Communication is Key

Communication is Key

I spent the day today with a very good friend of mine, who also happens to be a Realtor in another jurisdiction.  We had a great day as I rode around with him visiting new listings and showing houses to a couple buyers.  

As I listened, and learned, and as he included me in some conversations it occurred to me "Are we communicating with our clients on a level that they truly understand?" Or, do we need to adjust our communication style so the buyer understands what they need to do.

We had just come out of a house and she was asking about making an offer, he says "but you aren't ready to make an offer" and in frustration he turned to me with a questioning look so I took the lead in explaining to her why she wasn't ready.

I asked her to confirm that she had a house to sell, then I asked her if she had spoken to a reputable local lender and the answer was no.  I asked her if she knew whether or not she needed to sell the house you currently own or can you qualify to purchase without first selling your house.  Finally, the light went on and she says to him, why didn't you tell me I had to meet with a lender and why didn't you tell me I couldn't make an offer until XYZ.

The answer was, he had, but either it didn't register with her, or she didn't take him seriously, or any number of reasons.  But, the real question is:  Are we communicating with our clients in such a way that they truly understand what steps they need to take to become a ready, willing and able buyer or seller?