Do You Have A Buyer For My House?

 Do you have a buyer for my house, was the first thing the seller asked. Even before I could take my coat off (much less sign the listing agreement) the sellers wanted to know if I had a buyer for their home. Who could blame them? After all, our job is to bring buyers and sellers together. But rarely does the process happen that swiftly. Here's why:

1) Motivated buyers act quickly--buyers being relocated often have 1-2 days to find their new home. I have sat down and helped couples develop criteria for their new home. When we find the home that meets the majority of these conditions they purchase it. Most will compromise their selection criteria before moving into temporary housing.

2) Agents represent buyers just like they do sellers-- When I work with a buyer my goal is to find the property that best meets THEIR needs, not selling them one of my listings. You can imagine how well, "hold off for six weeks I have a great property coming to market" would go over. Buyers can sniff out greedy agents like a bloodhound does escaped convicts...

3) Buyers are expensive-- With gas at four dollars a gallon you can see how driving buyers around for months would eat into profit margins. In terms of time, buyers are expensive as well. I can market multiple homes for sale at the same time. One set of buyers will typically eat my entire afternoon. Successful agents can managed 20 plus listings, but few keep more than a couple of buyers at a time.

4) Agents use this line to win the listing-- What seller wouldn't be thrilled if an agent brought a buyer immediately? Ever received a sales card from an auto dealer that proclaimed, "we need your trade in"? The same theory applies. The prospect of a quick, painless transaction is enough to get most folks to take action. Don't be surprised when that "buyer" turns out to be the agent's mother!

 When the listing agreement is signed my work begins. I will commit my company to finding you the highest offer with the best possible terms. But no, I don't have a buyer just itching to purchase your home. And odds are neither does my competition...