Keeping the client when a deal fails

A prospect came to me last week via a colleague from another state.  The prospect was moving into my area and was looking at some homes.  One of those homes we had under agreement to list from the bank that foreclosed on the property.  We were in our last week of a two-month stint trying to sell the house.  The couple liked the house in spite of the considerable work that needed to be done to make the place livable.  The prospect wanted to make an offer and I suggested the come to the office in the morning to sign the papers.

In the morning the first set of papers signed was a buyers rep agreement so that I could represent them in the transaction.  While our office did have the listing, I was not the listing agent.  On the same day we made the offer another higher offer came in from another buyer.

On the last day of the listing being in our office we closed the deal on that house and I got to keep my clients who’s offer was rejected for the first house.  Since then, the couple has been very active searching for other homes in the same area, price and features.  We have found 18 and narrowed the list down to 3, but really we want just one.  Today we will shape an offer based on information I will gather from the listing agent, area sales in the last couple of weeks and our strategy.

The Sanford System’s goal is to get the most, spend the least and do it as quickly as possible.  This particular client is living this dream.  We may very well make our second offer in less than a week, get a better house that can be moved right into and make a purchase right that will net them a great return when they decide to move again.  I feel my job is to make sure our offer is for a price that the seller will accept and the buyer loves.  In this flurry of showing and seeing I have noticed the vast differences between how agents package and promote their homes.  This is more instructive than the Sanford System rules.

Coming into a house that is seriously overpriced for the current market, is poorly prepared for the public showing, and the agent doesn’t return phone calls indicates the lack of skill or professionalism of the agent.  I will never approach this important process for one of my clients in this lackadaisical way.  It is unfair to the seller who may know nothing better.

TALE OF THE TAPE: Day 77 0f 90

Found the house for a client and today will shape our offer.  Tasting the success of the work being put in gives me wings to cover more ground today.  Wishing all of you the same today.