How many listings can an agent handle at once? Also, how many buyer can a person handle at the same time? What limits an agent to how many buyers and sellers they can take care of at the same time?

Some can handle 40 Listings and 5 Buyer Clients at a time. Others not so many. Clearly from reading these Posts, some can't properly handle even one.

There is one major Franchise around here which limits their SalesPeople to no more than 12 Listing Agreements at a time, and Associate Brokers to no more than 15. If Agents want to take on a 13th, then they have to Sell one OR let one expire OR give the excess to the Principal Broker (who has no limit!) I don't know what their current Policy is with respect to Buyer Clients.

This Agency doesn't draw in many Top Producers from outside because of many Agents perceive that the Limit would crimp or put a cap on the earnings potential. This Limitation has also caused many of their good people to become frustrated and leave for Greener Pastures. But there are also benefits to them in that their Agents are not spread too thin, and can properly service the Listings that they do have. I know many new Agents who get into this business and never even get to the point where they have even a ½ Dozen Active. Listings.

Our little Agency once had over 100 Active Listings when it was just my Wife and I managing things . . . . that was really too many "for us". Someone else maybe would have been quite comfortable with that. Of course, that was during a happier time period in the MarketPlace, and when people tended to be less cranky !

This is a good question. I've never heard of that Limit on Listings being imposed anywhere else . . . . maybe it's more common than I thought. Of course, some people on this Forum have never heard of Sales Quotas either.

I could not imagine going over 20-25. Things could get really freaky. I run solo and do bpos around 15 a week. I suppose if I dropped bpos I could increase inventory. Now I have enough to keep me busy.

It all depends on how fast the listings will sell, how much marketing and services you provide for each listing. What type of listing (REO or owner occupied). I don't think I would want 5 buyers all looking at homes at the same time. But then buyers are different also. If I had 5 buyers all coming into the area to look at homes all in the same week that might be an issue. I'm not 5 people.

If I had 20 listings and those 20 would actually be able to be sold in a year I doubt I would work with many buyers. I would refer them out.

I do know that one should be able to handle more listings than buyers. With a listing, you only have to one location to show and can even piggy back buyers for convenience of all, while one could end up showing a buyer 30 different homes...

In my market, where we have quite a bit of traffic, i find it hard to have more than 5-10 listings and the same number of buyers

I wouldn't be as concerned about how many listings I was going to have, I would still want more. The easiest solution to this great problem to have is to hire an assistant. Your assistant will keep you on top of things and make sure everything is taken care of following their checklists etc.

Don't get bogged down worrying about too many listings, the more you have the better you will do. There is always help if you need it. Assistants, buyer agents, believe me, they will find you when the time comes.

Marty

Before you talk number of listings I suggest you talk quality of listings. Crap listings take much more time then good listings, plus cost more and produce less business.

No later than yesterday, during a listing presentation.

Seller: "I'm sorry, but my wife and I, we have decided to list with with Agent1"
Me: "May I ask what were the criterias you based your decision? I'd like to know so I can get better myself in the future"
Seller: "She is a top producer and has 43 listings as we speak. She has to be very good. Nothing personal though"
Me: " I limit myself with only 5 listings at any given time, to make sure I can provide a very good job to my clients. Do you believe she can take care of your property with 43 others on the side?"
Seller: "...Heu...I don't know..."
Me: "Think about it, sleep on it and take a decision. I'm just a phone call away"

I signed them...

if you're smart and resourceful and adept at planning, there is NO limit to the amount of business you can handle, regardless of the industry.

Time is always a limiting factor. Money is too.

really? ask the largest corporations in the world how they got there.

Awesome job Cody, I think what you conveyed properly is the fact that you care about this client. They may have not felt that with the agent that had 43 listings. Really it boils down to 2 basic things. Your [u]Competence[/u] and the fact that you [u]Care[/u]. You proved both on your listing appointment obviously, well done.

Marty Green

Thread title is How many listings can an agent handle at once? Not sure what you mean about corporations.

my point is...the number of listings an "agent" (independent contractor) can handle at one time...is dependent only on the resources you are capable of utilizing.

I called a listing agent with a large number of listings on Friday afternoon so that it could be included in a home tour. She finally responded today, two days later after we've submitted an offer.

Another agent with lots of listings had phones without voice mail and he would not answer the phone or respond to email. You see, I wanted to advise this @$$ that I had driven some forty miles to show his listing that he claimed was available once when we did speak only to find out (with my clients) that the key in the lockbox worked with the deadbolt lock but not any of the other locks.

How about this one? Another agent with tons of listings said that her listing was available, but not vacant. My client and I went by within the agreed-upon timing only to be met with a lady in her robe who didn't speak English and would not let us in.

I guess my point is take all of the listings you want, but please consider the position of the buyer and buyer's agents. We look like idiots standing there with a buyer trying to follow the showing guidelines and still not be able to show a property.