Buyers Have to Be Read Like a Book

Years ago, I spent a year or two with some of my best friends visiting houses almost every Sunday. Afterward, we would go out for dinner. I loved observing how they evaluated the homes, and I learned a great deal by listening to their comments. My friends were always very polite. If the owner or listing agent were there, they would say, “Your house is beautiful,” or “We love it.”

Then we would get outside, and I would ask, “Why did you say that? This isn't the house for you.” Their answer was simple. They wanted to make the seller feel good. 

Then came my job. When the agent called me for feedback, I had to explain that there was NO, and I mean NO, interest in the house. You learn a lot about selling by listening to buyers. But you also have to learn to read buyers like a book.

There is another kind of buyer who walks into a house and immediately starts criticizing everything. “This needs too much work.” “There aren't hardwood floors."

” The price is too high.” 

You might think they hate the house. Not necessarily. They may love it. Criticizing everything may be their way of beginning the negotiation.

Only once do I remember a buyer, a military officer, walking into a house, loving everything, writing a full-price offer, and going all the way to closing without the usual drama. That is not how it usually happens.

Reading buyers is something you learn over years, no matter what you are selling. And you can recognize an astute salesperson by the questions they ask.

Just this week, I accompanied a friend who was choosing tile for her new home. It took hours. Our tastes are opposite, so I wasn't there to tell her what I liked.

Instead, I watched and listened to a superb salesperson.  My friend would pick up a tile and say, “I like this one. What color is it?”  Instead of telling her what color he thought it was, he would ask, “What color do you see?” Or “What do you like about this one?” He was patient. He listened. Then, almost casually, he would bring over one or two other tiles and put them beside her choice for comparison. He wasn't selling her his taste. He was helping her discover hers. That's good selling.

Whether you're selling tile, a car, a piece of art, or a home, the best salesperson isn't necessarily the one who does the most talking. It's the one paying attention.

What people say matters. What they don't say can matter even more. Sometimes the most important part of selling is learning to hear what the buyer never actually said.