Anyone remember
“Help U-Sell”? Or “Purplebricks”?
Many of the newest “whiz kid startups” are just one step short of a stock swindle “pump & dump” that lines the pockets of their Board of Directors; while leaving stockholders holding worthless stocks at some later date.
55 Reasons Tech Can’t/Won’t Replace Agents
Written by Jay Thompson, a former brokerage owner who spent the past six years working for the Zillow Group. He retired in Aug. 2018. His weekly column publishes every Wednesday.
“Stop the ‘woe-is-me’ and fearing you’ll be replaced. Go forth and guide your clients through the process of buying and selling homes.”
Preaching to the void in the past,
|I’m going to try one last time.
This time, it’s a list of things an app can’t do, but you can.
* Empathize
· Sympathize
· Negotiate
· Hold a hand
· Hug
· Possess wisdom
· Smack an appraiser
· Call out____ (a servicer not performing their job)
· Question an attorney
· Explain an inspection
· Haggle with a home warranty company, roofer, HVAC tech, landscaper, repair person, structural engineer, pool service. HOA, city hall clerk
· Pour a pound of shock in a listing’s agents mind
· Sweep a porch – Trim a hedge – Hide the trash cans
· Walk the dog
· Help the …photographer, videographer, stager, inspector
· Look a client in the eye and …tell them their house is dirty and smells
· Tell them their deceased parents’ home will sell, and they don’t have to worry to tell them their house needs paint
· Explain repairs
· Make specific landscaping recommendations
· Suggest updates specific to the home
· Break down the housing market
· Explain and answer questions about escrow
· Talk about their home valuation
· Describe specific contractual obligations
· Tell them now is not the time they should be buying or selling
· Help them understand …contracts – deeds – encumbrances – surveys clouded titles – lot lines – percolation tests – septic systems – shared wells deed restrictions – local zoning laws
· Create a marketing plan · Execute a marketing plan
There are many more. These are just the 55 that rolled out of my head.
Ultimately, what an app can’t do — now or ever — is empathize with and help human beings who find themselves in an unusual situation that is expensive, infrequent, complicated, inefficient and unfamiliar to them.
Copywrite © August, 2018 Daniel Dobbs MHM Mortgage /// All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Daniel Dobbs, Author- VP-Broker Mutual Home Mortgage 265 S. Randolph #120 Brea, Ca. 92821 Cell: 949 250-3981 Dandobbs6@gmail.com NMLS #307631 BRE #00986886