Are You Lying to Your Real Estate Agent?
The buyers are liars adage is something that you may hear a real estate agent say with some regularity. What does that really mean?
Of course, it doesn’t mean that real estate buyers are going around not telling the truth to their agents. What it really means is that buyers often say one thing, but do another. And the reason for this is that their preferences and their ideas about what they are looking for in a home change as they become more educated and more informed about the process and about their options.
So what’s the solution? It’s simple, really: You need an agent who understands this dynamic. One who understands that when you first embark on your home purchase, particularly the first time around, it’s hard to really know what you are looking for, until you know what you are looking at.
It starts with the right questions, which will help you hone your preferences, or, initially, to think carefully about things you might not have thought about before. How important is it that you have a washer/dryer in your new home? Do you care about outdoor space? What kind of commute are you willing to do to get to work? Where will you park your car? A good agent will ask you the right questions to help you figure out the right answers.
The next step is seeing properties in person, so you can start to figure out what you’re really looking for. After each property viewing, your agent should ask what you liked, what you didn’t, and why. Further, he or she should point out things you may have missed. It will all add up to a fuller picture than you started with of what your ideal home might look like.
Figuring out what you are looking for in a home is not as simple as it may initially seem. But, with a Donnelly + Co. agent at your side, we’ll get you there.
