Help me out here. How can I be more clear?

Question

I have a listing in Milwaukee that we are having limited showings as to not disturb the tenants.  Here are the showing instructions:

Use ShowingTime. ONLY SHOWING SATURDAYS at 11am and 11:30am. That is why ShowingTime is blacked out except these timesOur online scheduling system is blocked out except these two showing times.  I have gotten about 10 calls asking questions about the showing availability.  So this morning I added this:

No showings except Saturdays at 11am and 11:30 - no other days or times are available. Please do not contact the listing agent and ask if other times are available. If you do not understand these instructions, please ask your broker.

I have since gotten 2 more calls asking about the showing availability... What am I doing wrong here? Help before I go off on the next person who calls me!

Jonathan Greene · Answer

It's not you, it's the low bar to get into real estate and the inherent grabbiness and lack of awareness of buyer's agents who think if we have a listing, we have to show it when they want. I do the same on any occupied multis. I set one showing block on a Wednesday night and one on Saturday afternoon, that's it. If you can't make it, sorry. I would say agents not reading clear instructions on the MLS is a top 5 issue in the business. You should have a prerecorded message just for these calls. :)

Eric Gebhardt · Answer

I think its pretty clear. People just don't read these days - UGH

Brie Schmidt · Answer

Like a picture that says "read the instructions"

I have a listing in Chicago that not only has pictures of the floorplan but a virtual tour where you can walk through the space and after the showing complained about the quirky layout...

Mark H. · Answer

The agent who sold my last house went on a mini-vent about how agents just ignore anything in the showing instructions.  They'll just show up at houses that have notes about calling before showing or showing by appointment only and the owners will be home in the middle of dinner or kids bathtime.

Matt M. · Answer

@Brie Schmidt

Nobody reads anything. They look at pictures and want to see it.

My listings say no pets, yet everyone asks..

Brie Schmidt · Answer

@Jonathan Greene The sad part is they start off with "I need some clarification on the instructions" so they did read it most of the time.

Marcus Auerbach · Answer

@Brie Schmidt someone called me on your listing and when I saw your instructions I had to laugh..!

Most agents are bad on reading instructions (and a few other things), but an equal amount of them can't figure out how to set up Showintime correctly and unintentionally will block all day etc..

The other issue is that it will not show up well on mobile devices.

To Matt's point everyone looks at the pictures - maybe that's your solution... ?

Tchaka Owen · Answer

@Brie Schmidt - another factor could be the interface. I've had an instance in the past where an agent directed me to the instructions and I responded that none were visible. It happened that on the MLS they were and I was using something else to access (sorry, I can't remember the details).

Help me out here. How can I be more clear?

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