Real estate agents spend most of their time in early meetings with clients talking about the wrong things. I know this because I did it too. We ask the buyer client all about how many bedrooms and bathrooms they want in a house. We want to know how the buyer is going to pay for the upcoming house. We ask for the buyer’s preferred square footage, the buyer’s desired school district, the color of the front door, and the species of grass the buyer imagines in the backyard.
For the seller client, we ask about the age of the HVAC, the restrictions of the homeowner’s association, when the last time the driveway was sealed, how much was spent on the bathroom remodel and why someone insisted on upholstered toilet seats. Listen, there’s nothing wrong with these questions, but in our line of work, they can be counterproductive.
Questions like these can sabotage a successful outcome for literally everyone involved in the transaction if we don’t first understand the answer to one key question: “What is important to you about moving?” or put another way, “Why move at all?” or put an even more extreme way, “Why not just stay put for the next decade?” These questions shine a radiant beam of light for someone standing at a dimly lit crossroad, often unsure of even their motivations.
The road to moving is riddled with the stress of terrible home inspections, delays, and unforeseen expenses. But the answers to these key questions will reduce those daunting mountains into quick speed bumps on the journey to the closing table.
So, ask the questions. Write down the answers. Read them back to the client. Check to make sure the answers are correct, then, if you’re like me, carve the answers into a stone tablet and drop it off at your client’s car so they can put it in the passenger seat next to them. Because at the end of the day, our motivation as Realtors cannot close deals, but our clients’ motivation can.
Kate Webster is an award-winning realtor and educator based in Middle Tennessee. She lives in a cozy home near downtown Nashville with her husband and 2 kids. When she's not hosting Sunday Brunch (to which you're all invited) she's helping her clients get crystal clear on their goals, whether those clients are buyers, sellers, or other realtors. Call me anytime. 913-832-3494.
