I Love Feeback, I Hate Feedback

Feedback. 

Feedback feedback feedback. 

Sellers want feedback. Listing agents want feedback. I’ve been out showing homes to people and had listing agents call me while I was still with the buyer for a showing 30 minutes prior and ask for it. I have sellers who have literally asked “Did they like it? Did they like it?” like some sort of Sally Fieldian cathartic event.

Feedback is essential, but not for the reasons you might think. Quality is more important than quantity. Asking buyer agents for a debriefing when the house simply wasn’t a fit isn’t a productive use of time. Decrying an agent as unprofessional when they don’t answer an email or call back right away distracts us from our purpose. No buyer ever bought a house because the listing agent mauled them or their agent. They bought the house because it felt like home, and they probably had some space to reach that conclusion. 

Most of the time, there is no Earth-shattering feedback. It just wasn’t for them. I only married 1 girl, I dated dozens. The ones that didn’t become Mrs. Faranda weren’t all bad, nor was I a bad fit for them in many cases. It just wasn’t a bullseye. We should all consider that when we don’t get an answer within a day. Buyers might be poker faced. What is their agent supposed to do, debrief them? Demand an explanation? Those agents have skinny kids.  

On the flip side, if a listing agent doesn’t track down feedback for their buyer, it doesn’t necessarily constitute dereliction of duty. We have to work on our business as well as in our business, and updating a craigslist ad might be a better use of time than leaving a 7th voice mail asking if the pig farm next door was an issue. We send 2 email requests. Some get answered. many aren’t. If I really have a question, I’ll make a phone call. But I can’t allow it to consume me, because if they aren’t going to buy, I still have to find a buyer. 

Am I going to ignore requests for feedback? No. Am I going to stop asking for feedback? Hell no. But if I don’t get it after 2 emails, I won’t take it personally.