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CONTACT WALTER

559 S. Washington Ave., Kankakee,IL 60901

P.815.929.9258 P.815.929.9200

walter@waltersanford.com

"I think we had a great meeting in Savannah. The comments received in your presentation were all positive. Thank you so much for what you did for us. It was a big help to ensure a great meeting for us. You always go the extra mile." Maurice Johnson,Realty World

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What Are Some Habits of Low-Producing Agents? October 8th, 2013 | Posted in General Real Estate, Other Interests, Real Estate

  1. Signing up for expensive lead generation when they are not effective in following up on the leads — There are many sources of purchased leads, and a lack of good systems for turning those leads into business means little closed business.
  2. “Pop-Tart” activities in handling business — This is an activity of jumping up to handle urgent business rather than finishing profitable business.  A lack of time- blocking will cause an agent to put out fires rather than working on a proven plan.
  3. Taking stupid business — What is stupid business?  Under-motivated sellers and buyers are two sources.  Low producers disregard the warning signs on these two groups, because they do not have the systems to produce leads and need to prove they are busy.  The problem is agents actually lose money working with transactions that probably won’t close while hoping for success.
  4. Buyer house calls — Low producers jump at the chance to work with a buyer.  Top producers ask them buyers questions, get them pre-approved, have a meeting with them, and have them sign a buyer-brokerage agreement while making the buyer feel they are receiving the best service available.
  5. Not being able to walk from sellers who have no reason to participate in this market
  6. Working with buyers who have both minimal credit and minimal down payments
  7. Working short sale clients who have second mortgages that are not with the same party as the first and also where there is not enough money to pay the first
  8. Going into a short sale where the buyer will not pay for an appraisal and inspection, prior to approval
  9. Taking too long to start lead generation — Just go out and knock on some expired doors…this morning. 
  10. Dealing with inexpensive properties — Start generating leads of more expensive listings today.
  11. Having REALTORS® as the major component of your sphere — It’s time to get out in the real world. 
  12. Have an assistant that only gives assistance — My past assistants and those of my coaching clients generate leads. 
  13. Setting up elaborate systems to stay in touch with class “B” buyers and sellers — There are enough “A’s” to keep you busy.
  14. Spending too much time on social media — Social media is one of the most overrated activities in real estate.
  15. Having a website that specializes in buyers rather than sellers
  16. Waiting for market changes — Forget the market and get seller leads.  You make the change today.
  17. Keep staging in your pocket until it is asked for by a client
  18. Waiting for the buyer to do an inspection after they write a contract — Get the seller to do an inspection right after they list the property. 
  19. Having so little business that they cannot walk away from a bad deal, bad situation, or an unreasonable client in a nice way
  20. Writing loose counter offers
  21. Not keeping the pipeline full
  22. Not handling the big problems early in the morning
  23. Not working enough
  24. Not spending enough time talking with or seeing clients
  25. Having a mentor who did not sell a lot of real estate.

 

There are many more, but let’s start considering these first.  We have systems that help with these and out right replace most of these habits.  We would be honored if you became involved with us by obtaining our training systems, attending our seminars in your area, or considering personal coaching. 

We have systems that help with these and out right replace most of these habits.  We would be honored if you became involved with us by obtaining our training systems, attending our seminars in your area, or considering personal coaching. 

Walter Sanford has been designing and implementing real estate systems for 30 years.  One of the most successful REALTORS® and now wealthy from his systems, Sanford teaches his systems and strategies through his products, seminars, and personal coaching producing the best results in the industry.  Do what works, do what is proven.  Hire Walter Sanford.  Call our office at 800.792.5837, email walter@waltersanford.com, or chat with us online at www.waltersanford.com.

 

The Best Agents Initiate Consistent Systems to Obtain Listing Leads September 5th, 2013 | Posted in General Real Estate

Well, all the sellers are taking “happy pills.”  There are more FSBOs, and they are tougher to talk to now.  What are my coaching clients doing right now?

  1.  On the FSBOs, they are setting up spreadsheets that keep track of the information on all FSBO’s in their market area. 
  2.  They subscribe to services like Landvoice and REDx to get lists of FSBO’s. 
  3.  They check their hometown newspaper and subscribe to the rags where the really cheap FSBOs might advertise. 
  4.  They check all the FSBO websites. 
  5.  They have built a team of family, assistants, and affiliates who drive through town, always taking different routes.  This team writes down all the FSBOs addresses with their respective phone numbers, and they pull brochures, if available. 
  6.  They time-block this weekly accumulation of information for about an hour on Monday morning.  Each of the affiliates knows to get his/her information in before that time frame.
  7.  Next, my clients carefully go through the ads and complete their spread sheet columns.  The columns would be the following: property address; situs address; owner name; 4 spaces for phone numbers with the first one being the one used in advertising; bedrooms/baths; square footage; extra rooms; garage space; lot size; basement; upgrades; best features of the home; email address, and special circumstances.  Additionally, including columns to answer these questions: is the seller a local buyer; in what city do they need an agent; why are they selling; and what date they have to close. 

 

The first week of these activities will be tough, but it will get easier after that!  After the information is assembled for the week, a call is made to the seller.  Let the seller know that you show your buyers more than just MLS property.  If they tell you they won’t pay a commission, tell them that commission is taken care of by an agreement with the buyer via a buyer brokerage agreement.  Complete any empty slots in the spreadsheet.  Let them know you would like to send them articles and information that may help them, and let them know that you will call them after they receive the letter or email.

Send them letter/email #1 out of “Grow Your Leads: Just Add Wa(l)ter” from the FSBO chapter.  Call to follow-up on the value that you mention in the letter on Thursday.  Time-block it.

On the next Monday, do it again.  Send letter/email #2 to last week’s FSBOs and letter #1 to the new FSBOs for this week.  Call the new ones on Monday to fill in your spreadsheet.  With each call, you may be adding more information to your spreadsheet.  Call everyone again on Thursday to see what value that has been mentioned in the letter that you can deliver to the FSBO.

There are twelve letters and twelve phone calls in addition to the initial phone call to complete the spreadsheet.

Give copies of your spreadsheet to your buyer’s assistant(s) so that he/she can start showing the FSBO whenever they have a buyer who is even close.  Make sure he/she leaves a lot of material with your picture and name on it plus mention your name liberally.

Pay special attention to nice FSBOs who take value from you, have a clear reason for selling, and especially, have a definite move-out date.  “Special attention” means previews, personal consultation, pre-listing consultations, and sessions to show that if you use their closing date and work backwards that now would be the time to list.

Most sane FSBOs who need to sell, have taken help from you, talk with you, and have not sold should be talking about listing around the 7th week.  

In the meantime, show the property to your buyers and earn commission.  Talk the “sold” FSBO into being your buyer and earn commission.  Send the FSBO as a buyer referral someplace in the world and earn a referral bonus.  Get the buyers to whom the FSBO didn’t sell and earn commission.  Finally, build the FSBO into a raving client who becomes part of your database and earn money from the referrals and business after they have learned that being a FSBO is no fun. 

As I used to own this demographic, I’m proud to see my coaching clients dominating their individual markets’ FSBOs, too!  You could send another request for someone to like your Facebook page or get to work with great systems that make lots of money! 

Walter Sanford has been designing and implementing real estate systems for 30 years.  One of the most successful REALTORS® and now wealthy from his systems, Sanford teaches his systems and strategies through his products, seminars, and personal coaching producing the best results in the industry.  Do what works, do what is proven.  Hire Walter Sanford.  Call our office at 800.792.5837, email walter@waltersanford.com, or chat with us online at www.waltersanford.com.

Most Agents Can’t Answer These Tough Objections September 5th, 2013 | Posted in General Real Estate

I teach my coaching clients on how to extend their time on the phone with a great prospect.  Each client can answer the questions below when they are talking with a prospect.  You might think prospects should just melt at the sound of your voice and hang on your every word when you call. 

Even though you have sent or emailed a client what you think they need most in the way of value (for example, management tactics to a four-plex owner) and you are calling to follow up on what else you can do to help, you still must be able to answer simple objections. 

Here are a few of classic examples:

  1. No interest in you or your offer.
  2. No authority to act.
  3. No need.
  4. No time.
  5. Previous bad experience.
  6. Likes the competition.
  7. Wants lower commission.
  8. Ties you up on the phone but will not commit.
  9. Wants a buyer from you without a listing contract.

There are many more.  Get used to them.  Don’t let them surprise you.  Have a value-filled answer ready.  They don’t work always but they keep you in the game longer. 

Let’s assume that I am calling expired listings.  Below are my responses to the above objections:

  1. I understand that living in a fish bowl is no fun.  May I ask you one more question?  What caused you to put your property on the market in the first place?  What has changed about that?  If I could present a written marketing plan that has worked over and over again for my clients in this market, could I present that to you tonight?
  2. Sure, I understand.  With whom should I speak with this help? Could you spell that name for me?  May I have his/her work phone and email address, please?  I can just email this list of ideas, if you like.
  3. See number 1.
  4. Sure, I understand.  What time could I call later?  Would 6 or 6:30 work better?  May I have the number where you will be available?
  5. Many of my clients have said the same thing.  I am available tonight at 6:30 and would be willing to show you a written plan that will prevent that from happening again. 
  6. Competition makes my service better.  Could I stop by at 6 or 6:30 to give you a written plan?  If you still like the competition, give them my plan and it will make them better.  Better means your house sells!
  7. There has never been a transaction not close because of my commission.  When can I show you what my successful process looks like – 6 or 6 :30?
  8. I totally understand all you have said and would like a little time to customize my presentation.  What time may I present a list of the steps that I will take to achieve you goal of __________________________.  Would 6 or 6:30 be better?
  9. I don’t just want a buyer; I want a buyer who pays what the property is worth.  To do that, I have to present the property in its best light.  When can I meet with you to start taking notes on the features and benefits of your property?  Would 6 or 6:30 be better?

 

My clients simply get more listing appointments because they can engage the client just a little longer without creating anxiety.  Stay cool.  Don’t start speeding up your speech.  Keep the client’s best interests in mind and have an answer to their first objection.   

Walter Sanford has been designing and implementing real estate systems for 30 years.  One of the most successful REALTORS® and now wealthy from his systems, Sanford teaches his systems and strategies through his products, seminars, and personal coaching producing the best results in the industry.  Do what works, do what is proven.  Hire Walter Sanford.  Call our office at 800.792.5837, email walter@waltersanford.com, or chat with us online at www.waltersanford.com.

 



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