Tips for Buyers' Agents: How to Find a Property for a Client in a Seller's Market
(Please make sure to read the disclaimer regarding these tips at the end of the blog post.)
Finding a property for a buyer and getting your offer accepted in a seller's market can be very, very challenging. Yesterday Mr. Zavala was out and about doing his real estate thing and he stopped at a home where we had just taken a listing to drop off his sign and lockbox. When he was getting out of the car, he saw a few people looking his direction: they appeared to be a real estate agent and client. They were about to enter a home with a ‘for sale' sign. As Mr. Zavala was removing his sign from the trunk of his car, the agent and client approached him.
"Are you listing this house for sale?" the buyer's agent said.
"Yes. I'm going to put it on the MLS later today. How can I help you?" Mr. Zavala responded.
"Do you think that we can go in and see it right now before it is on the MLS? My client and I have been putting in offers all over town but we just cannot get our offer accepted."
As Mr. Zavala was telling me this story, I had an idea. It's a really difficult market for buyers' agents in Escondido and in San Diego County and other parts of the United States. So, I then thought of a unique way to locate properties before they go on the market. Why not park your car outside a very large real estate brokerage and wait until agents come out holding signs and lockboxes? When someone comes out of the office with a real estate sign in hand, just follow that car-and maybe you will find a new listing just about to go on the market.
Okay... so if you are not the stalking type, here is a great way to find homes for your buyers. Attend your local caravan. Network with other agents. Tell the agents about your buyers' wants and needs and listen intently when agents pitch their new properties coming on the market. Attending local caravan has worked wonders for the careers of Escondido Realtors®. Today there were over 100 attendees, so it was a great opportunity to network and make deals.
(Disclaimer: Just to be very clear, the stalker suggestion was written tongue in cheek and I would never, ever advocate any real estate activities resembling that suggestion. My apologies, dear Reader, if you found it offensive!)
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