“…and if you can’t be with the one you love honey.
Love the one you’re with, Love the one you’re with.”
Stephen Stills
Buyers are the sellers of the future. How we treat people during the buying phase of their home ownership journey determines the likelihood of them selling with you when the time comes.
Throughout the sellers’ market that in some areas is now past, many buyers received less than stellar service. At times when there were multiple parties vying to buy a property, it was easy for agents to be blasé in their treatment of buyers.
But buyers have long memories. They remember how they were treated and the day of payback for agents who treated them badly will come.
It is common for agents to disclose one buyer’s offer to other buyers, ‘playing them off’ against each other. They call this negotiating, but it is poles apart from ethical negotiation and is unprofessional to say the least.
Agents allow buyers to pay for pest and building reports on properties that the agent knows those buyers don’t have a chance of buying on their budgets. Underquoting to buyers is a practice that still abounds.
It’s interesting that at the high-priced end of the property market, the service many agents provide is slick and professional – for sellers and for buyers. These agents know that for a high fee, often in excess of $60,000, treating people well is profitable practice. It’s not always this way, but it often is.
However, work your way down the fee scale and you often see poorer service. It should not be this way.
All clients, whether buyers, sellers, landlords or tenants, deserve 6-star service. Giving this level of service pays dividends long term.
I am a great believer in “What goes around comes around“, and possibly you are too.
Treating all clients well is rewarding and a nicer way to do business.
Give buyers the same standard of service as you give to property sellers and those buyers will be more likely sell with you in the future.
If you plan on being in real estate for the long haul, always remember that buyers are sellers of the future.
As Stephen Stills said, “Love the one you’re with“.
Gary Pittard