Dealing with cheap real estate agents

[gnubler]

It snowed quite a bit here today. I'm guessing the sign has even more of a drunken 30 degree lean by now and is completely unreadable.

 

[Humble PM]

Real estate agents are the type of customers I never work with because they are usually unreliable. But you also did overbid a bit. $1900 for a couple of signs is too much, and I don’t think you should’ve charged that much. It’s also important to ensure the customer knows the full price before doing anything.
Real estate agencies are not as necessary as some think, especially if you want to buy a house. It’s much more important to order an RICS Home Survey Level 2 report for the house you want to buy than to ask a real estate agent’s opinion about it.

Steven, we call them estate agents. Do you venture as far south as Lincolnshire?

 

[Johnny Best]

I miss gnubler. Wonder if she got out of the sign business?

 

[Boudica]

I miss gnubler. Wonder if she got out of the sign business?

Me too. I sent her a pm a couple of weeks ago. No reply.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Hope she is ok

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Maybe someone should call her. Or maybe Robert to to her and she's just listening now.

 

[Scotchbrite]

I never picked up gnubler was a she.

 

[Boudica]

I never picked up gnubler was a she.

One time she said something, about women not belonging in this business. I didn't get the sarcastic slant, and rated the comment with an angry face. Then she said relax, I'm a chick. Or something like that. She's a female... But does It really matter?

 

[Notarealsignguy]

But does It really matter?

sometimes

 

[Gino]

Depends if you're at a bar or not. Need to know basis might help. Then again, maybe not. She, he, they, it, them, those, themins, hers, urins....... it might not matter as you mentioned. Then, ya have the other side of the coin...... how many beers did we have before we started asking questions ??

 

[gnubler]

I miss gnubler. Wonder if she got out of the sign business?

Close. Waiting to see if this new shop space pans out.

And... "chick with a d!ck", as they referred to me at my old forum. That was in the old days before the country turned mental.

 

[Jeff grossman]

yes they are the worst - I only do cut vinyl lettering for them to customize their signs , SUN - 1-4 for open house signs( or whatever hrs.) and names for the agents that get free no name signs . also custom sign top inserts - only thing they give up that commission for no questions - most large firms have approved vendors and try to set their own price .

 

[caribmike]

Recently bid on a real estate sign project for a commercial listing. Customer wanted a two-panel corner sign on posts, 8x4 full color, installed at the corner of a busy intersection, and gave me less than a week turn time. I quoted it on 1/2" signboard and factored in a high estimate on labor of five hours, and quoted $1900 for everything. Agent flipped out and said they had budgeted more like $500 because the property is "under a million dollars". Now it's down to attaching a banner to a sheet of plywood, and her partner is going to handle the install. I had already visited the site with my installer to mark and call in a utility locate, so it rapidly became a waste of my time. I look forward to seeing how it goes for them - digging holes around here ain't easy.

How do you handle real estate listing signs? Offer a professional sign package along with an el cheapo option, if you don't know what you're up against?

I don't install real estate sign structures. Most of my real estate agents have their own in-house installer who works for the company. I just supply the sign faces and send them on their way.

 

[Gino]

Just got another company today. Confirmed by e-mail.

We did this company's signs back in the 90's and up til about 2012. That's when they go a new marketing person and she had to prove to the company she could save them money.

I'm in southeast PA and so is this company. However, a shop near baltimore maryland had signs for a little less then us, but they had 2 hours of travel time EACH way plus the installation time. No one ever looked at that though. Go figure. Anyway, that girl left about 2 years ago and they contacted me again about a year ago. My wife got drastically ill and I asked if they could wait til I got back to them. Got a call about 2 months ago, that my pricing was good and they had some signs to do. We're off to the races, again..... and I even raised my prices since I first quoted them.

I often say in other threads, if ya don't get your price, send them on their way, unless you can see their pricing will indeed work for you. I held my ground and they came back. It doesn't always happen, but this company was making so much money, they didn't realize how they were wasting in other areas. From what my new contact has told me, they've made some other changes within the company too.

 

[Stacey K]

I never picked up gnubler was a she.

Nor did I...I PM'd her and used male pronouns...she informed me she was a she. OOPS

 

[Ed. C.]

I am not a sales person, but one thing I learned in the sign business is that most every customer has a budget in mind for what they are needing. Some just don't care for the price' they just want what they need asap.
One of the most important questions to ask is, What exactly are they needing in terms of signage? Do they have a budget they are working with? and will the Signs be installed?
By getting the answers to these questions you put your self in a position to determine if the project is even worth your time, yes you want to quote it accordingly but if it exceeds their budget you will be able to offer something other then what they are asking for that can still serve its purpose.

 

[chuckh]

Why deal with some one like that? Value your work and look elsewhere for profitable customers

 

[gnubler]

Why deal with some one like that? Value your work and look elsewhere for profitable customers

I didn't know what I was getting into and neither did the agent. She specified an 8x4ft corner sign, wood frame installed on posts. I figured in her real estate world she knew what to expect in terms of costs...wrong. She flipped out when I said it would run around $1500 and she decided to order a banner instead and stick it on a sheet of plywood. It looked terrible and leaned heavily all winter until they finally tore it down.

 

[2B]

I am not a sales person, but one thing I learned in the sign business is that most every customer has a budget in mind for what they are needing. Some just don't care for the price' they just want what they need asap.
One of the most important questions to ask is, What exactly are they needing in terms of signage? Do they have a budget they are working with? and will the Signs be installed?
By getting the answers to these questions you put your self in a position to determine if the project is even worth your time, yes you want to quote it accordingly but if it exceeds their budget you will be able to offer something other then what they are asking for that can still serve its purpose.

100 this is one of the VERY FIRST things asked, depending on the reply......
*. Here are some of our examples that are similar to what you are doing.
*. Thank you for your time, we will NOT be the best fit for your project

it is all about establishing The perceived value & worth

 

[JBurton]

I think offering both a professional sign package and a cheaper alternative is a smart strategy. This way, you can accommodate different budgets while still showcasing the quality of your work. However, it's crucial to emphasize the importance of investing in professional signage, as it reflects the property's value and can significantly impact potential buyers' perceptions. A good real estate agent should understand that high-quality marketing, including signage, is an investment in getting the best possible outcome for their clients.

When I was buying my house, I was fortunate enough to work with a real estate company that really understood the importance of these details. They guided me through every step, ensuring that everything, from the listings to the open houses, was presented in the best light possible. This experience taught me that a good real estate agent isn't just about closing deals—they know how to position a property to attract serious buyers. If you're working with agents who don't get that, it might be a sign they aren't the right fit for clients looking to buy a new house.

You are luckier than I was. When I went to buy a home, my neighbors directed me to https://www.thepropertybuyingcompany.co.uk/ . I thought to myself, surely a buying company is the service I need when purchasing a home! Wrong! Instead, they came to my home, beat me senseless, defrauded my children, divorced my wife, embezzled my pups, and didn't even show me the house I wanted to see. Further, I saw one of their CEO's getting arrested for pedophilia, and his cohorts were quick to bail him out of jail with my money, but not before they were seen voting for a democrat in a red state, which was absurd considering they are presumably from the UK, but you wouldn't know it, because they all had thick Guamanian accents. After all this, they showed me a house, but I couldn't buy it, because the sign was made from coroplast, and a light breeze turned it into a ginsu knife, which promptly turned the home into a pile of matchsticks.
Realtors are the worst! Especially those represented by https://www.thepropertybuyingcompany.co.uk/