The first rule that needs to be broken is the traditional real estate buyer relationship that moves the real estate agent into the chauffeurs seat and the buyers into the role of a person being taxied around town. This is not a needed or necessary action in today’s real estate environment as the buyer most often has access the listings that they would like to see. What real estate agents can do that is more helpful and a better use of our time is being sure that the client is not driving around looking at homes that are either old or expired listings that have not been updated on whatever site they are getting their information from.
Driving the clients around seems like a great way to maintain a quality relationship but in fact the opposite is true if we are allowing them to look at homes that are not for sale or have outdated information associated with the home. We cannot do proper research if we are behind the wheel of a car. We need to be behind the wheel of our desks in order to provide the best information to the client possible. We should not get caught in the driver’s seat where we don’t have access to our computers in a safe and easy to use way. USHUD’s experience is in real estate and not in driving a cab. Yet many of us make this mistake believing that they are building a stronger relationship with the client by holding them captive in our cars. This puts miles on our cars and many times creates a relationship that makes the client feel as if they are being forced to work with the agent.
Yes there is something to be said about social reinforcement and the obligation that people feel when we are doing everything for them but that same obligation can be created by keeping the buyer out of a bad situation.
“From what you have told me the house is not going to meet your needs. It has its positives but it does not have the fourth bedroom or the size yard we have been talking about” this sort of communication leaves the door open to selling the client the house they had asked about while having the further benefits of our communicating that we have heard their requests and have taken them into account while also telling them that we know the homes in the area better than any online source ever could. No online source points out the negatives about a home and cannot communicate the negatives in relation to the particular client. No computer program can take the place of a knowledgeable and experienced USHUD real estate agent.