We thought we knew what we were looking for ....

I have seen this happen so many times! All the more reason it's important for us to listen to a buyer's feedback so we can help guide them. However, it does make our job more difficult sometimes because we spend time looking for homes that meet their criteria only to have them send us a listing or visit an open house that makes us scratch our head...

Very well put, John. It can be a little frustrating at times, but they buyer knows what they want when they see it.

Hi John, that is why we tell buyers and seller that it is an emotional experience.

It's a little like trying on shoes. Some may look great but once you put them on, they feel uncomfortable and you have to change direction.

I guess this is why we hear "buyers are liars, and sellers are too".  It's hard to know what you want, until you see it up close. 

John: Thanks for the great post. You covered it so well. I guess we just need to ask a lot of questions of all parties, listen to their answers if they have them. Be flexible, keep them in communication as they look and find out what they liked and didn't like, and why, as they go along. Eventually, you will be able to know if what they think they want just isn't realty, and you need to review what they've said, what they've seen and tell them the truth as you see it when you all review your progress. Good luck to us.

Nice post John!  I always tell my buyers (first time or not) that their criteria will change as they start to look at homes and it's a natural part of the process. 

Most client when they are searching for the next homes or for the first time buyer only focus on # of bedrooms # of bathroom, style of the house and area where they want it to be. A lot of them end up with buying house end up with either smaller/ bigger then their original intention Only 1 or 2 buyers get what they want.

Oh yes, this has happened to all of us.  Great blog, thanks!

Nice post, John.  We, as Realtors, need to continue with our routine initial consult.  But we also must understand that this consult is nothing more than the starting point.  Over time, likes and wants change, locations change and even price ranges change.  Flexability is the watchword in our business.  We need to listen to what our buyers say, but continue listening because what we hear today is usually different than what we heard yesterday.  Sometimes a difficult situation, but they usually work out in the end. 

Awesome blog John. Sorry I didn't read it earlier. I'm sure you'll continue to have more comments trickle in as everyone agrees with your sentiments.  Have a great day!

Have a great day and an outstanding weekend.

We have a beautiful sunny day in Maryland and I am getting ready to take a long walk.  We do expect snow tonight.

Missed this post, not sure how, but it rocks and makes so much sense.  Congratulations on a well deserved Feature Q Man.

Great post, John. I'm with you. They say "buyers are liars," but I think they're just confused!! That's why we're there to help them figure things out!

I don't think buyers ever end up with exactly what they started out looking for. In my experience, they always see something they like that is different from what they thought they wanted. And...they usually spend more than they had planned to spend. Congratulations on the well-deserved featured post!

I have never had a Buyer who ended up with the property they first described to me. I have come to expect that.

All buyers have that right to change their minds as they see what is out there. I do like them to have at three must haves and hopefully those don't change. Excellent discussion John.