Real estate is a service industry where your job is to help the buyer or seller achieve their goal (which can vary).
That means you have to know what their goal is.
Larry King once said, “I never learned anything while I was talking.”
Anyone who has worked with me will tell you that I ask a lot of questions. How else can I find out what the customer wants?
I had a lakefront 6 bedroom home in Plantation. A man called me off my sign inquiring about the house. When I started telling him about the details of the house, he stopped me, telling me that 6 bedrooms was too many, since the house would be for just him and his wife.
He was looking for a 3 to 4 bedroom home in the area to be close to his son. They had cash and wanted to buy something in one week.
I tried to see if I could help by sending him some other properties, but he wouldn’t tell me much what about what he wanted, nor would he give me his email. How was I supposed to help him?
A few days later a REALTOR® asked to show that same house. When she called to schedule I mentioned that there was a walk through video of the house and asked if her buyer was a big family.
She then started telling me how the buyer was cash, who was moving to be closer to his son. I told her that he had called already on the property and had said that 6 bedrooms were too much for him. But if she had convinced him to see it, I am happy there was interest.
I scheduled the showing with my owner and within fifteen minutes the REALTOR® called me back saying it was too big for him and they had to cancel.
It caught me a little by surprise that this REALTOR® was showing a buyer properties but had no idea what he wanted. What was she using as criteria for his search to decide what properties to see?
So as you go throughout your day, please remember to listen a little more, and ask good questions. 🙂