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How Many Homes Do You Show Your Buyer?

By
Real Estate Agent with REMAX of Joliet

At a yard sale over the weekend I bought two books: The Book of Useless Information" and "The Best Book of Useless information Ever." These books are AWESOME and very entertaining!

I got to a section that read "The average buyer views 8 homes before purchasing a home." Now this book was published in 2006. But it got me to thinking the average number of homes I'm showing to MY buyers before they write an offer."

So, I went back to the last 15 buyers and pulled all the MLS sheets. I actually keep all the MLS sheets with notes from all the showings I show.

After calculating the numbers, I'm showing an average of 12 homes per buyer. I think that is pretty good actually. I know my buyers and Iremax joliet il do a lot of legwork at the computer before going out to view homes. I point out "Did you notice how small the kitchen is and you said you love to cook?" Or "I know you said you didn't want to be on a cul-de-sac and 2 of the homes you saved are."

I think with the technology we have, buyers probably view hundreds of homes. So when a buyer freaks out and wants to buy the 7th home they viewed and feel they need to view more, I remind them that they HAVE been viewing hundreds of homes and have narrowed it to the ones we are viewing!

 

Posted by

LaNita Cates of REMAX Realty of Joliet has been serving the Joliet, Plainfield, Naperville, Crest Hill, Bolingbrook, Shorewood and surrounding areas, helping buyers and sellers with all their real estate needs.

Comments (6)

Kristen Wheatley
Better Homes & Gardens | The Masiello Group - Brunswick, ME
Supporting Success - Best Job in the World!

Excellent point LaNita.  With all the tools available, buyers really do "see" more homes than they actually tour.  This hits home the importance for sellers to have quality photos and virtual tours of their homes.

May 06, 2012 11:10 PM
John McCormack, CRS
Albuquerque Homes Realty - Albuquerque, NM
Honesty, Integrity, Results, Experienced. HIRE Me!

Without running the numbers I'd agree 12 is about the average homes before making the big offer.  It always varies some buy the first home they see while others have to see 25. 

May 06, 2012 11:45 PM
Bill & Cyndi Daves
Hiawassee, Young Harris, Blairsville, Hayesville, Murphy and Beyond! - Hiawassee, GA
TeamDAVES - Your REALTORS In the GA/NC Mountains!

LaNita - Great point!  Technology has helped us in so many ways.  Recently I had a buyer who found a home online that she  just absolutely fell in love with.  Turns out the listing had expired so I contacted the seller and they had not renewed the listing since a pipe busted, flooded the bathroom/bedroom and they were repairing the damage.  Nothing doing my buyer HAD to see it anyway.  The sellers agreed to let her preview the home and pay a commission should she decide to buy it anyway.  We looked at about 8 other properties to compare them to the initial one and she couldn't move off of it!

She bought it and loves it!!

Cyndi

May 07, 2012 12:26 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

You've got me curious to go and look up my averages for the last dozen buyers I've closed.  I have a feeling the number will be close to 30.

May 07, 2012 01:25 AM
Cheryl Thomson REALTOR Ret Army
United Real Estate DC Metro Region (703.216.5635) cheryltee47@gmail.com - Prince William, VA
Associate Broker in Northern Virginia

You got me thinking...I hope it is less but I really don't know.

May 07, 2012 06:29 AM