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Buying A Home Is A Series of "Yeses"....Helping The Buyers Understand This

By
Real Estate Agent with Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 BRE# 01494165

Buyers are nervous....especially in this environment. As agents we can help our buyers take the steps with confidence by our explanations. I like to tell my buyers that the buying process is a series of "yeses"....we keep moving forward until we hit a "no."

1) Finding a home and writing an offer: "yes, we like the home enough to submit an offer"

2) Accepting a counter offer, or opening escrow: "yes, we accept the initial terms, subject to contingencies"

3) Reviewing the home inspection: "yes, the condition of the home is one we accept, or we ask for repairs"

4) Request for Repairs is responded to: "yes, we are satisfied with the response"

5) Loan approval and terms are received: "yes, we like the terms of our loan"

And the list goes on....insurance, title, appraisal.....we all know the list. I tell my buyers about these stages when we first meet. I always tell them that they will be making a series of decisions....and at the point they answer "no" to a situation, we move on.

Simple explanation which demystifies the process. And I think gives peace of mind to the buyers. Even experienced buyers experience uneasiness and second guesses. So....one step at a time, we go through the stages. If we get all "yeses"? We close....if not? We move on! 

 

Comments (31)

Joan Whitebook
BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH
Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

Getting to "YES" "YES... that is the tricky part.  I love the way you have woven the steps of the real estate transaction as many yesses!

Sep 27, 2010 04:04 PM
Ken Barker Realtor® GRI, E-Pro Certified
Dilbeck Real Estate - Burbank, CA

Karen - Perfect. You spelled it out very much in the proper line. You must have done this before. I love the hand holding process especially for first time buyers.

Congrats on the feature.

Sep 27, 2010 04:44 PM
Ted J. Macy
Top Agents Atlanta Metro - Milton, GA

This is a great post on what a professional sales person does, the buyer wants to buy, they just need someone who has certainty to guide them to the right decision.  Congrats on the feature.

Sep 27, 2010 04:56 PM
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

Hi, Karen.  

This is a great take on the concept of "Yes".   It differs vastly from sales lingo that endeavors to get a Yes answer - such as, "This house has most of the criteria you are looking for, doesn't it?"

Sep 27, 2010 05:31 PM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

And the minute the seller starts saying NO . . . yikes!!

Sep 27, 2010 05:40 PM
Cheryl Ritchie
RE/MAX Leading Edge www.GoldenResults.com - Huntingtown, MD
Southern Maryland 301-980-7566

And yes, I like your post explaining all the YES choices a real estate transaction involves.

Sep 27, 2010 11:09 PM
Anonymous
Nox Edge

One more Yes Karen...... Yes you have seen at something differntly which we are doing as a normal and doesn't pay attention to it. as someone in your post told things will be bumpy as the mortgage process goes along. i think the process is about hope. Both side is hopeful about answer of the opposite. Like client is hopeful about good lacality and conditoin of home and terms and condition of company and loan facility as well as company is hopeful about client's interest in their homes and client's acceptence of their terms. Both side hopeful to YES of other side. Thanks for the post.

Nox Edge

Sep 28, 2010 12:01 AM
#18
Fernando Herboso - Associate Broker MD, & VA
Maxus Realty Group of Samson Properties - Clarksburg, MD
301-246-0001 Serving Maryland, DC and Northern VA

A simple word and yet so filled with hope, dreams . . . and responsibilities!

Sep 28, 2010 01:26 AM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Karen, each yes gets both parties closer to the settlement table. Sometimes difficult to do, but well worth it in the long run. Thanks.

Sep 28, 2010 02:47 AM
Robert Amato
Bob Amato of Empire Home Mortgage Inc - East Meadow, NY

Italy is wonderful this time of year. The crowds of tourists are gone, the temperature is cooling down and all of the shops are open as store owners are back from their vacation.

 I'm shocked that you did not bring a laptop to check in Active Rain and stay connected. I guess the company was too wonderful.

 I hope that you had a glorious time.

Sep 28, 2010 02:58 AM
Bryan Robertson
Los Altos, CA

Simple, direct, and spot on what both agents and clients need to recall.  One of the mistakes I made starting out was to treat real estate sales as a consultative selling process.  I spent too much time trying to "solve the problem" and kept introducing new ones instead of just asking for the sale and getting to "Yes".

Sep 28, 2010 05:27 AM
Kristen Correa, Broker
Kristen Correa Real Estate & Reedy Creek Realty Services - Keller, TX
I love coffee & real estate. I am out of coffee!

I like that you said it demystifies the process. Sometimes buyers are overwhelmed or get that deer in the headlight look if you rattle off a long to-do list when they don't know the difference between a survey, appraisal and inspection! I like the idea of the process being coached through one at a time, YES, then move on if there is a no. It reminds me of the old joke, "How do you eat an elephant?" Answer is, "One bite at a time."

Sep 28, 2010 06:09 AM
Holly Weatherwax
Associate Broker, Momentum Realty - Reston, VA
A Great Real Estate Experience

What a great blog, Karen!  It is a simple way to explain it--especially to first time buyers.

Sep 28, 2010 07:48 AM
Amy Prumo
Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate Co. - Marathon, FL

cute

Sep 28, 2010 09:07 AM
Buki Burke
Ventura, California - Ventura, CA
(805)377-0236, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services CA

Karen--What a great way of looking at a sale. A series of yes'. A 2 year old would probably not do well at this since all they know is no.

Sep 28, 2010 10:40 AM
Glenn Roberts
Retired - Seattle, WA

Getting to Yes is a very good book on negotiating. But the first step these days in getting to yes is a NO. "No, I am not working with another realtor."

Sep 28, 2010 12:20 PM
Robin Dampier REALTOR®
Coldwell Banker King - Hendersonville, NC
Hendersonville & Western NC Real Estate Source

A great simple way to look at the buying process. Yes, I agree with the analogy.

Sue of Robin and Sue

Sep 28, 2010 02:41 PM
Christine Donovan
Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA
Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M

Karen - I think this is a great way to explain the process to buyers, and it gives them the important feeling of control.

Sep 28, 2010 05:31 PM
Cheryl Ritchie
RE/MAX Leading Edge www.GoldenResults.com - Huntingtown, MD
Southern Maryland 301-980-7566

I found myself thinking about this post a few days after I read it. So it's going to be reblog on my Southern Maryland site! Yes, yes, yes..it is definitely a journey of many yes answers to find the path home.

Sep 29, 2010 03:08 PM
Jark Krysinski *PREC (Personal Real Estate Corporation)
REMAX CREST REALTY WESTSIDE - Vancouver, BC
TeamYVR Team Leader, BA,ABR,IRES,IMSD,LLB

Karen, thanks so much for this post.  I found through someone else's reblog and just wanted to leave you a comment confirming the same experience.  I feel that it's useful to operate very simply with buyer clients and to make sure that we don't overwhelm them with too much information.  I think there is a tremendous brilliance in keeping conversations short and sweet and it's the sign of an experienced agent to know just when to step in and overwhelm clients with information and when not to do so. Cheers for now, Jark.

Sep 30, 2010 06:08 PM