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Post by chevygirl57 on Feb 6, 2006 14:56:26 GMT -5
I plan on getting in touch with local real estate companies for business on move-in/out cleanings.
What is the best way to approach the scretary or person answering the phone with my proposal? I don't want to sound like a telemarketer but rather someone trying to provide them with a much needed and valuable service.
How can I word it?
What should I charge for these? Per sq. foot or a flat fee or per hour as I am doing with my residential?
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Post by Kevin on Feb 6, 2006 15:13:44 GMT -5
Best to call and talk with the office manager if available. Usually is also the head real estate agent. You want to approach as you have a service to offer their customers in assisting in selling their home. If the home does not get sold the real estate agent does not get paid. remember that You can offer a percentage for every paying job. You want to sit down with them face to face. Having my real estate license one thing I know is top level negotiation. Remember: Real estate agents receive extensive training in negotaition and the ability to broker large deals. Have your game face on, and expect some negotiation and back and forth on price of percentages. Make the situation win, win for both of you. Your goal is to get the head agent or broker. Who can pass the information on to all the agents in the office, so you have 8-10 agents working for you. Pay them timely and honestly, you will have lots of work coming your way.
Also sometimes the Head agent, is not the broker, the broker is the top dog who will make all decisions for the company. Companies like Century One etc.. always have a broker that supervises agents. In many situations your payment goes to the office where they take out an office percentage, then they pay the agent. An Example would be you offer 10% the agency keeps 4% and pays the agent 6%
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AmofOhio
Junior Forum Member
[M:0]
Posts: 86
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Post by AmofOhio on Feb 6, 2006 15:38:01 GMT -5
From my personal experience, i got better responses by going in person.
Realtors and agency's get cleaning info. and calls everyday from fly-by-night cleaner's. When i called, most didn't take me seriously till i walked in with my info.
I go in and have a my business packet with me and a stack of business cards.
My business packet consists of a company cover letter(lit.on my business), a letter of the details of cleaning that i offer on move-in/out cleaning, and a business card stapled on the front.
I also leave a stack of business cards for customer's coming in to buy or sell a home.
Most the agency's i have dealt with give each realtor floor time in the agency. That means that each day will have a different agent or broker in there diffferent times answering calls and taking walk-in's.
So make sure your info makes it to all the realtors.
One agency i deal with has several cleaners they work with.
Each realtor and broker has one they like or prefer.
Ask if they have a cleaner's list you can be added too.
If the realtor has a specific cleaner they prefer ,but the bank asks for more than 1 estimate for cleaning, they will call you to give the estimate as well as other cleaners.
In the end, its the bank that chooses who they want to clean when this happens.Usually based off who's estimate was lowest.
I was working with 1 realtor at an agency. I was cleaning the rehab homes she got. After a couple cleaning jobs through her, and then spring cleaning the agency itself, i now do work with all 4 realtors.
Like IJCSA said,offering a percentage to them for jobs they give you is a great idea as well.
As far as price. It's hard to say because each home is different. I start all my move-outs at $150. i will go down to $125 for really small fairly clean homes.I did one back in Dec, that was 900sqft. Was remodeled with new carpet,tile, and painted throughout.
So beings it was small and everything was new. i lowered my price.
If your not sure what to charge i try to think how long it will take to clean x my hourly rate, plus supplies,tax's ,etc.....
Good luck!
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Post by chevygirl57 on Feb 6, 2006 16:14:25 GMT -5
So I need to give the realtor a percentage of my pay?
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Post by russo on Feb 6, 2006 16:20:04 GMT -5
you don't have to but it DOES give the real estate agent incentive to keep giving you business.  |
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Post by chevygirl57 on Feb 6, 2006 23:12:37 GMT -5
you don't have to but it DOES give the real estate agent incentive to keep giving you business. But they're paying ME. This makes no sense. If I could hire someone to work or do my job, I wouldn't expect them to pay me out of their money that they earned. I am going to be offering a service and I expect pay and they expect a good job. If they're hiring me to clean a house that they are selling, then it should be up to the realtor or realtors office or current homeowner to pay me, correct? I don't see how this has anything to do with taking a %of my pay out and paying the realtor. They're not cleaning, I am. I am not selling the house they are. They get a percent of the selling price. I don't. |
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Post by Kevin on Feb 6, 2006 23:20:38 GMT -5
No you have it backwards. Your not working for the agent, In some cases you may. In this situation the agent is recommending your service to the seller. In turn you are paying the agent for a referral fee.
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Post by chevygirl57 on Feb 6, 2006 23:52:33 GMT -5
No you have it backwards. Your not working for the agent, In some cases you may. In this situation the agent is recommending your service to the seller. In turn you are paying the agent for a referral fee. Okay, so I AM working for the current home owner. Thanks for clearing that up. So, if a friend or neighbor or current client refers me to someone, I should also pay them? |
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Post by Kevin on Feb 6, 2006 23:55:08 GMT -5
Lol... no problem that is entirely up to you... Sometimes a payment helps, a nice fat bribe, or a dinner or gift. The key is knowing when to use it, and when not to.
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Post by chevygirl57 on Feb 7, 2006 0:07:05 GMT -5
Lol... no problem that is entirely up to you... Sometimes a payment helps, a nice fat bribe, or a dinner or gift. The key is knowing when to use it, and when not to. Turkey anyone? |
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Post by Kevin on Feb 7, 2006 0:09:29 GMT -5
lol... Thats the winning attitude.
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kimmierue
Junior Forum Member
Pure Sparkle Cleaning Service[M:0]
Posts: 75
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Post by kimmierue on Feb 7, 2006 1:29:14 GMT -5
Oh, and by the way ~ Coldwell Banker West Shell agents use their Conceirge Program. Basically they already have a list of referring companies - you my dear need to get on that list. But, you have to be insured up to 500,000, be licensed properly and a good rating with the BBB.
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Post by chevygirl57 on Feb 7, 2006 15:47:22 GMT -5
Oh, and by the way ~ Coldwell Banker West Shell agents use their Conceirge Program. Basically they already have a list of referring companies - you my dear need to get on that list. But, you have to be insured up to 500,000, be licensed properly and a good rating with the BBB. Insurance? That's what I was afraid of. I am not yet insured and really need to be, but it's too costly for me right now. I am currently only working for 3 clients, one is a temp. as they just had a baby. So, I have more days off than I work at the moment. I am also working alone, so this cuts out many possible clients. I am sure all real estate companies want you insured, right? My only chance then is where my SO's mom works (she's a realtor) and she can put a good word in for me at her office. I need insurance. |
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AmofOhio
Junior Forum Member
[M:0]
Posts: 86
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Post by AmofOhio on Feb 8, 2006 9:08:07 GMT -5
Most ,but not all will want you to be insured. I have only dealt with a few that asked for proof of insurance.
I have dealt with banks when cleaning Repo's that only wanted proof of bonding.
I work alone ,so i never got bonding insurnace. But since i get more requests for bonding,than liability, i went ahead and got it also.
I got $10,000 in bonding for $100 a year. $5,000 was the same price, so i just went with the higher coverage since it was the same price as the $5,000.
As far as general liability,I called every insurance agency i could find and had them all give me quotes on both $500,000, and 1,000,000.
I finally outta like 50+ insurance agency's, found one i could afford.
They also go off your yearly payroll for insurance. So mine was low! lol
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gailm
Junior Forum Member
[M:-30]
Posts: 65
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Post by gailm on Feb 18, 2006 18:35:35 GMT -5
Exactly - when the insurance is based on payroll, your initial cost is low. It will increase with the number of employees and increases you give.
Regarding the "fee" to the real estate agent/office: This is a one-time by client. If you sign the referral and do the job, then you pay. Make sure you have this in your agreement with them. You don't want to be paying for referrals you never clean.
That one-time clean can always turn into a regular, paying client. Then it's 100% profit for you. Always think long-term when running your business.
If you give a "first time" cleaning coupon for maybe $25 off; you've spent $25 to get a regular client that may be worth $2000 to you in annual fees.
Make sense?
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