We have found that a majority of agents are too lazy to respond to email enquiry or take telephone enquiry. We manage over 2000 residential properties here in Brisbane. Most of the calls that an agent receives from potential tenants are “when can we inspect the property” Almost 2 years ago we developed software that allows tenants to schedule inspections on our rental properties. Once a tenant books a time other tenants can then go and add there details to that inspection. An email is sent to each tenant confirming the inspection time and 5pm the day before the inspection a text message is sent to the tenant once again confirming. We have had nothing but positive feedback from potential tenants. Before we implemented this software, in ou busy times of the year we were getting a call into the office every 5.6 seconds during business hours. To give you an idea how much enquiry we generate,we have booked over 32,000 tenants into inspections since december 2006.

keep up the great posts. they make enjoyable reading

He said, “when the buyer comes through the property it’s like they are doing a 2nd inspection”.

It would be interesting to see how much time is now being saved by not having to take buyers through the property for 2nd or 3rd inspections.

I remember on many occasions we had the whole family turn up at 2nd inspections as if a tourist bus had just pulled up. :)

Excluding pre-settlement inspections or the inspection where they have to check the home against poor building/pest reports, do many 2nd inspections actually take place any more ?

The photography for real estate agents ebook he posted on a few months back should be compulsory reading for any salesperson before they take photos.

Coincidentally one of the neighbours in my street just came on the market last week with another agent. I have never been inside the place so I was not influenced by preconceived ideas of price or value other than my general knowledge of prices in the street and area. They are asking $855,000 yet the photos were terrible and represented a value of probably around $550,000. They will struggle to get inspections as the images do not justify the price especially in comparison to other properties listed at the same price and the photos make it look a million dollars..

With some properties we dont take more than half a dozen photos yet for others we might take 20 or 30 so even if we wanted to we couldnt upload poor image quality shots.

In general though our experience has been totally different to your own. We find that buyers and sellers alike want more pictures and they want more professional pictures. In fact the properties with the highest enquiries are generally those with more photos in comparison to their immediate competition. And if we get professionals involved the response is much better again.

I would take quality over quantity if given a choice but I reckon that a high number of quality shots works best. That increases the chance of an inspection rather than reduce it.

How ridiculous that 26 pictures can now be added to the portals listings!
1. See the reasons below.
2. If agents see 26 images possible they will fill ‘em up no matter what the image quality or outcome for the vendor!

Explanation:
Surely the aim of an real estate advertising (and best initial result for vendor and agent), is to get an inspection. Then a true 3D experience can be controlled by the vendor’s expert salesman.
Too many images can destroy this outcome!

My many years of successful experience in the agency World (with nearly as many involved in advertising real estate online), suggest that too many pics provides consumers with a reason to think they can make a decision from a web listing, especially if they have numerous properties on their ’shopping list’. i.e. As some agents have told me, “It just gives ‘them’ the chance to say ‘No’!”

Thanx for your blog efforts.

Hope you have a great Easter everyone.