Buyers Clueless or Liars?

This article is about real estate buyers and their agent's status. If your buyers aren't really telling you the truth about what type of home they want or can afford, it could be because they don't trust their agent with the knowledge. Unfortunately, it's true in many cases. If the buyers aren't convinced that you will work in their best interests with full knowledge of their situation, then they won't tell you everything, everything you need to know. Before any homes are shown, your goal should be to build a high level of trust with them that will allow them to be open and honest with you and give you all of the information you need to help them. This isn't always possible, as there are a lot of people out there who don't trust anybody. But, it's best for you and your buyers to get to the highest level of trust possible.

 

Here is an example from a agent selling Collin County Homes who came into the market after being a tire kicker, subscriber and searcher on his website for years. At last, the timing seemed right, but the buyer was in the lowball offer mood, and there was a lot of difficulty in getting him to see the problem unrealistic offers present, even after two had already resulted in hard feelings and burned bridges with sellers. You would think that now this agents blog site was a good one, holding this buyer on his list for more than two years. This agent did a lot of market statistics and commentary that illustrated a great deal of market knowledge. So, what is the problem?

• It took several failed offers before the buyer finally decided that the time wasn't right to buy and he left.
• This buyer had previous poor experience with buyer's agents in other areas.
• He held a belief that all real estate buyers agents were after the commission first, and serving his needs second.
• The market was slow and the real estate buyer refused to believe that this area wasn't full of motivated sellers ready for any offer.
• The buyer's broker tried to gently lead the buyer to the knowledge that would help them to see their interests were at the top of this agent's list.

Was there no real desire for this buyer to buy because he was also interested in Tarrant County homes and Denton County homes as well? This wasn't the case, as it was a long drive to get to this area, and the buyers did some intensive online studying before making the trip out there. It was only because this buyer believed that the agent couldn't be trusted when he was telling them to raise their offers and posting higher earnest money deposits that they would need, and other facts about that specific market and homes that would help them to actually successfully make a purchase. Work on trust first, and you may find it a pleasure to work with buyers who respect your opinion and truly consider your advice. The clueless part isn't just as regards the first time home buyer. Many experienced buyers who have done multiple transactions in their lives will still not have market specific knowledge that can hurt them in their search for a home.

• Even specific knowledge of how certain listing brokers handle their negotiations on behalf of their sellers
• Local custom as to earnest money and offer presentation.
• Market conditions, absorption rates, and local market trends.
• Specific area knowledge that dictates very different home prices in areas not that far apart geographically.
• Quality information as related to specific builders or subdivisions.

Warning - Don’t Take Every That Come your Way

While you want as many listings as possible, sometimes it is best to turn a listing down. Why? To save yourself a big headache and getting a listing that will not sell because at the end of the day, whether true or not, the sellers will blame your for their home not selling.  Fully explore these below challenges with prospective clients, up front.

1. Does the seller even have the authority to sell the property in the first place?

Before you take the listing, make sure you know who the real, legal seller is. To ascertain this, ask:

•             Who is listed on the deed and has the right to execute the listing and sales contract?

•             If a couple is divorcing ask, who is be the legal decision maker? Or if both parties must sign, is there cooperation?

•             If the owner is deceased, what needs to take place in order for you to have a valid listing and sales contract? Is there an executor or family members who will participate? Are there any liens against the property that will prohibit a title transfer?

A seller contracted with an agent selling Collin County homes to list a property after the agent performed due diligence including running preliminary title and tax records search. The deed was held by James Adams and the agent also met his wife and their young child, James Adams, Jr. The agent successfully sold the property. At closing, it came to light that there were three generations of James Adams, and the true owner was the father of the individual who executed the listing contract and sales contract. The true James Adams attended closing to sign the documents, a big surprise of everyone involved in the transaction.

2. Is the property marketable?

Not all property obstacles can be solved by reducing the asking price. Here are some obstacles that can affect marketability and your decision to take the listing or not. If these obstacles cannot be overcome they sellers may find themselves selling to a we buy houses companies.

If sellers insist on having their property listed right-a-way, make sure to think it all the way through. Delaying the date a property is brought to market can allow time to solve challenges. Increased days on market has an inverse relationship with optimal selling price which hurts the seller.

Location and condition challenges outside your expertise:

Some properties, including Denton County homes have obstacles that need to be overcome in order to bring about a successful transaction. Weigh the selling points against the challenges to determine whether or not you are qualified to handle this particular transaction. When making this assessment consider not only the location, but also any needed repairs, zoning restrictions, and any environmental hazards that might derail the sale. If you do your due diligence upfront and find that the property has special needs outside your area of expertise, it is best to advise the owner to find the appropriate experts.

3. Is the seller motivated?

A good way a seller shows that he is motivated is by accepting and working with market conditions. Not only the most common realistic pricing, there are other factors to help determine a seller’s motivation.

·         Is the seller ready to embrace and take action and listen to your advice?

•             What are the showing instructions and flexibility of the sellers? A seller who restricts the availability and demands a long advance notice is telling you their motivation to sell is low.

•             Is the seller open to your suggestions for staging the home?

Should you ever take an overpriced listing?

This depends on other factors of the property owner’s need and desire to sell. If other factors point to selling motivation the price may become flexible with more information. The question really is: Will the seller commit to evaluation of results of showings and competitive homes movement in the market with a price adjustment as a serious consideration? Any of these circumstances are indicators that you should not take a listing.

Your Real Estate Business – Set Your Own Hours

Summary: This is your business. You set your own hours. Always answer your phone when possible.

Dallas Real Estate is a 24/7 job, however you don't need to run yourself ragged. This is your business! You define what hours you are going to work and set your schedule accordingly. Also, who are you targeting as your client base? Are you going to target Dallas foreclosures or high end DFW real estate, for instance? If you like working non-traditional hours then target those professions where clients will have odd hours like the food & beverage industry, airline industry, casino workers, hospital workers, firefighters, police officers, military, etc. If you like working a traditional schedule, then determine that and perhaps make alternate accommodations for clients that fall out of those traditional hours. Just because you can market to all, does not mean you should. The old saying is true, "If you aim for everyone then usually you will hit no one". If your target market is Collin County homes will you try to work a lead in Fort Worth?

 

 

The biggest complaints from clients are, "my real estate agent never answers my phone calls". Is your voicemail greeting set? Some agents update their greeting daily to reflect their schedule. Example, "Thanks for calling, it's Jan 1^st and I am out of the office today, however your call is important to me and I will return all calls tomorrow, Jan 2^nd at 10am". Don't be a secret agent, tell people you sell real estate and tell them your hours of operation.

 

 

Do your clients know that you can receive text and emails on your phone? Are you setting their expectations? Not all clients will email and text. There are still handfuls of clients that want an actual phone call. When you first meet with a client, the number one question should be is how they want to be contacted and how often.

 

 

If you always answer your phone when possible and make appointments for the times you want to work, you can actually appear to work 24 hours a day and 7 days a week when in reality you don't.

~ Jennifer Clark VIP Realty Platinum~

Home Sellers Talking to Buyers - Not a Good Idea

Many times a home seller will tell their Realtor that they do not want to have a lockbox on their home. No lockbox means much fewer showings and it is a red flag that trouble may lie ahead with these sellers.

 

When a seller talks to buyer’s agent and the buyers, trouble is usually the end result. Sellers many times will say the wrong thing. Buyer's agents are there to gather information and use it against the seller when it comes to negotiation time. Buyers agents who are Realtors are not supposed to talk to the seller in an esthetical manner or a manner that would be deemed unethical. It is important to note that not every agent is a Realtor. Even an smilingly simple question could turn into a complicated answer, which could affect the seller in a bad way.

Questions a Seller Should Not Talk About With a Buyer’s Agent.

Regardless if you are selling Collin County homes or Denton County homes sellers never think that they are saying something that could come back and bite them. They want to be informative and helpful. They can be told to keep their mouths shut but it doesn't do any good. Instead, I would suggest they say something like, “Please discuss that with my agent," as a way to deflect and defuse questions. They can also let the buyer and their buyer's agent know that they are not being impolite but that their listing agent has advised them to not answer any questions. When it comes to Tarrant County homes here are questions that can cause problems in a transaction if the seller talks to the buyer about them:

·         How many offers have you received on the home?

If you have received more than one offer and your home is not sold, buyers will be wonder if there is something wrong with you or the home. If you haven't received any offers, they will also think that something may be wrong.

·         How long have you lived in this home?

If you've lived in the home for only a couple of years or so, the buyers might think you're selling because the home isn't what you thought it would be when you bought it. If you've lived in the home for a long time, buyers may think you have a lot of equity that you don't know what to do with it.

·         How much was the highest offer?

That's the thinking behind this question. Sometimes, it is slipped in so quickly that a seller will respond without realizing it. You don't ever want to show your hand.

·         How fast do you need to move?

If you tell the buyer that your husband’s job has been transferred out of state and you wished you had sold last month, you are telling the buyers that you are desperate for an offer. Usually, desperate sellers often get hit with lowball offers.

·         Where are you moving to?

If you're moving into a less expensive area, there are buyers that will think they don't have to pay the list price because they might decide you don't need the money. If you're moving to a higher priced community, buyers could be afraid to make an offer on your home because they worry it won't meet your monetary requirements.

·         Why are you selling your home?

To avoid a lowball offer don’t even think about answering this question. Even joking about it can backfire. Agents and buyers will judge you on this question and try to use the information against you. Don't answer it.

·         What are your neighbors like?

People can be very judgmental. Don't give a prospective buyer a reason to eliminate your home from their list. If they want to know about the neighbors, let them go talk to them without your input. Unless there’s something about your neighbors that may be construed as a material fact just don’t talk about them.

What repairs have you made to the house?

When selling your home most jurisdictions require you to fill out and sign a seller’s disclosure that you must make available to prospective buyers. This disclosure will list the repairs you have made to the home so there is no reason to discuss them prior to an offer. Sellers often remember repairs as costing more than the repairs really cost. In many cases, the cost of a repair does not add much to the value of the home. You don't want a buyer to wonder if your home is falling apart at its seams. This is why sellers should not be home when a buyer comes through to view it. Not only does a seller's absence allow the buyer privacy and time to consider the home as their own, which they can't do if a seller is present during the showing, but it also prevents the buyer from talking to the seller and it stops the buyers' agent from talking to the seller. Let your agent talk to the buyer's agent. That's why you have hired the agent to represent you in your transaction. Let your agent do their job.

County Real Estate Markets - Hot, Cold, Neutral

When most people decide to sell or buy a home in the County, very few stop to look at the marketplace to see if the market is conducive to their home selling goals. This is probably because most people tend to think of their home as a place to live and not as an asset, an investment.

Neutral Real Estate Markets

These neutral markets are balanced. Generally, interest rates for Tarrant County Homes are low and affordable and the number of buyers and sellers in the marketplace are about equal. The scales don't move quickly in either direction, meaning the market is normal without experiencing volatile swings.

 

Signs of a Neutral Market

• Three to six months of inventory is on the market.
• Inventory is normal as compared to previous normal months.
• Comparable sale prices are close to active listing prices.
• Sales numbers are stabilized.
• Median sales prices are even.
• For Sale signs are replaced with pending or sold signs within 30 to 45 days.

Real Estate Markets - Buyers

If you are a looking to a purchase Collin County Homes or Denton County Homes in a buyer's market this is the best financial market in which to buy. This is because there are more homes available for sale than buyers to purchase all of the homes. Buyers have many more homes to choose from, which increases the odds a buyer will find their perfect home. In slow real estate markets, serious sellers are often ready and willing to negotiate. This means you can probably buy a home for less than the list price, and the seller might be willing to pay some or all of your closing costs.

Signs of a Buyer's Market

• Comparable sale prices are higher than active listing prices.
• Inventory is high as compared to previous months.
• More than six months of inventory is currently on the market.
• Fewer buyers are purchasing, resulting in lower closed sale numbers.
• Median sales prices are declining.
• For Sale signs are staying up longer, resulting in longer "Days on Market".

How to Determine the Months of Inventory

1. Find the total number of sold or closed transactions for last month.
2. Find the total number of active listings on the market last month.
3. Divide the number of total listings by the number of total sales, which results in the number of months of inventory remaining.

As an example, in a buyer's market, there were 3,563 listings available over a given 30 day period. During that time period, 2,134 sales closed. That leaves 7.5 months of inventory remaining on the market, making that marketplace a buyer's market.

 

Seller's Real Estate Markets

If you are a home owner who wants or has to sell a house in a seller's real estate market, this is the best financial market in which to sell. This is because there are more home buyers than available homes. In a strong real estate market often times serious buyers are often willing to pay more than list price. This means you should be able to sell your home quickly and possibly for more than you ask for it.

 

Signs of a Seller's Market

• Comparable sale prices are lower than active listing prices.
• Median sales prices are increasing.
• Inventory is very low as compared to previous months.
• Less than six months of inventory is on the market.
• More buyers are purchasing, resulting in higher closed sale numbers.
• For Sale signs are up for a few days before a pending or sold sign is attached.

Looking Twice at Overpriced Plano Real Estate

Common logic dictates that if a home doesn’t sell there must be something wrong with it. This is a very true statement. In a normal market there is something wrong with Plano real estate that doesn't sell. But contrary to what most people believe, it's not always the condition or location of the house. The number one reason why an otherwise home in good condition in a good location does not sell is the listing price. Homes that are overpriced often never sell at all. Why is this the case? Because home buyers will rarely look at overpriced houses let alone make offers on them.

Home Buyers Don’t Make Offers on Overpriced Listings

· Sometimes they believe that if the buyer is not reasonable about pricing the house correctly in the first place that they will be difficult to deal with.

· They don't want to offend the seller. It goes against human nature to offer substantially less than asking price to a seller. It's can be insulting to the seller and embarrassing for the buyer.

· Buyers many times believe that the seller knows the home is overpriced. They believe that if a seller would be willing to sell for less, the seller would simply lower their list price.

How Do You Find an Overpriced Listing?

The easiest way to find overpriced listings is to ask your real estate agent. He or She can search the multiple listing system for Collin County Homes or Highland Park real estate for example of homes that have been available for higher than normal days on market (DOM). Then ask your agent to study the listings and give you a print out of every home that has been on the market longer than the average DOM.

If your agent is a specialist in the neighborhood you are searching in, it is likely he has viewed many of these homes and has hands on knowledge of the condition and layout of these homes. Ask him to share this information with you. Also ask your agent which of the homes he thinks are overpriced. You will learn that often buyers agents don't tell listing agents that their listings are overpriced because agents don't want to offend anyone either. But listing agents sometimes make mistakes when estimating the market value for a seller. Ultimately, it is the seller who set the listing price.

Why Would a Seller Lower the Price?

A couple who bought a beautiful house at first wondered the same thing. The home sat on the market for more than three months at an asking price of almost $840,000. In a market seller’s market, it probably could have sold for about $820,000, but the market was soft and demand was weak and the sellers had moved out of the area, leaving the home vacant. The listing agent was not aware that the home was overpriced. The sellers were certainly motivated. Pointing out this information to the sellers, this couple was able to negotiate a deal to buy the home for about $160,000 less than the list price. To make their offer more attractive to the sellers, the buyers did not include the sale of their existing home as a contingency. They also offered the seller a large earnest money deposit to show that they were a serious buyer. And they also showed the seller a list of homes that sold in the neighborhood at prices closer to their offer.

Not every home that is overpriced will end up selling for less than its market value. But many homes that are listed at unrealistically high prices are sometimes owned by sellers who are motivated and who are willing to listen to reasons why they should sell at a lower price to you. If you find out that a seller has turned down other offers for less money, it might mean that it's just a matter of timing. At some point the seller will come to his senses and say yes. There are overpriced gems hiding among the inventory of homes for sale every day. Don't just pass them by. You could be passing up an opportunity to buy your dream home at a dream value.