"We already have an agent, but we have not signed an exclusive contract" How to get that interview and listing?

Question

Please tell me how would you handle this situation:

A buyer asks me to find something for them. I put an ad into local newspaper (or somewhere else, maybe direct mail). "We buy this in area x, tel 12345"
The seller finds my ad, calls me. I explain I am an agent and I have a buyer. After hearing the details about their property, I know it's not suitable for my client. That leaves me the option of becoming their agent, handling the sale of their property.

Then the sellers tells me they already have an agent, but they have not signed an exclusive contract.

(Basically they have stated someone else is already working on it, and since they stated something once, they start to believe it more and more, and will want to take on another agent even less.)

How could I respond to that, so I could get a chance to meet them at location, and then sell my service to them face-to-face, in order to get that client?

That happened to me last night. I asked how they chose their agent. "Oh, it's just someone I know." I wished them luck with the sale. There has got to be a better way to handle this.

Zach Sikes · Answer

This happened to me the other day. I picked up a listing, with an agreed upon date to set it active 2 weeks later after paint and declutter. The day before I'm going to get pictures and get paperwork signed, I get an email saying they are going another direction due to a favor for someone her boyfriend knows.

I wished her luck and realized it was my fault for not having the paperwork signed from the beginning. In this world, unless there is something on paper, it doesn't matter - escpecially with a seller.

Townsend Derick · Answer

Can’t prove verbal in court, that’s all that matters. Verbal comes down to being ethical and staying true to your word because neither party has anything on paper. But in an unethical world that we live in today, you really are taking a risk when you do anything verbally. Im not saying step on another agents toes but sell your self and they may sign with you.

Nick Richardson · Answer

Just because they don't have a listing agreement signed doesn't mean they don't have an agent working for them. They could have a verbal agreement with them right now. Good thing for you is this allows you to still sell your services to them and try to get them to sign an agreement with you.

Just think, if the seller is reaching out to you from your ad than maybe the agent they are working with isn't doing a very good job. If the seller feels the need to find their own buyer than that opens a door for you to show them how you can help.

Try asking them how long the property has been on the market? Ask if they are happy how the agent is marketing and representing their property. There is a reason they called you instead of their agent. Find out why and sell them on you.

Townsend Derick · Answer

Hi silver,

Well if they haven’t signed a contract they don’t have an agent. Just ask them straight up, "Is there a reason why you haven’t signed yet"? Let them know that you would love to earn their business and that you would like to meet or answer any of their questions they have. I know also that when I do work for really close friends I don’t have them sign a buyer seller contract because they know I would hurt them if they left me for another.lol. But since these people went out the way to say they haven’t signed a contract that might have been a indirect way of them hinting to you to sell your services.

"We already have an agent, but we have not signed an exclusive contract" How to get that interview and listing?

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