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I sure wish we could just talk about whatever it is we're talking about.
I'm a details gal. Don't do well with hypotheticals.
I suspect the "feature" is something concerning housing laws. Otherwise, there is no reason for the OP to be this secretive about a normal housing feature. Stairs, yard, carpet, gas stove, etc. No big deal to discuss normal stuff.
Seriously, would an agent inject their opinion about a garage or a floor plan?
The REALTOR was stupid by starting offthe conversation this way. He would have had PLENTY of time, during the house-hunting process, after establishing rapport, to make these enquiries.
Most likely, the REALTOR had a listing that he wanted to push that did not meet the requirements. He probably could not see beyond his desire to dump a particular proprty. Either that or the REALTOR had the attitude that he knows better than the client.
if that's how the agent stated it, he was certainly in the wrong.
if it was "what don't you like about 2-story foyers? Is a 2-story foyer a deal-killer for you, or just something you prefer not to have?" ... then personally I see that as just asking clarifying questions.
Yep, Mike nailed it. That's how it was. I realize the importance of finding out what is and isn't a deal-killer. In that same community, the floor plans were a deal killer for a different buyer. It's where he thought he wanted to go originally, but couldn't find a floor plan he could live with. So he tried another community, and a different issue cropped up. The third time was a charm, he finally found the house and community that worked for him. He may not have gotten everything he wanted, but you can bet he loves his agent for persisting.
I personally think, when a buyer is working with an agent, it's important to let them know what they want, what they don't want and what the deal-breakers are. Sometimes people won't say, for fear of what the agent might think. And that leads to nothing but frustration for an agent.
The REALTOR was stupid by starting offthe conversation this way. He would have had PLENTY of time, during the house-hunting process, after establishing rapport, to make these enquiries.
Most likely, the REALTOR had a listing that he wanted to push that did not meet the requirements. He probably could not see beyond his desire to dump a particular proprty. Either that or the REALTOR had the attitude that he knows better than the client.
I felt the same way, why not wait until rapport is established and ask in a private conversation?
FWIW, some people -- and I am one of them, unfortunately -- tend to get self-defensive when someone questions a statement they have made. Depending on how it is phrased, a question can be perceived as a challenge or even an insult.
For example, I prefer a no (or very low) maintenance lot, and when I have looked at homes in the past, I said that I didn't want a manicured lawn. IF a Realtor had asked, "Why?", my first inclination was to think that s/he was questioning my taste and also possibly implying that I was lazy and/or cheap. (And, yes, that is true to some extent, but I don't like being told that I am or having it implied, lol -- even though I just might be imagining that was what s/he was implying.) In any case, I would have felt called upon to explain that I didn't like mowing or gardening, and I didn't want to pay for someone else to do it, either, and that I actually just prefer mostly wooded lots. (I like feeling surrounded by nature.)
Anyway, I do think I understand what the OP was saying, which was just that if someone is in the business of selling, that she or he should avoid putting a potential client on the defensive if at all possible.
Exactly. It's a great way to lose a shot at the business, IMO.
Ys, this.
I want a dining room and living room and a den. I just do.
i come from a colonial in the north and i need my dining room fro family meals, we are traditional like that during the holidays.
Over and over i'm told that new buyers dont use the dining rooms, they are being converted to offices/pool table rooms w
I want a dining room
More why othrs dont want a dining room.
I want a dining room-dont show me these homes w/o a dining room.
It stops, but I feel like I've been given lip
why do i have to hear about what others want, it's as if someone is trying to lose the sale. I'm too old to not be listend too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kmarc
I follow three different realtor websites with blogs, 2 of which are in state, one out of state. I follow these sites because I have an interest in these areas, and the three sites that I follow in particular are very professional and informative about the areas in which the realtors operate. It is obvious that the realtors have put a lot of effort into making their sites and blogs constantly updated, relevant, pleasing to the eye and easy to navigate. There's lots of in depth information, too. All things that people would want to know if they are moving to the area, or even changing residences within the area. These sites have comment sections where people can ask questions, etc. Even though I don't know the realtors personally and have no relationship with them, I've referred people who are looking for information to these sites because in my opinion they are great places to get started and oriented. Much better than the Chamber of Commerce, that's for sure.
I realize that the purpose of these sites is to get inquiries and leads for the realtors, and that's fine. For the work they put in, they certainly deserve it. In one case, I myself was considering using the realtor for a future transaction. But not now, and here's why:
Someone relocating to the area was asking a question about a particular community and expressed that they were looking at the community very closely. However, they made mention that there was a particular feature they did NOT want in a house. It's also a feature that I wouldn't want either, and I understood totally why they asked about it.
Now, that's what I call a lead. Someone with a strong interest in the community and a specific issue that the realtor could handle by informing the prospect that yes, there were homes in the community that didn't have this feature. An excellent opportunity to be the person that could handle the transaction and get the prospect what he wanted.
The realtor did inform the prospect that there were homes that didn't have the feature, but not before they challenged the prospect on why they didn't want it.
Epic fail. The realtor had an opportunity to convert that lead to a client and instead chose to interject their opinion in a challenging way. When people are considering moving, especially to a new area, they're uncertain, looking for information, and they have needs and preferences. Unless the prospect has Stockholm Syndrome, my guess is the realtor just blew that lead and probably others as well, because I won't be using them. You know you're in trouble when someone you're considering hiring to do a job chooses to be opinionated and challenging. As a realtor, what do you care why the prospect does or doesn't want a particular feature, especially when it's so easy to find him what he wants?
This is unfortunately something I'm seeing more of these days in business, not just real estate. I'm thinking social media may have something to do with it, where people feel they have to be opinionated. That doesn't work for me as a prospective buyer. How hard is it to just LISTEN to what someone wants and find it for them, especially if it is available?
Ys, this.
I want a dining room and living room and a den. I just do.
i come from a colonial in the north and i need my dining room fro family meals, we are traditional like that during the holidays.
Over and over i'm told that new buyers dont use the dining rooms, they are being converted to offices/pool table rooms w
I want a dining room
More why othrs dont want a dining room.
I want a dining room-dont show me these homes w/o a dining room.
It stops, but I feel like I've been given lip
why do i have to hear about what others want, it's as if someone is trying to lose the sale. I'm too old to not be listend too.
Ys, this.
I want a dining room and living room and a den. I just do.
i come from a colonial in the north and i need my dining room fro family meals, we are traditional like that during the holidays.
Over and over i'm told that new buyers dont use the dining rooms, they are being converted to offices/pool table rooms w
I want a dining room
More why othrs dont want a dining room.
I want a dining room-dont show me these homes w/o a dining room.
It stops, but I feel like I've been given lip
why do i have to hear about what others want, it's as if someone is trying to lose the sale. I'm too old to not be listend too.
Did you see a dining room in the online photos? If you didn't, did you still agree to see the house? I don't ser how agents are showing people houses they don't want to see.
Did you see a dining room in the online photos? If you didn't, did you still agree to see the house? I don't ser how agents are showing people houses they don't want to see.
what do photos have to do with it? The poster didn't say anything about photos, or even that they'd seen any houses yet. They just requested that agents not show them homes that don't have a dining room and apparently, even in preliminary conversations, they've run into an agent or agents who want to challenge their request. Which is why I started the thread to begin with, to point out that this sort of thing is really poor form.
Now, I can understand if someone is looking for a home in Florida and tells an agent they want a basement. Most Florida homes don't have basements because of the water table, so yes, the agent would have to explain that it would be really difficult to find a house with a basement and why.
I agree, though, that looking at online photos is a MUST before seeing a property. It can really save time and aggravation and help narrow things down.
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