Whose Time Are You Wasting?

Whose Time Are You Wasting?

This is a story I hear all the time - a Homeowner wants to move, but they don't think they can because of what they've heard about ‘this market'.  When I ask the Homeowner why they think that, I usually get answers about what they've heard on the news about the tough real estate market, or the lagging economy, or about foreclosures and short sales driving down prices.

In this situation, I always offer to take some time and sit down with them to help them really evaluate if moving is an option, and I often get this answer - ‘I don't want to waste your time.'

Wait - what?  Whose time?  My time?  That's awfully considerate, and I appreciate it - I really do. But I wonder if these Homeowners have ever thought about their own time wasted - time wasted unhappy in their current situation, time wasted wishing they could move, time wasted thinking they can't move based on what they hear on the news.

The fact is, everyone's situation is different.  Each person in this situation has a different motivation, different beliefs about why they need to move, and different end goals.  For me as a Realtor, it's so important that I understand the motivations and goals.  Because the real estate market is only going allow what it's going to allow.  The numbers are what they are.  Motivations and goals make the picture complete.

If you'd like to move, but aren't sure if it's a possibility for you, I can take a few minutes over the phone to get an idea of a situation.  Knowing just a little bit about your neighborhood, community, and home, considering current market conditions, and the mortgage balance owed (assuming equity is needed to move up), I can give a conservative estimate - a simple ‘yea' or ‘nay' as to whether a move is realistic, based on what it is you want to accomplish.

I'm not suggesting that this is the best way for me as a Realtor to evaluate your situation.  Ideally, we would spend some time evaluating your goals in order to come up with a plan for your move.  But yes, if you are worried about wasting my time, I can do an initial consult over the phone.

Quite frankly, however, I wish Homeowners would be as considerate of their own time as they are about mine.