Ouch! However, behind closed office doors, this is one of the axioms that managers and experienced agents use to console and explain the disappointment which most agents have experienced dealing with home buyers.
That disappointment has very basic roots, and although it can usually be avoided, it very often colours the experience of real estate agents - and may continue to colour the approach they use with prospective buyers for their entire career.
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Very early in my career I experienced one of those disappointments myself. I invested several days working to identify properties that matched the requirement of a couple who were relocating here, to the Halifax area. I met them at the airport, drove them to their hotel, picked them up later and we spent the day looking at homes that were a good match, in good condition, and offered good value.
I dropped them back at their hotel and they said they would discuss the homes we had seen and call me back after dinner.
I didn't hear back from them that evening and I was not able to reach them until the next afternoon when they informed me that they they had an accepted offer on another house.
You could say I was surprised... ;-)
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It turned out that they had gone to dinner with friends, and had a wonderful time. Their friends mentioned that there was a nice home for sale around the corner, their friends knew the owners and suggested they all take a walk over.... They liked it, they called the listing agent, they made an offer to purchase - and, by breakfast, they had an accepted offer.
The fact that the house was 15 miles from where they had originally wanted to buy was no longer an issue....
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Once my disappointment had diminished I realized two things:
1) we had started with a clear idea of what they would like to buy but they had changed their mind as their view of the community evolved. Their various concerns about commuting, etc. had been resolved.
Like most purchasers, they were exploring the market. They had used their original 'requirements' as a starting point... and had come to revise their requirements. Nearly 20 years later, the realization that they had not lied to me has been enormous. This still colors my approach to purchasers in the most positive way. And,
2) they knew how much work I had done and felt very bad that it had not worked out for me, but they were very happy for themselves.
I also came to appreciate the "pull" that family and friends can have. Now I ask, "Do you have friends or family living in this area? Where? And, would you like me to look for something suitable in that area?"
Changing our mind is something we all do. As a Realtor, my best role is to allow, even encourage those changes to take place, to facilitate your search. The best use of my experience and market knowledge is as leverage when considering the most sensible route for this specific journey, and to interpret and provide context for purchasers such as you. That exploration begins here.
© 2007
David L. Potter
