Why don't real estate agents show buyers only the houses they have asked to see? I was reading a real estate forum this weekend, and someone posed this question. He was very upset that the agent he is working with won't send him listings he wants to see, but instead is only sending him listings she thinks he wants to see. He went on to say what he was looking for, and throughout his statements he would put things in parathesise like (but I didn't tell her that) or (she doesn't know this).
My response was "... If you are talking in code and not actually telling her what type of project you're willing to undertake, that's your problem, not the agent's. I'm sure she would be very willing to show you some dumps where you can throw $50k at it to make it what you want, but if she's under the impression from your coded words that you just want a "fixer", you haven't clearly explained what that means."
I get buyers all the time who say they don't mind a "fixer". I try to get as much information as possible as everyone's definition of a fixer is different. Most will say they can do flooring and paint. Well, that's not really a "fixer", as those are just cosmetic and personal things. Do you want carpet or hardwoods or tile? Do you not like the color on the wall and you want to make it more neutral?
A "fixer" is more like a house that needs updates like the kitchen cabinets, appliances, and counters and the bathroom cabinets, counters, and fixtures, and the house needs to get rid of brass for a more updated brushed nickle or bronze look. The popcorn ceiling needs to be scraped for a smoother texture. The fence needs to be stabilized... etc..
More and more, I get buyers saying they are ok with doing work like this because they watch a lot of DIY. And time and time again, I show them houses where they say, "Well, ummm, this needs a lot of work..." and I point out that it's just what they asked for. And back to the drawing board.
Most people who say they're ok with a fixer aren't actually ok with it once they see reality. Many people who say they can do the painting and flooring themselves really want it already done for them as a convenience. More and more, people say what they want, but don't actually mean what they say. As an agent, I have to help them understand their options and show them what something done looks like compared to a "fixer". More times than not, they pick the house already done.
Last year, I had a buyer who wanted a fixer. Two of the houses I showed him were the same floorplan. One was $30k more than the other and was updated. I thought for sure he would pick the lesser priced home so he could do the updates/upgrades for less than the $30k premium on the other price... but he chose the house already done. He realized that he would be living in construction for several months and the stress of picking things out and coordinating wasn't for him.
Not everyone picks the redone property, but most will. Because of that, it's my job to show both sides. Also, because of that, my average buyer buys a property in less than 6 houses they view. Yes, some people need to see a few extra when they don't know the area very well, but that also means I have many buyers who buy within just a couple of houses they see. That's called LISTENING to what my buyers want!!
If you want an agent who will listen to your needs and wants, and you're in the Austin TX area, please contact me today!
**Are You Packed Yet?**
Donna Harris, REALTOR®
Regent Property Group
www.DonnaHomes.com
Donna@DonnaHomes.com
austin-texas-homes-for-sale.com
Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'll be with you every step of the way.
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Copyright© 2013 By Donna Harris, All Rights Reserved. You may re-blog with links back to this post.
*Why Don't Agents Listen to What I Want and Show Me Only These Houses?* was first published on donnahomesblog.com.
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