We hate to sound like the old-timers that sit around after the sales meeting and reminisce about what it was like to have to lug around a 10-pound book that contained all the MLS listings, BUT. . .remember compiling a CMA before Top Producer came along?
If you didn’t work for Coldwell Banker or one of the other big brokerages that supplied somewhat decent fill-in-the-blank pages, your CMA typically consisted of stuff you typed up (yup, on a typewriter) and black and white printouts from the MLS, all bound together with a nifty plastic spiral thing.
Then, along came Top Producer, changing the listing presentation forever. It was clunky at first, and frustrating for what it couldn’t do, but it paved the way for the myriad of CMA tools on the market today.
Despite the plethora of products, many agents still don’t compile CMAs. Most of them chalk it up to the cost, both in time and money. We’re wagering that these are the agents whose listing presentation-per listing-taken ratio is rather miniscule.
Consider this: the CMA is the only chance you have to make a great first impression on a homeowner who wants to sell. The pros understand this and spend the time and money to make sure their listing presentation outshines the competition.
If you use Cloud CMA, eNeighborhoods, Top Producer or any of the others, what led to your decision to purchase that particular product? What features were you looking for and does the product meet your needs?
Inquiring agents want to know, so help a colleague out and share your experiences with what works and what doesn’t.