You’ve just become a real estate agent and you’re excited, perhaps even a little desperate, to make your first sale. Finally, finally you have a client whom you think is ready to buy but they’re hemming and hawing about actually stepping up to the plate.
You’re thinking…well, maybe if I just say this or that, I’ll be able to tip the scales. Depending upon what you say, you may be able to BUT
NEVER, EVER say these 10 things o a buyer:
1. “I think this house is perfect for you” and then go on to tell them why. NO! The buyer, not the agent, decides what’s perfect for the buyer. Instead, join out the elements within the house they had told you they wanted and then ask their opinion.
2. “Don’t worry about getting pre-qualified…you can do that later.” NO! Prior to showing houses to clients, make sure they qualify for the houses you think are “possible” for them.
3. “Sure, I think the seller will agree to…” NO! Do not make promises you might not be able to keep. Besides, who knows what the seller’s motivations are.
4. “This house has not been taken care of properly.” NO! This is the buyer’s decision to make, not the agent’s. Instead, point out maintenance and repair issue a home inspector might see.
5. “Of course, I’ll lower my fees…” NO! Agents work hard and agents spend good money in order to buy and sell homes. This is a worst-case scenario to make a deal work.
6. “I’m always available…call/texct me any time.” NO! Some buyers are insomniacs or narcissists. Set reasonable boundaries around your availability.
7. “I had another horrible client like that.” NO! If a client hears you talk about another client in those terms, they’ll automatically expect you to do the same about them.
8. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sold this house.” NO! Any buyer can research for themselves how long a house has been on the market. Saying something like this will likely cause the client to wonder what’s wrong with the house. And, often, agents show the same house to the same client multiple times.
9. “Boy, do I need a commission.” NO! Absolutely not! No one cares what the agent needs or doesn’t need except the agent him/her self.
10. “See, I told you to make an offer on that house and now it’s gone.” NO! NO one, particularly a client, needs to hear “I told you so” from anyone, particularly an agent.
