You're an excited home buyer that has met with your REALTOR® and discussed the importance of buying a four bedroom home since you have two children and your mother visits from Florida a few times a year and you would like her to have a separate first floor bedroom. You've also explained that an ample sized yard is a must-have so Rover can run around. An upgraded kitchen is a necessity since you do not want to move into a home and tackle a major renovation project. Lastly, you've explained that privacy is important and a home that is set apart from the neighbors would be ideal.
With this crucial information in hand, and additional details such as pre-approval price point and desired school district, the agent combs through the MLS to set up showings for homes that have all the aspects of what is desired by the client.
Four showings are set up. The agent and client walk though the first showing. The client stays fairly quiet while walking through the home and after the front door is locked behind them, the agent begins to ask questions and the client responds...
- What are your thoughts? I didn't like it
- What in particular didn't you like? The kitchen
- What about the kitchen didn't you like? The layout
- Can you offer me further insight. What in particular about the layout of the kitchen didn't you like? It seemed odd
- What was odd? The island
- What was odd about the island? The placement
- So, are you saying that if the island was positioned differently, you would have preferred the flow of the kitchen? Yes
- Is there anything else you didn't like about the house? No. It was actually perfect. That island location just didn't feel right to me.
- So, are you saying that if the kitchen island were positioned somewhere else in the kitchen, then this home would have been exactly what you're looking for? Yes
Agent says to her client, excuse me for a moment. Grabs her cell phone and calls the listing agent to ask: "I am standing outside your listing at 123 ABC Street and was wondering, would you please be so gracious as to reach out to the sellers to inquire if the kitchen island is movable?" A few moments later, the listing agent calls back. She said she had never thought to ask the seller if the island was movable and in fact, when she called the seller, they explained that they often "move it closer into the dining area when they have large parties and utilize it as a food and beverage station."
Voila...Problem solved! Without the deep digging of questions, followed by further questions, the buyer's agent and buyer would have moseyed on to the next showing and the buyer would have walked away from the perfect home.
Never underestimate the power of feedback!
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