April 2015 Article

Secret Buying Signs
Courses by Jim Luger
By Jim Luger, CDEI
Certified Distance Education Instructor and Real Estate Professional for 35 years

Buyers seldom jump up and down and say they want to buy the property you just showed them. In fact, they might not associate the excitement they are feeling with the need to decide anything.
 
If they do feel on the verge of deciding something big, they are likely to feel anxious about it. Sure, you could give them temporary relief by simply showing them more properties “just to make sure,” but that will ultimately only make deciding all the more difficult.
 
As your buyers’ guide, it’s your job to recognize their subtle buying signs, so you can help them with a yes-or-no decision. Here are some of the buying signs to watch for:
 
  • Talkative buyers suddenly become quiet and reflective. They are memorizing all the details, and maybe mentally placing furniture to visualize living there. Don’t interrupt this mental trying-it-on-for-size process.
  • Quiet, reflective buyers suddenly become chatty. Even introverts and shy people need to verbalize strong feelings.
  • They ask about things that wouldn’t matter if they weren’t considering the house. For example, asking “Do you know if the humidifier still works?” or “I wonder if they’d include the swing set.” would not be factors if they weren’t contemplating whether they’d like to live there.
  • They spend more time inspecting a particular house than they did with the others. They are showing you their choice with their behavior.
  • Problems arise (“We’d have to resurface that cracked driveway.”) They are not raising “objections” that you have to overcome. They are just going through the what-ifs of living there. Simply validate their concerns.
  • Couples argue about petty things. (“What makes you think you’d ever find the time to take care of a garden that big?”) Excitement=stress=bickering.
  • The buyers give the rest of the properties on the tour a token inspection. None of the others could possibly look as good as the one they are still excited about.
 
Buying signs are the beginning of a decision, and as a guide, it’s up to you to help your buyers follow through. As a start, bring them to a place where you can help them sort through all the easy little decisions (e.g., who pays the taxes, the ideal closing date) that comprise the bigger decision to buy. 


Browse Continuing Education Courses

The Psychology of Pricing & Secrets of the CMA

Select Your State
×
×
×

Send a Message or Question to the Instructor


Course content questions? Select Course Instructor.
General website or account questions? Select Customer Service.

×