Showing Feedback: Looking for “The Glass Slipper”

“It’s Too, Too . . . .”

After almost 13 years selling real estate, I’ve probably been on the receiving end, conservatively, of perhaps 10,000 showing feedback forms (and probably generated an equal number as a Buyer’s agent).

So, what do they say?

Usually, not much.

However, on the relatively rare occasions when the agent includes a comment, here’s a partial compendium of what they say:

“It’s too . . .

–Big
–Small
–Expensive
–Not expensive enough (they can afford more home)
–Open
–Not open enough
–Pink/White/Yellow/Blue/Brown (pick a color)
–Soon (the Buyer just started looking)
–Dated
–Updated (the Buyer wants to do their own remodeling)
–Vertical (they don’t like stairs)
–Horizontal (they don’t like ramblers)
–Close (to the elementary school/busy street/ugly neighbor, etc.)
–Far (from shopping, schools, etc.)
–Contemporary
–Traditional
–Plain
–Loud
–Dark
–Noisy
–Quiet (Buyers from Manhattan)

Suffice to say, this list could be quite a bit longer.

Which is why my listing clients know one of my favorite lines (and hear it often): ‘the only feedback that really counts is a good offer from a well-qualified Buyer.’

Finding “The One”

So, what do I tell my Buyer clients?

That I seldom see — or sell — a home that’s a “10” on a scale of 1-10 (and if it’s a bona fide “10” — you probably can’t afford it!).

But I’ve sold lots of “7’s” and “8’s” that, over time, my clients have turned into “10’s” . . . for them.

And that, for most Buyers, it’s simply the case that there are usually at least a couple homes that conceivably would be very good choices — vs. “the (elusive) one.”