I let them know that if it had been suitable it would already have been added to our tour! 

I tell them that if it was in their price range, or if it was still available, or if it met their parameters, it would have come up on my property search. But to write down the address and I'll look it up when we get back. 

No different than the buyers who send lists of houses "you didn't find" in the MLS because they do not meet their criteria.  I have had it happen on occasion while out and unless we just have no time to check it out, I look it up on my iPad and proceed to show them why it was not on the list. Eventually they relax and start to trust me when I say the vast inventory they think exists thanks to what they see online really is not out there. 

Once I was out with a buyer and it turned out the house she pointed out was more than $200,000 above the her expressed price point; she wanted to see it, I was able to reach the agent, the sellers were gone for the weekend, we had time so I showed it.  The buyers ended up buying it, despite it being way over the budget they had given me.

I learned then that sometimes people have financial resources of which we are not aware and it does not hurt to go outside the box at times. 

I say, "write down the address and we will look into it after the showings". The home either didn't come up because it's already under contract or didn't meet buyer's specifications, nevertheless, I'm always happy to double check for them.

I rarely would stop mid-stream because our scheduled showings are all within a time-frame.  In most cases I remind the buyer that if that house was within the parameters of their search we would already have that on our tour; but that I'll check it out and if there is time at the end of the tour we can preview or schedule another date and time.

I always have my IPad with me. I have had this happen and have had good and bad results.

I like some of the advice you have from others here like Susan Emo and Mimi Foster , if it is not on our list already it is probably out of your price range, best to pretend it does not exist.

Kay Peterson if we missed that home, there must be a reason, Mr  & Mrs buyers....

Let's complete the ones we have given top priority to. (Plus it takes time to schedule the appointment, isn't it?)

I always check for other homes along my path of showing property and have those MLS sheets saved in file in my iPad.  So I know the answers when they say "what about that one" unless it's one where the sign is only a few hours old and it's NOT in the MLS.

Thank heavens there's an app for that!  My smart phone can tell us why the house isn't on the list.

When this has happened, and that's not often, I make a note and either look it up on my iPad or contact the agent so I can let the buyer know the scoop. Sometimes I already know about the property and can let them know why it's not right (price, pending contract, etc.) and wan't part of our showing schedule.

It depends...showing appointments take priority and if it isn't on the tour, it probably did not fit their criteria. I have them get the address and look up it up later. 

If we have time between appointments, I will look it up on my iPad to see why it did not appear on the tour schedule.

If it is on my rejected homes list, I'll tell them why it wasn't chosen.  We can still go and see it.  They are the customer afterall.

If it didn't appear on the list of properties we are walking there is usually a reason. I just pull the MLS up and tell them what the story is. 

I will look it up and find out why the home was not on our list.  Yes, it happens.  

I may write down the address ad check the details later.

I ask the buyer to write down the address and after we have seen the ones on the showing list I will check on the specifics and see if it meets their criteria. I do not stop mid-stream.

Once or twice yes - but continually then no - because you need to be in control.

No, is the short answer.  I need to check if it is available to show  first, I need to check if it meets the criteria we chatted about earlier. 

Typically No. I tell them we need the info, a conversation to see if their loan will work on "that house" and we do not know the showing instructions.

Occasionally if I can reach the agent on the sign and have a quick convo-I'll "break my rules". 

I normally told my buyer, let's write down the address and we will look it up together.  Most of the time, the house wasn't in their criteria.  However, showing them is better than telling them.

Most of the time if there's a lock box and it's empty. If for no other reason my own curiousity. If it really peaks my interest as well as my clients and it's occupied I'll stop and see if I can get a last minute appointmtent.

After all we're not programmed robots. We're in the people service biz and have to always be ready for the unknown. Just might be the home your client ends up with. Or one that you may have another client in mind for.

Or, as an investor always in the hunt, it could be a fit for you as well. I never say never in this biz. Especially when you're in the zone at that particular time. It will definitely save you a trip back.

Susan Emo said it right! I also tell my clients if the home didn't come onto our list, there was a reason--price, condition, layout, already pending, etc. We have such a shortage of inventory, it's hard to miss a house, especially if it's the right one for a client.

Kay,

I agree with Susan Emo /  A

I reply that the house might be pending. It might be owner-occupied, or with a tenant in residence.  It might be over the buyer's price range.  If the house wasn't on the list to places to see, there's reason.  Buyers want to make sure that they aren't missing something.  I get that.  But, I simply take down the address and look it up later.  I can't stop our tour since most are set up with the owner.

another reason I stopped working with buyers after several months in the business.....always a listing agent..... 

You have to address it as part of the customer servicing or you will face secret anti-agent thoughts from your client

Pull it up on the har.com app and let them see the details.  If they really want to see it, we put that at the bottom of the list.  IF we can get an appointment.

Marvel "Kay" Peterson Susan Emo nailed this one.

Susan Emo tells it like it is!

I bet you have an app available for that - I do.

OR ... take down the address & you'll get back to him with it. I always say, if you could afford it, it would be on the list I bet.

What Susan Emo said...

I agree with Susan Emo on this one - if it met their criteria it would be on the list and we would be looking at it

Kay, It depends on our schedule. I use an iPad in the field so I can look things up quickly.  Most of the time anything we drive by that's not on our list is already spoken for or out of our price range.  

If it met your needs it would be on our list.

I will usually take a moment with my clients on the spot to look it up in the MLS on my phone or call the listing agent.  When I confirm it is not available or within their criteria, I briefly explain how our search has already identified all the available homes within their criteria.  I take this extra 5 minutes to do this so they don't feel I'm being dismissive of their interests.

By the 2nd or 3rd time this happens, I will make a point of sitting down with them at the laptop or in the office.  We start an MLS search with no criteria and they can see the 7000 or so homes on the market.  As I enter each criteria, they can visually see the number of search results dropping.  This process does 2 things.  It reassures them that we are not missing anything and it helps them prioritize and possibly relax some of their criteria when they see, for example that there are exactly 100 more homes to choose from if they can live with a 2 car garage instead of 3, etc.

If we are in the neighborhood I will look it up for them. It usually turns out to be the wrong price, wrong number of bedrooms, or under contract. I have stopped to show before to save a trip and time if it fits their needs.

Last time it happened the buyers bought the house!  It wasn't on the tour because the price range was different, but in this case, that didn't matter.

This does happen, especially if the home just hit the market, and you made the appointments the day before.   I try to add if I can, and time allows.

Good morning Marvel,

I tell them if it had been in their price range and criteria, I would have set up a showing. If it is a for sale by owner, one must stop otherwise they will later on their own.

I say what is relevant for that buyer to stay focused on what we are scheduled to see and I ask to write down the address if he/she wants to know the reason that house is not on our list to see now.

Depends on what I know about the property

The "client" is always right.  I would check it out and give them the option to see it..

Yes to allow the buyers to get the home out of their pea brains.

It may be a hot new listing so if I wasn't already familiar with it and can't find it on MLS then I will call and see if we can get in 'real quick'.  I always plan a good range of time between showings such as 12-1:30 versus 12-12:30 so there is usually time for side jaunts, snack and pit stops, etc. and still stay on schedule.

Yes Mam, I do.  I actually bought a house for myself like this.  But keeping on schedule with your appointments is also very important.  Just explain that to your buyer.  Also, if they really like a home that you are scheduled to see, that may be the first priority as they go fast and you don't want to lose that home because of a delay in seeing that house.

I don't mind pulling up on my pad, and seeing if it is available to show... they may like it, Buyers want to "see" you go above and beyond for them... it is an accupied home that requires an appointment, then I will let them know we will have to look later, and show them the listing, to see why maybe it was not on the list

I explain that there is a reason it did not show up on our list of homes or tour list. I explain that we must stay on task and tour the homes we know are options.That home could be pending, out of your price range, any number of things.  I will look up the status and let you know when I get back to the office.

     Buyers call me about a yard sign, or something they found on ZTR.  I look it up; 99% of the time it is not for them.

I will follow up on that one.

If i have a group of homes to see, often i wont brake my schedule, but let them know we can get info on that home after our already scheduled showings. Some times i will check the mls in between or call the listing agent if that home is the same criteria we used to see homes.

I would get the address and see if it's something that would work for them (Yeah technology!). Most of the time it isn't because it would have come up in the search on the MLS that I set up with their criteria.

I would just take down the address and look it up when we get to the next house. I tell them that there must be  a reason why I did not show it.

Most of my clients meet me at the planned property, so this scenario is rare. If this happens, I would still show the scheduled properties first since those criterias have been streamlined already.

Keep the schedule, offer to look it up and learn more to share in the matchmaking. If it meets the profile, set up a showing. Or find reasons not to based on no first floor bedroom for grammie with the walker, the lot is missing... no backyard or whatever their wish list has for must have that it does not. Size it up and find them a home... the one that sells itself because it fits!

I would note the address and tell them we will pull up the information to see if they want to make an appointment.

We have mostly gated communities here, so when I take a buyer out I usually know what is on the market in the area I am showing.

"I'm sure there is a reason it is not on the list. I'll check." After all it takes less than a minute.

A couple of those usually stops the inquiry regarding broker represented homes for sale or convinces the buyer shopping the bottom of the price bracket is not going to delver the house they like.

It depends.

On the client.  

On timing.

I pull the mls up on my phone, look up the address and show them the details. If they wanna see it I call the agent

i tell them to make notes and we can deal with other properties when we are parked in front of a computer

They see a house. It says pending. You screech and stop by and says it is sold ? Why not say it is sold?  How much did it sell for?  What it takes 30 days to know.  Why you don't show it.....

Have not showeed a home for sometime. Keep it that way.....