I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
And for those that did some holiday shopping for Black Friday, I hope your deals were plentiful.
That being said, I want to talk about real estate and shopping. Real estate is not something where you get up one morning and ask yourself, “Hmm, I feel like going to the mall or maybe looking at some real estate?”
Most people that go shopping for a car usually do a bit of research before walking into a dealership showroom. Why would you do less research for a home when it is a larger purchase than a car?
It amazes me how many people plan well when it comes to traveling and booking a trip, yet fall short when it comes to the real estate part of their trip.
I had some Canadian buyers ask me to show them property the morning of Black Friday. Most REALTORS® laughed in my face when I tried to schedule some properties to see.
Another Canadian buyer left me a message at 5pm on Thanksgiving. I returned her call at 8pm and she explained that she was in town, wanting to see some property while she was here.
Sunday December 28th I woke up to an email sent at 3:30am where some people from California said they were in town until Wednesday and wanted to see some properties TODAY.
Real estate is not a trip to the mall. If you are going to travel to see properties, you plan the tickets in advance, don’t you?
So why wouldn’t you think to contact a REALTOR® before you get here? I always recommend to my out of town buyers, to let me know at least one week ahead of time when they are coming.
That way I can block off the days they are here to give them my full attention. Also, it ensures that I have enough time to schedule a bunch of properties to make the best use of their time while they are here.
Lastly, factor in holidays. I know YOU are on vacation, but REALTORS® may be spending the holiday with their family. And, owners and tenants may not want to be showing their homes during a holiday.
If you plan to travel to look at properties, call a REALTOR®. Before you get there…