photos of listings they found on my website.

Last year I'd actually take the time to go out and shoot photos of other agents listings. It did not pay off a single time and I probably had two weeks of wasted time into running around shooting pictures uploading them and sending them off.

So rather than tell them "I'd be happy to go take some" or "Sorry I don't have any others" do any of you have any suggestions or recommendations?

I realize I can also request photos from the listing agent and pass them on to the client but this is a process that usually seems to take a week or more and the new pictures usually suck.

[RESteve]

I would say, "Unfortunately, our database doesn't have any additional pictures of this home. What feature are you looking for in particular?"

Follow that up with...

"Great! What kind of time frame are you working with?"

Just stay into curiousity, I say.

Otherwise, I'd have a template email made that said that I would email the listing agent for more pictures, but if they didn't respond it most likely means there aren't any additional pictures.

At the end of that email, I'd ask a question to keep the dialogue open.

[Jason Painter]

Yeah Steve is pretty much on target as usual, just tell them thats all the pictures that are in the system, when will you be visiting so we can go out and take a look in person? Then of course get their financing pre-approved before you ever get in the car.
I think one of the best things about a good producing real estate website is that you get so many leads that you can screen pretty hard for the real buyers and if you get someone upset, you will have a new lead in a few hours anyway.

[Mack Perry]

Ask them exactly what they are looking for an fill the need with listings that match their criteria. Turn a looker into a buyer.

[Goknights]

Depends on the surfer. Did they leave a number for you to contact them or only provide email?

I wouldn't do any work until I'm able to speak with the surfer and ask a few more questions on the phone.

[avonreal]

convince them that seeing it will help more than any photo can ever do, you'd probably get more viewings!

[coastal]

Most of my clients live 2 - 4 hours outside of the local area. The ones requesting photos usually tell me they don't want to waste their time if they can't see the photos. I remind them we have another 400 similar homes and that they can pick 5 or six to see and I'll make sure we visit the one with few/no photos but they always seem to think that the home with few/no photos is just the right one and no other home will work. Rarely when they actually do see it in person is it the one they decide to purchase.

I get this question about 10 times a week and have almost gotten to the point that I just don't answer any longer...

"have a picture of the inside of this?"
"Do you have pictures of it? "
"When will photos be available?"
"ok but I don't want to drive all of the way down there if I don't like the inside"

[BuyHawkeye]

Well, I would respond that no one likes to waste their time and that you fully understand their concern. "Come on down and take a look. I guarantee it won't be a wasted trip. There are plenty of homes to see that easily meet your criteria. Additionally, I know this area so well that I will quickly find you the perfect home if this one won't do. Tell you what? I'll make you a deal. Come and visit us at Rehoboth and I'll take you to lunch. We can look over a ton of pictures OR we can go sightseeing. Which sounds better?"

How about that?

[coastal]

Dave,

That is exactly what I was looking for, except that if you look at what I sell I might go broke buying lunches

75% of our business is "resort beach cottages" AKA waterfront mobile homes.

25% is condos and SFH's

I've actually begun to farm out most of the mobiles to my team and save the nicer showings for myself. I certainly don't mind buying lunch for a $500K condo or a $1.5M ocean view home. The $20K mobile homes on the other hand might warrant a McDonald's Happy Meal

[BuyHawkeye]

Hmmm, $20K makes the lobster dinner slightly inappropriate, doesn't it? Happy meal it is then!

If you are getting that many phone calls for the $20K specials, ever consider setting up a weekend event? Kind of like a seminar for this kind of market (just serve cheap beer and salty popcorn). Do a caravan or bring in your agents to divide and conquer once you reach a class size of certain limit. Offer financing info, do's & don'ts, investment potential, local history/info etc.

Just a thought.

I really need to do this with all the people that corner me for foreclosure advice/info. So far, I am just not that motivated or bored...