Bother, Bother
I was closing up an open house in downtown Huntington Beach on a sunny late summer afternoon, pulling the Open House sign up out of the ground and folding the flag, when a couple approached me. They lived in the multi-family unit next door to the open house and were waiting for a chance to speak with me. After introducing themselves, they said they were looking for a realtor to help them purchase a home.
"We've spoken to several realtors and no one calls us back," Tony said. "We have decided to purchase but we need some guidance about where to start."
"I will call you back," I said with a smile, wondering why on earth the other realtors had passed on helping this darling couple with a new home. "But first let me ask you this: do you have a loan in place--are you working with a lender who can let you know how much you can afford?"
"Not really," Sylvia replied. "Do you know of one? We really want to get started right away!"
I gave them a couple of choices of lenders I trust and have worked with and promised to follow up with them that week. They decided on one of the lenders. She gave me a call mid-week to let me know that the couple weren't quite ready to buy, but she was working through the process with them. I called the couple and we talked about a plan for them...when they'd be able to buy a home. It looked like it was going to take a while. In the interim, I'd be checking in on them. It wasn't until spring of the next year that they were able to go house hunting with me. We found them a darling home that was in default--a short sale. However, it had just fallen out of escrow and much of the usual short sale paperwork had been completed. Within forty-five days, my clients had a new home! But it had been nine months in the making.
Here is their testimonial that makes clear why I love what I do:
Dear Kay: When Tony and I started looking for homes, we were very disappointed that every realtor we contacted did not bother to call or follow up with us. So when we approached you outside our home during your open house next door, we immediately adored you and knew that you would find us our home! And sure enough, you called and helped us through every step of the way, and also found us a wonderful mortgage company to work with. We will never forget you! I am so deeply grateful for all the talent and time you put into helping us find our perfect home. We knew when we walked into our home that this was the one! Please accept our sincere gratitude for your help. I will tell everyone about you!
At another open house, I met a man who was wanting to sell his property in our city. He'd been leasing it for several years, had just redone it top to bottom, and was ready to interview realtors in the area to list it for him. I talked with him about what I do, kind of a preliminary listing presentation, and set up an appointment to talk more formally with him that week. I met him at the home he wanted to sell, and it was stunning. I spent about thirty minutes with him during which time he confided in me that he'd been to several open houses the past Sunday, spoken with five other realtors about listing his home, and only two of us reached out to him for an appointment...in fact, only two of us even contacted him at all. I was very surprised by this. The home was worth close to a million dollars in a darling beach and freeway close neighborhood. Why would other realtors not take the time to follow up?
I got the listing and sold it for the highest price ever in that neighborhood. The seller was awesome to work with and even had another home he wanted me to list. All of this I'd have missed if I hadn't taken the time to get back to him.
These are not the only times I have been taken aback by potential clients who are surprised when I keep my promises and call them back. I've had several people chuckle on the other end of the line as they say something like: "Wow, I can't believe you got back to me so quickly! I usually have to wait a couple of days, if ever!"
Bottom Line: Realtors who care about the people who come into their lives connect with them and stay connected for the long haul. Real estate transactions often involve so much more than getting into a car and showing property. If the buyer isn't ready to purchase and has no real idea of what she can afford, it is my responsibility to let her know what she needs to do to be prepared. The initial conversation with a buyer or a seller is crucial, as it's a first and lasting impression. Whether the sale is big or small, a good realtor is concerned about the person first and always. And it's important to work it through with them even if it takes almost a year to be ready to purchase.
"We've spoken to several realtors and no one calls us back," Tony said. "We have decided to purchase but we need some guidance about where to start."
"I will call you back," I said with a smile, wondering why on earth the other realtors had passed on helping this darling couple with a new home. "But first let me ask you this: do you have a loan in place--are you working with a lender who can let you know how much you can afford?"
"Not really," Sylvia replied. "Do you know of one? We really want to get started right away!"
I gave them a couple of choices of lenders I trust and have worked with and promised to follow up with them that week. They decided on one of the lenders. She gave me a call mid-week to let me know that the couple weren't quite ready to buy, but she was working through the process with them. I called the couple and we talked about a plan for them...when they'd be able to buy a home. It looked like it was going to take a while. In the interim, I'd be checking in on them. It wasn't until spring of the next year that they were able to go house hunting with me. We found them a darling home that was in default--a short sale. However, it had just fallen out of escrow and much of the usual short sale paperwork had been completed. Within forty-five days, my clients had a new home! But it had been nine months in the making.
Here is their testimonial that makes clear why I love what I do:
Dear Kay: When Tony and I started looking for homes, we were very disappointed that every realtor we contacted did not bother to call or follow up with us. So when we approached you outside our home during your open house next door, we immediately adored you and knew that you would find us our home! And sure enough, you called and helped us through every step of the way, and also found us a wonderful mortgage company to work with. We will never forget you! I am so deeply grateful for all the talent and time you put into helping us find our perfect home. We knew when we walked into our home that this was the one! Please accept our sincere gratitude for your help. I will tell everyone about you!
At another open house, I met a man who was wanting to sell his property in our city. He'd been leasing it for several years, had just redone it top to bottom, and was ready to interview realtors in the area to list it for him. I talked with him about what I do, kind of a preliminary listing presentation, and set up an appointment to talk more formally with him that week. I met him at the home he wanted to sell, and it was stunning. I spent about thirty minutes with him during which time he confided in me that he'd been to several open houses the past Sunday, spoken with five other realtors about listing his home, and only two of us reached out to him for an appointment...in fact, only two of us even contacted him at all. I was very surprised by this. The home was worth close to a million dollars in a darling beach and freeway close neighborhood. Why would other realtors not take the time to follow up?
I got the listing and sold it for the highest price ever in that neighborhood. The seller was awesome to work with and even had another home he wanted me to list. All of this I'd have missed if I hadn't taken the time to get back to him.
These are not the only times I have been taken aback by potential clients who are surprised when I keep my promises and call them back. I've had several people chuckle on the other end of the line as they say something like: "Wow, I can't believe you got back to me so quickly! I usually have to wait a couple of days, if ever!"
Bottom Line: Realtors who care about the people who come into their lives connect with them and stay connected for the long haul. Real estate transactions often involve so much more than getting into a car and showing property. If the buyer isn't ready to purchase and has no real idea of what she can afford, it is my responsibility to let her know what she needs to do to be prepared. The initial conversation with a buyer or a seller is crucial, as it's a first and lasting impression. Whether the sale is big or small, a good realtor is concerned about the person first and always. And it's important to work it through with them even if it takes almost a year to be ready to purchase.
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