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#22 of 100: Buyers—Stop Holding Out—Are You On the Bus or Off the Bus?

By
Real Estate Agent with Zuber Group Real Estate

Get off the pot

There are dozens of sayings about fence sitters: On the bus or off the bus! Shit or get off the pot! Are you in or are you out? The time to hesitate is past! It’s now or never!

Sometimes no matter how great the property or how great the price, buyers hesitate and screw around and lose out on their dream home.

Take your clients back to the property and let them experience being there and visualize themselves living there to help them get emotionally attached.

Restate the long list of benefits your clients have just disclosed as important to them and list them in order of priority, to reinforce in your clients mind all of the valid reasons for moving forward.

Tell your clients a story about a past client who was feeling the same reservations they’re feeling right now, but who decided to go ahead with the deal and as a result are so unbelievably happy.

Grab a piece of paper; make a list of all the PROS and cons. (But first, make damn sure there are more pros than cons!)  Draw a line down the center of a page and start filling up all the “PROS” section.

If you know they are almost ready to buy, but they’re still hesitating, temporarily take it away from them. Suggest convincingly that the property may no longer be available—and watch their expressions. Sometimes people need to feel what it’s like to lose out on their ideal property before they can commit.

Other times people focus on the price or the interest rates way too much, instead of the value they are getting … in this case, break the purchase down into payments, so your clients can focus on a smaller number. More buyers than not will forget the exact purchase price and/or interest rate 6 months down the road, however they always remember exactly what their payment is.

There is no room for holdouts in the real estate—people who sit forever on the fence, who can’t decide if they’re more afraid of failing or succeeding, so they never commit.

Craig Zuber- Story #22 of 100 over the next 100 days


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Previous story:
#21 of 100: Your House Is Worth Zero Because Your Grandparents Gifted It To You

Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hi Craig,  I was lucky last week.  A friend of a friend call me and wanted to look at a townhome he saw on the web, showed it on Sunday and wrote a contract on Sunday Night.  Why can't more people be like that.

Feb 12, 2011 02:44 AM
Robert Bob Gilbert
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties - Katy, TX
Your Katy TX ( West of Houston) Real Estate Expert

Thanks for the ideas about trying to close a deal. I have tried several of your suggestions but as we all know each client is unique with there own set of objectives, fears and quirks...

Feb 12, 2011 02:47 AM
Diana Manzato
Highland Village, TX

The picture says it all!!!!!!

Feb 12, 2011 03:01 AM
Ginger Harper
Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage~ Ginger Harper Real Estate Team - Southport, NC
Your Southport~Oak Island Agent~Brunswick County!

YOu are right. Time is right.  Don't miss the boat..

Feb 23, 2011 12:36 AM
Dominic Tartaglia
Tartaglia Homes - San Luis Obispo, CA
GRI, SLO first-time homebuyer specialist

Nailed it! I have been dealing with clients in that boat since Dec. and once they experience the all too frequent incident where their offer doesn't even get considered (because they drag their feet) they kick it into high gear and offers get drawn up and signed.

And the interest rate thing, just remind them that rates are only going up and as they go up so do their monthly payments. 

Feb 24, 2011 09:35 AM