The role of buyer agent is an honor. I have had the privilege of steer-heading like I’m the one buying the house: I want to vet each lender, I want to open every drawer, I want the inspector to show me where the filters go, and I want very much to put my pots and pans into the cupboard. My heart pounds with the same excitement the buyer has, so I get it!
Except, it’s not my house.
“Many times, what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks,” sympathized American novelist F Scott Fitzgerald, “but a special heart that listens.”
Recently, I was re-introduced to the importance of knowing the clients’ goals, and truly understanding them. I was invited to a timeshare seminar. The event was marketed as 90 minutes which became 90 minutes after an included buffet breakfast which then turned into my entire morning and a tummy-rumble leaving me aching for lunch.
I felt unheard. Moreover, and more to the point, I left feeling that the sales representative’s needs outweighed mine. And that didn’t sit well. Likely because when preparing for licensing, I was advised of one very important point to always keep in mind: If ever I’m advising my client based on the needs of my checkbook and not theirs, it’s time to get out.
That said, buyers don’t always know where to start, so I ask about key points, and am known to bring them up when the search seems to be going off the rails:
Budget: an estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time. It’s not uncommon for buyers to qualify for more than their comfort level, so asking a lender not just what’s the max amount of funding but also sharing the top end of what a buyer feels good need to be discussed.
Location: overly-simplified, a location is a particular place or position. However, to one individual, location could mean proximity to schools, access to main-thru ways, or drive-time to work, and to another with more flexibility, location could mean any subdivision so long as an interior lot or on the golf course.
Style: a distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which something is designed. Gas milage and hours burned are part of the process, however, wasting energy on farmhouse-chic when the buyer wants modern or driving up to countless front entry drives when the buyer specifically asked for an alley driveway adds undo stress to what can be stressful even in the best of cases.
Floorplan: the arrangement [and number] of rooms in a building or house. Although market values have increased rapidly in recent years, it’s still advisable to purchase a house that can suit family needs for 4-6 years. Not every life event is foreseeable, yet, asking questions about family planning or family visiting can help the buyer make the best choice for today and tomorrow.
Taking the time to gather information about my client’s needs has allowed me to do more than be an outsider looking upon the dreams of another, I’m given the opportunity to dream with them.