Working With "Scared" Buyers...

I Think That Just About Every Realtor has had a Buyer Who was Concerned about Something, had Questions about Going Ahead with Her Purchase, or... Maybe She's Was Just Scared.

What do you do when a buyer is just plain "scared ?"

Try this:

Let's call our buyer "Michelle."  She was thinking about making a commitment on a home.  She had been looking for several months.  Michelle had seen perhaps twenty homes so far.  There had been two homes she has absolutely loved, but ended up not making an offer at first.

Of course, she hesitated.  She had "concerns."

It is very natural to have concerns, but sometimes a buyer just comes up with whatever they can to "slow down the buying process."

By the time Michelle calmed her fears... by the time she decided there wasn't anything to be concerned about... by the time she finally called me to submit an offer... both of the homes were sold !

The next time she was hesitating about "going ahead" Michelle came up with another "fearful concern." 

This time she thought that the back yard was too large for her to take care of.  Michelle said to me... "Karen Anne... if only the back yard were just ten or fifteen feet shorter... I wouldn't be so afraid of it being too much work."

When I heard that... I knew it was finally time for me to use "Old Faithful."  It was time for my "secret weapon." 

It was time for "Feel, Felt, Found !"

So I said to Michelle... very slowly:  "Michelle... I understand how you feel.   I've known several other buyers who have felt the same way.  But after they bought their home and moved in, ya know... they found... that having a slightly larger back yard was actually something they were really glad they had."

Michelle just sat for a minute.  Actually, she sat for several minutes.  She was thinking.  So was I... but I kept quiet.  <smile>

Then Michelle turned to me and said... "Karen Anne, I think you're right.  I was just nervous.  But in thinking about what you just said... I think I'm just making something out of nothing.  Let do the paperwork, ok ?"

We "did the paperwork," I called the Listing Agent, faxed over the contract, and within eight hours, it was accepted... just as we wrote it.

This all happened a few years ago.  I ran into Michelle a few days ago at the local Krogers.  She was all smiles... just so happy with her home... and so glad it had "such a nice rear yard."

And honestly, she couldn't thank me enough!  I felt so glad for her I almost started crying.

The Point:  Sometimes Buyers just need to know they are not the only ones with fears.  They need to know that they are not the only ones who were really scared to make the next move.  Sometimes they just need to know... that they're not alone.

Now... I know the above example about the rear yard was kind of "small-ish."  But that's what buyers sometimes do. 

Seriously.  Try this.  Try the "Feel, Felt, Found" close.  Practice it when you're driving in the car.  Practice it with one of your friends.  Try it on your dog or cat.  You can even use it on your own children when they are afraid of something.

It really works !

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