5 Tips for Building Good Relationships with Agents

Just because you’re selling a home FSBO doesn’t mean you don’t have to worry about your relationship with real estate agents. They are very involved in their community and could be in a position to bring a lot of buyer traffic your way. Our suggestion? Treat agents with respect and you’ll reduce the chances that you’ll face unexpected obstacles to your sale. Here are five tips to build and maintain good relationships with real estate agents:

1. Cultivate friendships and referrals by treating agents with respect. They are not the enemy, they simply have a different approach to doing business. And remember, when you sell by owner it is a business transaction.
2. Accept that if you list with MLS, agents will want to bring their clients to your home and you will pay a buyer’s agent commission if you accept their offer. That’s part of the deal.
3. If you are listed on the MLS, invite local agents to your open houses. They are motivated to bring buyers to your home and will likely want to see it for themselves before recommending your place to their clients. You may even want to ask your MLS broker about scheduling a Broker’s Open, which is an open house just for agents held on Tuesdays.
4. Keep your guard up. Agents may make their way to your open houses (whether you invite them or not) or even call your home to try to convince you to change your mind about selling by owner and list with them instead. If you are already listed on the MLS it is illegal for them to solicit your listing, but if not they can try to sell you on their services. Be resolute, but polite when you turn them down. You never know, they might just bring you your perfect buyer down the road so keep the door open.
5. Don’t disrespect agents on social media sites. Negative reviews about a previous experience with an agent have their time and place. Resist the temptation to make blanket statements about agents on the Internet. Keep your listing positive and you’ll attract like-minded buyers.