What Would You Do?

I can't count the number of times I am asked this question during a real estate transaction. At virtually every turn buyers are asking me "What would you do?"  I know they are looking to me for guidance but the bottom line is I'm not the one buying a house or even looking to buy a house.  I also know that they are extremely anxious because this is a huge purchase, but I truly cannot tell them what to do.

The first time I hear this question is when they find a house that they really like.  After weeks of searching they begin to feel as though they will never find the house of their dreams, but when a house comes along that meets most of their needs...they panic. "It has AB & C, but it doesn't have Z, what would you do"?   Of course the simple answer is to say, "Make an offer". But you need to add a bit more "fluff" to your response.  You might say something like, "if this house has most of the amenities you want, then you should consider making an offer".

The next time I usually hear "What would you do"is when we are reviewing the comparables for the property.  In many cases, the numbers speak for themselves, so the seller would be looking for something in the range of the comps...usually.  So the buyers need to decide what the house is worth to them.  As their Realtor, all you can do is compare condition and location of the various properties that have sold.  You can also compare the property to all of the other properties they have seen in the area.  But the bottom line is it's their decision.

This question will pop up a few more times throughout the transaction:

• During the negotiation process...sales price, closing cost assistance, length of contingencies, home warranties, home inspections...the list goes on and on
• Negotiating the home inspection items
• Requesting a credit or having the seller do the repairs
• Removing the various contingencies
• Negotiating walk through items

I have to confess, when I am asked this question I would love to say, "Grow up and make a decision, I'm not the one buying a house".  But in reality, your buyers know what they should do, they are just looking for reassurance from an expert...and that expert is you and me.  So let's do our job, be patient, be nice and help them navigate through the home buying process because while we do this every day, this is a new experience for them.