What is feedback?
In the real estate industry, a listing agent or home seller solicits feedback to determine what showing agents and their prospective buyers think about a property.
Why is feedback important?
Buyer feedback impacts a number of factors in the home selling process. It provides validation directly from the market and indicates if the seller’s asking price and hope for a quick sale are legitimate.
Even the most comprehensive of stats might not be enough to convince some sellers their home isn’t the best on the market.
It’s a tricky situation many listing agents and home sellers have been in, which is why receiving feedback from prospective buyers is important and can ultimately help lead to a smoother and quicker sale.
Why is it so difficult to get feedback?
Real estate agents are busy. You also might not be getting helpful feedback because you’re not asking the right questions.
Too often feedback requests go unanswered or, if a comment is made, it might be as vague as, “good showing,” “nice house” or “buyer still looking” – which isn’t constructive.
If you ask for general feedback, you’ll likely receive general feedback. If you ask for specific feedback, you’ll be much more likely to get the substantive information.
1. Request feedback in a timely manner
We found the most optimal time to send feedback requests is one hour after the showing, while the house is still fresh in the agent’s mind and they can easily remember what their buyers thought of the house.
To improve your response rate and help jog the agent’s memory, provide a survey that includes your company name and logo, your photo and a photo of the house.
Or, if you request feedback by phone, make sure you have some of the property’s distinguishing features top of-mind to help guide the conversation and elicit constructive feedback.
2. Keep your feedback form or call short
The shorter your feedback form, the better response you’ll receive. Real estate agents don’t have time to fill out a 10-question feedback form.
Instead, aim for a form that takes three minutes or less to complete, with no more than six questions.
3. Only ask questions you’ll use
Your objective is to find out what the buyer thought of the house so you can talk with your sellers about improvements that may be needed or if a price reduction is necessary.
It makes the conversation easier when you have validation directly from the market.
Don’t ask,
- “Did you find the property OK?”
Instead ask,
- “What is your opinion of the price?” or
- “What did you like most (and least) about the house?”
It’s hard to get feedback, so make the process as painless as possible for agents.
4. Prioritize the most important questions
Start by thinking about the most compelling information to present your sellers to help sell the house. For most, it’s the house’s price and condition.
5. Customize your questions for each listing
You should include customized questions for each listing to help you get the most useful feedback. Avoid general questions and ask agents to tell you the things you want to know.
