# Realtors ringing a bell for a sale? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 13, 2013, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173 "2013-02-13T13:05:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iantendo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@iantendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iantendo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/1 "2013-02-13T13:05:11Z")
I’ve seen on several American TV shows Realtors ringing a bell in the office when they make a sale. Being British I’ve never heard of this phenomenon before. Is there some history or reason for why people do this and why it always seems to be people selling property that do it? (Also take into account my experience of this is exclusively TV shows so I have no idea how much it actually happens or if it’s just a TV trope?) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/2 "2013-02-13T13:17:52Z")
This American (North, specifically) has never heard of bell ringing realtors. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/3 "2013-02-13T13:31:45Z")
The sales department at my office has a bell they ring when someone makes a sale. It’s kind of a “woo-hoo!” thing. For really big contracts they have an air horn. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/4 "2013-02-13T13:37:52Z")
I’ve seen it in sales situations. Annoying as hell. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/5 "2013-02-13T13:44:00Z")
When I bought my Saturn, they got everyone in the office to applaud me when I came to pick out the car. I would see them do it from time to time when I brought it in for maintenance. It was to make the buyer more confident he made the right choice. Simple, but very effective. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/6 "2013-02-13T13:47:46Z")
Actually, I’ve been in a few bars (pubs, to you in the UK) that have a “tip bell” that the bartender (publican) rings when they are tipped. Thankfully the bell is usually a dusty reminder of what someone once thought would be a cool idea. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/7 "2013-02-13T13:49:06Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > When I bought my Saturn, they got everyone in the office to applaud me when I came to pick out the car. I would see them do it from time to time when I brought it in for maintenance. > > It was to make the buyer more confident he made the right choice. Simple, but very effective. How did things work out for Saturn?😛 ---
**Author:** ![iantendo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@iantendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iantendo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/8 "2013-02-13T14:03:16Z")
Hmm I thought it was some kind of historical thing like a Barber’s pole. Actually the only time a landlord in the pub rings a bell in the UK is to tell drinkers that it’s ‘last orders’… kind of sums up the different mindset between the UK and USA - in the USA it’s to celebrate and inspire and in the UK it’s to tell people to go home! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/9 "2013-02-13T14:18:08Z")
At a high tech startup I worked for the Sales Director and CEO would ring a cow bell when any major deal was signed. I’ve seen it in a few places beyond a real estate office. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/10 "2013-02-13T14:22:06Z")
Every time a bell rings, a REALTOR gets his bling. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/11 "2013-02-13T14:40:45Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > When I bought my Saturn, they got everyone in the office to applaud me when I came to pick out the car. I would see them do it from time to time when I brought it in for maintenance. > > It was to make the buyer more confident he made the right choice. Simple, but very effective. This would have prompted me to turn around and walk out the door.. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/12 "2013-02-13T14:44:45Z")
I worked as a cook in a place where the bartenders would ring a bell for really good tips. It was effective too, people would really try to “earn” a bell ring from their bartenders. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/13 "2013-02-13T14:50:48Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > When I bought my Saturn, they got everyone in the office to applaud me when I came to pick out the car. I would see them do it from time to time when I brought it in for maintenance. > > It was to make the buyer more confident he made the right choice. Simple, but very effective. They gathered around and _sung_ me out the door :eek:. I was traumatized for life. My husband now buys all our cars on his own. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/14 "2013-02-13T15:01:07Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > When I bought my Saturn, they got everyone in the office to applaud me when I came to pick out the car. I would see them do it from time to time when I brought it in for maintenance. > > It was to make the buyer more confident he made the right choice. Simple, but very effective. Holy hell, that would immediately make me regret buying a Saturn. Glad they didn’t do that when I bought mine… ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/15 "2013-02-13T17:08:26Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > At a high tech startup I worked for the Sales Director and CEO would ring a cow bell when any major deal was signed. I’ve seen it in a few places beyond a real estate office. Did the CEO ever tell you that you needed more cow bell? ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/16 "2013-02-13T18:25:32Z")
My wife is in sales at a very large software company, and they apparently do this. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/17 "2013-02-13T19:09:38Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Did the CEO ever tell you that you needed more cow bell? I wasn’t in sales, I managed software projects. But yes, constant references to more cowbell. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/18 "2013-02-13T19:27:27Z")
Tips at Seacrets (a bar in Ocean City, MD) will inspire the bartender to ring a really cool Ship Bell. Loudly, with a rope. Also… never seen it in person, but I’ve heard that the chefs at the China Moon restaurant high five each other when someone places an order for Kung Pao. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/19 "2013-02-13T19:33:06Z")
At my company they had a small but extremely annoying gong that the salesmen would bash every time they closed a deal. I guess it was for morale but it ended up just annoying everyone so they stopped. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173/20 "2013-02-13T21:30:11Z")
Yes we do. We use a tambourine these days when we get a contract signed. When the deal closes we have to buy rounds of drinks for the office at the bar next door. We’re commerical-industrial (not residential) agents. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realtors-ringing-a-bell-for-a-sale/650173.md?page=2)