Many of the same assumptions and services discussed in “Make 2019 About Providing Exceptional Customer Service Part I – Sellers” apply to Part II – Buyers. Because this topic of proving exceptional customer service to your clients is SO important, we’ll make no apologies for being redundant.
Assume your clients are fluent in the latest real estate tech and social media. Assume they stay up all night searching for their dream houses, comparable pricings, comparable neighborhoods, tax consequences, mortgage interest rates, you name it. BUT, do NOT assume your clients are fluent in the process of buying a house. Buying THEIR house is what they want and need you to do.
I’ll repeat that 92% of all real estate consumers “hire” real estate agents to execute their real estate goals, regardless of how fluent and savvy they are about tech and social media. They KNOW they NEED you to find, get and buy the house they want at the best possible price within their best possible time frame.
So again, how do you differentiate yourself from the competition to make your buyer’s experience worthwhile? Provide exceptional customer service on top of the latest, fastest, easiest to use tech and social media they consider to be givens on your end.
Remember that prospective buyers are buying houses AND neighborhoods. Here is a list of services you might provide to your prospects to help make their buying experience with you worthwhile:
- Provide your buyers with a list with enough blank space for them to fill in their needs/wants for their new home. Include things such as number of bedrooms and bathrooms, single/multiple story, separate dining room, in-kitchen eating nook, attached garage, carpeted or not, basement, in-home office, library, pool, barbeque, gas/electric appliances, outdoor kitchen, walk-able/bike-able neighborhood, etc.
- Provide a list of public and private schools including pre-K and nursery and their respective third party rankings. If there are programs for special needs children, list them. If there are programs that emphasize math and science, arts and music, computer and engineering, list them.
- Provide a list of after-school activities, classes and resources, churches/synagogues/mosques, team/individual sports opportunities, scouting opportunities, theater and performance opportunities.
- Provide a list of neighborhood/community resources for disabled adults and older adults.
- Provide a list of annual events held in the community.
- Provide your buyers with a thorough comparable market analysis of potential properties so they can see correct and current facts, pricings, figures, statistics, days on the market, etc. This is a HUGELY important item!!!
- Prepare an outline of ALL buying expenses. Make sure buyers know ALL the things they may be responsible (by state law and/or norm) to pay for. Include such things as inspections, appraisals, HOA transfer fees, etc.
- Prepare a list of ALL owner expense items such as mortgage interest rate, home insurance, HOA fees, utilities, water, annual repairs, etc. You may not have exact costs but it’s important that buyers know expense items ON TOP OF monthly principal and interest payments.
When considering properties with your buyers, remind them that NO house is perfect, there will ALWAYS be another house if the one they want is not available to them and that there is nothing they can do about changing interest rates. What they can do to make their house dreams work financially is to change their wants, needs, price points and location.
