POLICY TO CHEAT HOME SELLERS
An inside look at what happens in typical real estate agencies.
Reading Time: 3 mins
EMAIL TO NEIL JENMAN
March 2023
Good morning,
I hope this message finds you well. My name is [TYPICAL AGENT], and I’m a real estate agent in Melbourne.
I pride myself on my professionalism, attention to detail, and commitment to providing the best possible service to my clients. We have good quality Asian clients ready to buy at competitive high prices.
I’m writing to inquire about signing up with your website. I believe your website can help me connect with more potential clients and expand my business in Melbourne. Could you please provide me with guidance on how to add my profile to your website?
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing back from you soon.
Yours sincerely
Typical Agent
Please see my profile
EMAIL TO TYPICAL AGENT
March 2023
Dear Typical
Thank you very much for your email.
I was hugely impressed by two parts of your email.
First, you said that you like to provide the “best possible service” to clients (home sellers).
Secondly, you said that you have “good quality buyers” who are ready to buy at “competitive high prices”.
And so, I asked my dear friend and close colleague, Michael Kies, to call you. One of my favourite sayings – which I write about in my book ‘Success Takes Character’ – is this: “Give me a person who does what they say they will do, and I will build an empire around that person.”
Most agents make huge claims about themselves and their service, but those claims rarely translate to reality when it’s time to look after clients. I must admit, however, I was hopeful with you as we really need more agents to handle all the sellers who keep contacting us looking for ethical agents to sell their properties.
Anyway, I was shocked when Michael told me that you said you cannot list any properties unless you place them on the internet and, also, until the sellers pay you for advertising costs.
Surely, he has misunderstood you.
My question to you now is: If you have so many buyers who are willing to pay high prices, why do you ask sellers for money to find buyers?
We have thousands of sellers visit our website. 3 million copies of my books have been published. So, we get a constant stream of sellers contacting us and asking us to recommend agents who offer what you said you offer, namely, the “best possible service”. I can understand why you wanted us to feature you on our website. I hope you can understand, however, that we need to verify your claims about offering the best service.
This is why I was so excited to read your written words.
Anyway, I hope you can answer my question. As I am sure you’d know, it’s highly unethical to ask clients to pay to advertise to find buyers when the agent already has buyers on their books. Further, it’s even more unethical for an agent to profit from the losses of sellers – and if sellers don’t sell and they have paid an agent thousands of dollars for advertising, then, of course, the sellers lose and the agent benefits – by promoting themselves and finding new leads at the expense of the sellers.
Australia is the only country in the world where agents demand advertising money before a home is sold.
Thankfully, more agents are changing their focus and doing what’s best for sellers instead of what’s best for agents. I was really hoping that, based on your comments about yourself, that you were one such agent.
I look forward to hearing from you. It’s only one simple question I’m asking but it’s also one that thousands of sellers are now starting to ask.
If you have buyers who are willing to pay high prices, why do you ask sellers for money to find buyers?
Michael tells me that he suggested you read some of my books. As mentioned, many home sellers read my books. I feel it would behove you to do the same.
Kind regards
Neil Jenman
EMAIL TO NEIL JENMAN
March 2023
Dear Neil
It’s our company policy to charge Marketing fee (sic) beforehand.
It’s unfortunate I cannot work with you.
Yours sincerely
Typical Agent
FOOTNOTE: If any agents who read this understand that it is not just unethical to charge sellers advertising money regardless of whether their homes are sold or not, it’s also stupid, please contact us and we will consider introducing you to sellers in your area. If you offer clients a GUARANTEE of “no charges unless happily sold” plus if you also offer them “no locked-in contracts”, you will attract more clients. And make more sales. Believe it, ETHICS in real estate and being DIFFERENT from typical agents, is very profitable. If you are willing to take the risk to protect clients and abide by our EIGHT PROTECTION CONDITIONS, we will be pleased to hear from you. Just email support@jenman.com.au.
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