It has become increasingly important to make the time we spend with our buyers more productive and profitable don't you agree? So why do we continue to tour people around showing them homes so that they can figure out what it is they want or are looking for in a home? I've heard of agents showing buyers 30,40 or 50 homes only to have the people change their minds 10 times or worse yet, decide that there is no home on the market they want so they say goodbye and you've spend three weeks and $50 (make that $100!) worth of gas and have nothing to show for it.
I suggest a better way. Educate the buyers. Spend time with them in front of a computer-preferrably a big screen monitor or projector in your office-and show them the market. In a matter of an hour or two you can probably narrow down what they want in a home, convince them where the market really is that they want to be in, and most likely have a much shorter list of really good possibilities that they may actually write an offer on. Those two hours in front of a computer could save you an entire weekend of show and tell
I start my searches with their wish list. We write it down and put it all into the MLS search. Nowadays, you can search for practically any feature, descrition, term. I may end up with 50 listings out of 500 and a price range hundreds of thousands of dollars apart, but it's a simple start. Then we start factoring out those things they can do without. I alsways look at price last-instead of first. I've learned that if you simply go out searching within a 25K-50K range and limited criteria they will want you to start showing them homes at the bottom and will work their way to the top. You just showed them 25 homes and guess what-their favorite was the most expensive. They'll most likely will never like the bottom of the range. I always make sure I've got the financing covered before we hit the road. That's even more important with the current mortgage limitations.
As agents I think many of us have let the buyer control the process. Moreso the newer agents who are still cutting their teeth and affraid to stand up and say "no I can't go show you all 30 of these homes!" Remember, we are or are supposed to be the professional. Earn their trust by showing them you respect their time and they will respect yours!
Good luck, trust me it works.
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