GETTING TO KNOW YOU, GETTING TO KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU!
Sounds like a Rogers and Hammerstein song doesn’t it? Well, they had something going on there that relates well to real estate and the real estate industry.
You might notice that some real estate sales representatives ask an awful lot of questions, some very personal about your family, your finances and your goals. Other REALTORS® ask nothing. All they want to know is when can they meet to show you the home you have called on.
We are the type of REALTORS® who ask A LOT of questions. Why do we do this and why do others not? We can’t really speak to the issue as to why others don’t but we can certainly tell you why we do and why we think all REALTORS® should.
As a buyer, wouldn’t you like to know as much as you can about your capabilities to purchase a home? Don’t you want to know if you can afford or even get a mortgage? Yes, we have heard it time and time again. “Sure, no problem. That home is within my budget.” We can tell you that on many occasion that person was WRONG. They did not do their homework. They did not sit down with a mortgage broker or bank to crunch the numbers. The buyer may also be asking to see a home that a first glance seems right for them but even with the vast amount of info on the internet today, many buyers do not know all they need to know. By asking these somewhat personal questions we can help to determine if the home the buyer is asking about is really suitable. Yes, it’s a 4 bedroom home but 2 are in the basement. Are you’re children OK with sleeping in the basement while you the parents are on another floor? The home backs onto a school or playground. Is this OK for you?
Going to see a home and not being qualified, especially financially can have a negative affect on the entire buying process. For example, the buyers have fallen in love with a home they can’t afford. Now when they do look in their proper price range of homes, these don’t look nearly as nice or are as big. They may be semi-detached or row homes and not the single family home they thought they could afford! Now everything they can afford just does hold up to the home they couldn’t afford but fell in love with. On top of all that, we have made the sellers of that great “We Love it” home get out of the house for the showing, get the home ready to show, maybe keep the children up late and have to go out for diner and the buyer never could have bought that home. What a waste of time and a lot of frustration for everyone.
With that in mind, you must remember that the listing REALTORS® you are calling all WORKS FOR THE SELLERS and it is that REALTOR’S® duty to try and make sure that visitors and prospective buyers are qualified. The REALTOR® is also trying to save you from wasting your time too. Maybe, after all the questions are asked, you may think it’s a good idea to have that REALTOR® working with and for you!
So the next time you call or write a REALTOR® for information, don’t get upset if they ask lots of questions. It’s for everyone’s benefit. In fact, be cautious if no questions are asked. That REALTOR® may have their own best interest in mind.
Leave a Reply
