Not-So-High Pressure Sales
The mantra for many Realtors (and salespeople generally) is “Always Be Closing” (“A-B-C”).
While closing — pushing things ahead, narrowing down issues, getting signatures/assent, etc. — is certainly a necessary skill in real estate, I actually try to live by a variation of that.
Namely, “Always be Qualifying” (“A-B-Q”).
What’s the distinction?
If someone’s not serious about buying or selling, constantly directing (and re-directing) them towards that outcome comes across as heavy-handed (if not manipulative).
Realtors whose single-minded focus is booking (yet) another commission tend not to have loyal — or very happy — clients.
Being a Good Investigative Reporter
In practice, “A-B-Q” means being a good investigative reporter.
So, a good Realtor will ask lots of open-ended questions. Such as:
–“How soon were you thinking of moving?”
–“What kind of home are you looking for?”
–“What price range did you have in mind?”
All those questions ultimately help flush out what Realtors call motivation.
“Trust But Verify”
Step #2 of the qualification process is literally qualifying the Buyer, financially.
That means talking to their lender to make sure that they can afford the price range they’ve indicated.
Or, in the case of a prospective Seller, verifying that they have enough equity that they can afford to sell (that is, they’re not a “short sale”).
P.S.: I like to tell clients that the reason I don’t need them to buy or sell this month or even this year is . . . because I’m doing deals now with clients who were contemplating buying or selling a couple years ago.
See also, “Buyers and Sellers Who Feel Guilty.”
