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Making the high touch Real estate world go faster, without sacrificing service can be a bit tricky. Nobody likes to feel rushed, but the reality is that time is ticking and there are many priorities to get accomplished. It’s possible to increase the efficiency and the standard of care that we perform.

If so, then.

We send a good amount of email that is just requesting information, and depending on the outcome, we need different–and predictable–actions.

A typical exchange with the title company:

Me: Did you get the payoff back?

Them: Yes.

Me: Can I see an updated statement?

Instead, it would be more efficient to say: Did you get the payoff statement? If so, then send me an updated statement. If not, then please tell me when you expect to get it, and email/fax when you can.

This saves steps, and increases client care. You’d think it was common sense, but it’s really not.

Useful Voicemails–not just “call mes.”

I don’t know how many times a day I get a voice mail from a Realtor or vendor. “Hi, Chris, it’s Steve. Call me back at 614-555-1212.” I don’t know how often I’ve left it. We don’t want to pack people’s Voicemail full of information they can’t use. But, a lot of times it’s a simple quesiton:

Hey, Chris, did the appraisal come back.

Hey. Chris, what loan to value do I qualify for?

Leaving a voicemail that closes the loop shaves time and uncertainty off of our closings–instead of asking for a call back, it’s more efficient to move the transaction forward when we do this. Some times this can be encouraged by adding: Please let me know what information I’ll need when I call you back.

Systematic, automatic updates.

A lot of times in our business, Realtors will call asking for a status update. They call when they are in need of information. What if they had an a emai every day updating them of the status, and the next step? That’s what I do on a daily basis. The call is coming in anyway. Its almost inevitable. So why not schedule the calls first thing in the morning, as a routine.

I send emails:

We’re still waiting for information from underwriting. The file is 5th in line, so we expect to get it cleared by 5pm today. I will email you at the end of the day and let you know if there are any changes.

For me, the next step is to further systematize this process.

Next: How being thorough saves time and money.