What is your policy on this?

[DenaDavis]

My residential site is brand new -- so I am just developing policy surrounding the internet leads.

I get an e-mail today from a lady who wants to see 6 homes tomorrow morning in Lakeway. My office is in East Austin. A 40 mile drive.

When I try to qualify her. She says that she is going to pay cash for a house. Lakeway is a good 40 minute drive from my area.

You know how people can be evasive--- they want to see the house and not given an anonymous Realtor all their info.

I told her that we needed to get her into the office and go over the entire buying process so that she would know what to expect. ( ie -- sign a buyer rep agreement)

Anyway-- I am going to meet her -- I kind of want to learn more about lakeway anyway.

Whatever our policy is on this will apply to the other Realtors on the team as well.

Help me out here? When you have schedule a showing on your website and they schedule a showing its hard to back peddle on that. But the truth of the matter here is that I am not sure that this lady is even worth the time.

[AustinReilly]

welcome to world of internet leads! My advice. Trust your gut instinct. If you think she is a waste of time then she probably is.

I work a lot of internet leads from my site and everytime I go out with a lead who I think was being evasive on the phone, it's a total waste of my time. You will get great leads from your site and some may be your best customers ever but you will also get total time wasters as well.

[RonnieG]

First, I ask the obligatory: "Are you working with another agent?", and "Have you been seeing homes with another agents already?". If I get good answers to those questions. I meet them at 1st house, and we go over things there, including Colorado Exclusive Right to Buy contract. I allow a full hour at the first listing before showing time for the 2nd one. They explain their situation, provide full contact info, and sign the contract then & there, or we don't see the remaining houses and I cancel the showings. Because this can be inconvenient for the remaining sellers, I try to limit showings to someone like this to no more than 2 properties the first time we meet. Our market is huge, and 40 miles is nothing for me. I do it all the time. I have a closing this Friday on a property 90 miles out into the mountains, but that one is a special case - a past client.

[Micheal Pannell Realtor]

I persponally would show the homes. I get enough good lead that the bad one dont matter to me any more.

[Malok]

Even if they are paying in cash - you can still request some sort of documentation to establish their credit worthiness. [A letter of credit, statement of assets from their bank, etc.]

[DenaDavis]

Well-- thanks guys. I called her this morning because I told her I would not be there unless I heard from her in the morning. She was still in San Antonio. So good thing I called to confirm.

So Ron, Buyers will sign a buyers rep agreement on the spot!! We are going to have to talk about this at the confernece. I can see I have a lot to learn.

I will usually meet them at a listing and build a little relationship with them. Then I ask them to meet me at my office. But Now that I am spreading my wings all over town-- I need to adopt a firm policy.

[StGeorgeUTproperty]

When ever I have calls, I ask them if they are working with another agent, then I explain to them that I only work "under contract". Meaning, they need to sign a Buyer Broker agreement if they want to work with me. Sometimes I can tell they are apprehensive (cant blame them) so if they offer MILD resistance or express uncertainty I offer to show them a maximum of 3 homes in any given day...anything beyond that they must sign. During these 3 homes I turn on the expert mode and give them a glimpse of what they can expect working with me. I've never had a client not sign. Best if luck to you.

[jihni]

welcome to world of internet leads! My advice. Trust your gut instinct. If you think she is a waste of time then she probably is.

I agree. You can usually tell by the tone of their voice.