Dear Ms. Condo Seller,
I had a buyer stop in unannounced this morning wanting to see oceanfront condos. I called your listing broker hoping to show your unit. The broker informed me that they would not be putting a lockbox on your unit and that, instead, buyer's agents would have to pick up the key in their office, an 11 mile round trip from your unit to pick up the key and another 11 miles to return it. I applaud their effort to save money by not spending money on silly tools like lockboxes but, unfortunately for you, in trying to see as many units as possible today, our schedule does not allow the time necessary for the trips to pick up and return your key. Good luck selling your condo in these difficult times. Oh yeah, love the blurry pixelated cell phone photos of your unit on the MLS. If I squint my eyes and shake my head while looking at the photos, your unit looks lovely.
Sincerely,
The Buyer's Agent
P.S. I don't mind driving an extra 22 miles for my buyers and, next time, with advance notice, I will pick up the key in advance but, today, the situation did not allow that. You may want to request that your broker provide a lockbox and decent MLS photos. Remember, you're only looking for one buyer, so, you don't want to chance excluding anyone with difficult access or unappealing photos.
"I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure..."
_______Herbert Swope
Disclaimer: This letter was not actually sent to the seller as that would be inappropriate, although the story is true. My intention in posting this is to inspire all sellers to investigate the efforts of their brokers and to be proactive in reducing friction in the selling process. Successfully selling a property in today's competitive market involves more than correct pricing and effective marketing. Providing easy access is paramount as are decent MLS photos.
