Some people learn a new and better way of doing something but keep it to themselves. Not Barbara Brindle, who is excited about her idea to run multiple offers online with Zoom and is willing to teach any Realtor who wants to learn.
Her goal is to bring the concept to the forefront and better the industry for all. And it’s not just a strategy for pandemic times.
“Agents who have tried it say ‘Why would we go back to doing this in person? There’s no reason.’ It’s that powerful,” says Newmarket, Ont.-based Brindle, broker of record at Re/Max Hallmark York Group Realty and VP of career development, Re/Max Hallmark Group of Companies.
She says she came up with the idea last summer, when she was learning how to make the best use of Zoom for online training. It was then that she discovered breakout rooms. “You can do up to 50 breakouts, 49 for offers and one room for clients. It’s a way to get back to the belly-to-belly (experience) and create buzz…and an experience for clients.”
Beta testing began last October, with five people from each Re/Max Hallmark region. “Any time someone had multiple offers, I offered to moderate and learned something new every time.”
Clients love it and co-operating brokers feel like their message is getting delivered, and the transparent process gives listing agents control. “One of the benefits is that it needs a little lead time to set up,” says Brindle. For example, there could be a 5 p.m. registration of offers and a 6 p.m. presentation. Only those who register offers are invited to attend. “Presenting to the seller is a privilege, not a right.” By having offers registered on time, it eliminates the hassles of the last-minute offer and gives the listing agent more control. “It’s no longer wild west behaviour, it’s a circus with tickets,” she says.
Brindle’s free comprehensive course teaches how to do multiple offers in a fair and equitable way. It offers step-by-step instructions for everything from administrative set up to managing a pre-emptive offer, and how to set up Zoom and Zoom settings. It was all designed so someone who doesn’t do tech can manage. For confidentiality reasons, the session does not include participants.
Zoom allows sellers to be put in a private café. Then people are admitted one at a time. For her express version (three or fewer offers) it is a “forensic presentation” that shows the full offers online. For four or more offers, each co-operating agent gets five minutes for their presentation. The seller gets to meet all co-operating agents. “We’re creating the same environment as in the office, but online,” Brindle says. And everyone feels heard.
Sellers love it. She says she asked one of her clients, a tech guy, if he would like to try it. He was excited, telling her it was like going to Disney (because it’s experiential, and that’s what real estate is all about).
Buyer agents love it too, she says. Even though his wasn’t the winning bid, one co-operating agent was anxious to learn.
Brindle, who has been in the top one per cent at Re/Max for 25 years, is passionate about “building a better Realtor.”
She says the gap is widening between those who keep up with technology and those who don’t. And the longer people wait, the harder it is to catch up. “It’s important to stay on top of the game,” she says.
Brindle has been a real estate educator since 1998. She worked at the Ontario Real Estate Association for many years, was an instructor with National Association of Realtors for 20 years and is a facilitator in the Zoom-delivered simulation program of the Real Estate Salesperson Program at Humber College.
Her three sons are in the business.
The comprehensive course, How to run and manage multiple offers using Zoom, is available at www.learnwithus.ca, a site that offers free education for anyone who wants it.
Connie Adair is a contributing writer for REM.
