When dealing with sellers and buyers in todays market it can not be over emphasized enough to ask the right questions. Sellers are anxious to sell their homes and sometimes will hold back information that would prevent or delay this process. If we fail to ask if the mortgage is up to date, are taxes up to date, are their any liens on the home, and one of the most important questions to ask before closing, "Is there anyone else who has a say in the decision to sell your home?" This question is sometimes forgotten by agents. Then right before closing the other party decides that they do not want to sell the home or the price is not right or whatever may be the case. How much better it is to ask the question at the listing appointment so that everyone is on board for selling the home and decisions can be made.
Then when dealing with buyers sometimes we forget to ask the same question, "Is there anyone else involved with making the decision to purchase a home?" Many times agents have found the right home for a young couple after showing numerous listings, to find out that mom or dad has to see the home before we can write the offer because they are supplying the down payment or earnest money. Mom and dad only see the home the couple has picked out and not the homes that they rejected. Being objective they are going to question whether this is the right home for their "little darling", not realizing that the previous 10 homes we looked at were far inferior to this one. How much better it would have been to have mom and dad go with us to compare all the homes and then see why this one is "the one".
Sometimes it is hard to remember to ask the right questions, especially when we are excited about helping a client. We can sure save ourselves a lot of time and stress though if we just remember to "ask the right questions".
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