Russ Global posted on November 01, 2008
People look at Real Estate Agents as sales people. But when you forgo an immediate commission by discouraging your client from buying a home that doesn't meet their needs, you are no longer seen as a salesperson but as a reliable adviser who cares more about the customer than the sales commission. You have to have the foresight to play this role with clients, and those sacrifices will be rewarded ten fold later.
This sounds simple but it is amazing how many practitioners squander away opportunities to build valuable trust with their clients. Here are a few easy mistakes that will seriously undermine your credibility and cause you to lose your client's trust.
Curb Feelings. It is pretty standard for a sales person to reinforce their client's positive feelings about a house at the curb. Then the buyers tell the sales person they're disappointed after seeing the house up close and the sales person agrees with the buyer's disappointment. These flip-flopping comments cause the buyers to lose trust in the sales person. They buyer will thinnk they were shown a property that didn't meet their needs to begin with. Avoid this lack of candor by tempering the buyer's excitement. This can be achieved by agreeing that it is a great possibility but also point out the things that may not meet their needs.
Bad Fit. If a buyer asks to see a house that doesn't fit their needs, you should inform them of how it doesn't meet their criteria before taking them to see the home. Avoid this by having the buyers research the most important criteria such as school statistics. You can also help them with this research but they have to make the final decision.
Want to Hear. Just saying what your client wants to hear is not the way to go. If your client wants to sell their house at a very aggressive price, don't tell them you can just because that is what they want to hear. Avoid this by being knowledgeable and honest with your clients about what you can and cannot do.