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Wanna go see some homes you don't like?

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Redfin

How often have you said, “Let’s make a list of what you’re looking for in a home?” Good agents will get people to prioritize what they’re looking for in terms of musts, shoulds, and wants. And then they help their clients pursue that goal doggedly!

But I think great agents know that experience is the best teacher.  A list is abstract.  It's something the buyer dreamed up, sometimes without a lot thought or consideration.  And to get to the *real* list of what someone needs in a home and how much they are willing to pay, clients learn as much from seeing the homes they don’t want as they do from the homes they might want.

A few extra showings of homes above or below their target price range, or with different amenities builds confidence and can help a buyer get ready to act when they find "the one."

So this week’s Redfin partner agent review of the week goes to David Griffith from ERA Sunrise Realty in West Cobb County, GA. He invested a little extra time in the process and got big returns. Here’s what the happy home-buyer had to say:

"David was friendly but not pushy. He did not hesitate to show us a variety of houses, even some that were quite far out of our target range and style. He didn't mind showing us houses that we found on our own and also came up with further suggestions on his own. What a help!" Check out the full review on Redfin.

Redfin’s partners hang their licenses with other brokerages but share our values and commitment to customer service. They serve our clients in neighborhoods where we don’t have our own agents, or when we’re just too busy to hold up our end of the bargain with new clients coming through the door.

Comments(4)

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Wayne Johnson
Coldwell Banker D'Ann Harper REALTORS® - San Antonio, TX
San Antonio REALTOR, San Antonio Homes For Sale

Good point Adam. It is helpful to see a range of homes (not suggesting you need to show 50) for a buyer to really hone in on what somebody may really like. Many have been surprised at something they thought they'd hate actually become an important element in the buying decision.

Sep 15, 2010 07:11 AM
Diane Friesen
Century 21 Coastal Realty Ltd. - Surrey, BC

My problem is that the buyers seem to know what they want and don't want to waste their time going to view a bunch of homes.   I am going to have to figure that one out.  

Sep 15, 2010 07:11 AM
Donna Harris
Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com - Austin, TX
Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator

I agree with showing properties that might not match their criteria, but I don't agree with showing properties significantly above their price range.  Because of that, I have not had a single home buyer go through foreclosure or need to short sale their home because they can "afford" it.

Sep 15, 2010 07:14 AM
Adam Wiener
Redfin - Seattle, WA

Diane - great point!  I agree that if you've got someone who's on a tight timeline and is absolutely sure about what they want forcing them to look at other listings (especially higher priced listings) doesn't benefit anyone.  I just find that often new buyers or people from out of the area want the freedom to explore without feeling like they are on a deadline

Donna - I completely agree with you and your track record is admirable.  For folks who are on a specific budget and can't comfortably spend more, you should never push them outside their comfort zone.  That's the opposite of what a fiduciary should do.  But some people do have some flexibility and they should also have the freedom to explore.

Thank you both for forcing me to clarify and make this post better.

Sep 15, 2010 07:20 AM