Working with another agent

[u2man]

Every month I get 50 -75 leads who are already working with another agent. I'm probably sitting on a few hundred currently. Now I know I can't solicit these leads buuuut then again people do change agents. Are most agents just deleting these leads?

[Discover Davis Homes]

I don't ask the question in my registration, so I don't know who might be already working with someone. My feeling is that sometimes people will check working with another agent even if they aren't so that you will leave them alone.

[thataway61]

If they come to your site and register on it, are they not soliciting you?

We have the same problems you mention. I think the better question would be do you have a "Buyer Agency" agreement with another agent? I just can't see how their registering on your site is not asking you for information and an implication that the prospect is abandoning another possible relationship that may or may not exist. "Working with another agent" while easy to ask is pretty vague in that you might get a yes when there is really no relationship there.

As a rookie I once turned down even talking to someone that called me about listing a property because I knew it was active with another agent. Only later did it dawn on me that they were soliciting me, not the other way around.

IMHO - please correct me if you feel I am wrong.

[OCTeam]

Putting them on a drip email campaign is a great way to stay in touch. If you keep you name in front of them and they like what they see, they may contact you. Maybe their "agent" is not doing much for them? Just because they check a box working with another agent does not mean that is the case.. it may be they just want to search at this point in time. You may get a call months down the road.

[Discover Davis Homes]

u2man I see you ask for the name of the agent they are working with, just curious to know if people are filling that out.

[u2man]

u2man I see you ask for the name of the agent they are working with, just curious to know if people are filling that out.

Yeah, sometimes it's Donald Duck, James Bond etc lol. Most of the time it's somebody I've never heard of but they are on the agent roster. Very seldom is it a top producing agent.....most of them have websites that have properties to search. Probably finding these agents on homegain, directories, homes.com, etc.

I'm thinking of ways to capitalize on these leads. Maybe a drip with a subject line..... Why you chose the wrong agent! or The 5 sins of Buyers!

Seriously, I think some of these are convertible leads and maybe the drip will bring a few into play but I would rather be proactive and test a few different ways. Thoughts?

[rmasse10]

Good rule of thumb is if they speak to you about real estate..no problem,most of the time they may say that they are working with an agent meaning that they spoke to someone once. I wouldnt worry about it right now, but at the same time, dont invest too much time into them either. The bigger question is, if they are working with another agent, why are they coming to your site, why arent they going to their agents site...

[waynelong]

They contacted you and you are following up on that contact. Go get em!

If they don't want you to contact them - they should get on their Realtor's site and get the heck off your resource.

[Joshua Sloan]

When I get someone tell me on the form that they have an agent, I always ignore it. They contacted us, so when I call, I always ask the question:

"Are you currently working with an agent?"

If yes, then I'll ask them: "are you commited to working with that agent?"

If yes again, then I don't waste anymore time, well sometimes I'll say, we'll you signed up to look at homes on my website, isn't your agent doing their job? Interesting responses!! NEXT.

If the answer was no to the commited question, offer the benefits of your services.

[judyo]

When buyers fill out that they're working with an agent on my Home Finder Form I reply back thanking them & explaining that their agent uses the same MLS & should be doing the same thing for them. I then add if they're unhappy with their current agent I'd be happy to work with them (if they're in my area). I then put them on my drip e-mail.