Area 17: Broker Tour of Homes Guidelines

The tour of homes has four purposes:

1. To help agent’s and their customers promote their “active” listings to selling agents to get them sold faster.
2. By familiarizing selling agents with the area 17 homes and communities expanding their market knowledge.
3. The tour also provides agents with the opportunity to network with other selling agents.
4. Listing agents have an opportunity to solicit feedback from their peers on the marketability of their listings among many others.

The tour administration is a volunteer position as a service to his/her fellow agents with the support of ECAR. The following guidelines have been established for area 17 (only) to alleviate misunderstandings and communicate a consistent & positive experience for our agents. These rules were reviewed by tour attendees and unanimously approved on 11/9/2022.

• The tour is scheduled to be held for the second Wednesday of each month. Start time is at 9:00 AM. Breakfast is prior to start. (Lunch is a possibility as well as special events) (ECAR rule)
• Each area tour is open for list agents that have homes in that respective MLS area. Thus area 17 is available for only area 17 homes per the MLS. (ECAR rule)
• To have a home on tour, agents are to register an “ACTIVE” listing located in Area 17 through the MLS system for the tour of homes on the appropriate date.  (ECAR rule)
• A listing agent may have only one home on tour for that month.
• One of the objectives of the tour is that licensed selling agents present to other licensed selling agents their properties. If you are presenting a property, the list agent or a co listed selling agent must be present at the start of the tour to present their home and remain on the tour for the duration. If the selling agent is not present at the start of the tour, the home is scratched from the tour.
• Homes scratched or cancelled after the tour is published are not eligible again for 6 months, (at the discretion of the tour coordinator also an ECAR approved rule). 
• The tour is for homes that can be toured that day and is not for under construction properties or to feature subdivisions and multiple homes. Builder model homes may be seen on tour at the discretion of the coordinator on a space available basis. Please contact the coordinator to discuss this further if you wish to feature a model home.
• The tour coordinator does not hold spots for future listings or for other reasons personal or otherwise.
• We will feature approx. 10 homes on the tour each month and those homes are selected based on date/time entered in the MLS. Only the home registered on the tour will be seen. If a home is under contract, it is not eligible. We will not substitute other listings.
• A home previously featured on tour is not eligible to be seen again on tour for at least six months regardless of agent changes or status changes.
• The tour coordinator will select & or solicit sponsors for the tour for breakfast. We welcome agents with homes on tour to offer their homes as a host site for the start and finish. If you wish to sponsor lunch and be at the end home, you are welcome to request it and we will see if that can be accommodated. (Sponsors are to be affiliate members of ECAR. ECAR rules)
• Agents should consider traffic and parking for viewing their listing. For safety reasons we strongly encourage that agents ensure community gates are open or have an assistant processing agent’s vehicle through expeditiously. Please also arrange and/or recommend locations for agents to park as required.
• If a home has an inside the home security system. Please have the owner disable it during the tour as agents do not wish to be monitored and recorded. This is not optional. Please remove your home if the owner refuses.
• If a home is dropped after the tour has been published that home & agent will be able to relist on another tour at the discretion of the tour coordinator on a space available basis. Thus, the agent should work with their client in advance to insure they will be on tour.
• The tour will be announced via ECAR area 17 Google Groups. If you wish to have updates on the tour, please sign up for area 17 in Google Groups through ECAR who administers the Google Groups. (ECAR administered process)
• And last, if you have a home on tour, you are expected to go see all the other homes on tour and not drop off after yours or just show yours. If that happens, we will not allow another of your homes on tour for 6 months. We are all busy, and that excuse doesn’t fly. If you want your home on tour, make the time to see the others agents’ homes too. Reciprocate please with other agents. It is a fact that tours sell homes faster. For that to be consistent, exposure to selling agents is crucial.