Relationships are often started in strange places, among people you would never expect to come together. On the street corner, in the barber shop and walking the aisles of the grocery store, people find a way to make a connection with each other. As technology grows, many are finding it useful to make such connections online with the help of E-Harmony, Match, or other dating sites. The premise of these sites is that by answering a thousand questions, a computer can match up your answers with those of others you are searching for, thus making is easier to toss aside those you are not interested in. In theory, this is supposed to increase the chance that one will quickly find someone who is a potential match. My colleagues and friends have started calling me the “E-Harmony” of real estate. To me, the process of qualifying a person’s wants and needs is of the utmost importance. Listening to their wants, needs, and dreams is essential in not only figuring out what they are looking for, but it is also the beginning of a deep rooted relationship. Finding a home for someone is a personal experience. While it may not be quite as personal as choosing a mate, it is in fact one of the biggest decisions of someone’s life. No matter whether it is a rental or a sale, the time they spend in this home will be a chapter in their life that is irreplaceable. The idea is for it to always be a home, not just a house. Where to start and what to ask is as simple as the questions anyone would ask themselves. While budget may dictate the range of options to choose from, that is only a minor question. Using that as the only determining factor would be like announcing that your only request for a mate is a dark haired male. How many frogs do you seriously want to kiss before you find the right one? The same is true for a home. Think about it for a moment. If you are a single mom with 3 adorable children, would you really be interested in a man who does not like children at all? The same holds true for a house. Why offer a house with a 10x10 dining room and a kitchen the size of a powder room to a family who entertains frequently? Common sense you ask? To me, it is. To some, it is not. As an agent, the most important thing I can possibly do to be successful is to listen to my clients and create that personal relationship with them. That relationship involves understanding their lifestyle, their family, where they work, how they travel and what they really like. Taking my time to ask the questions, listening to their answers, and then getting to work to find the perfect place is one of my best tools. Being in a hurry to get the contract and collect the check will make any agent appear as just that. Relationships take time and effort to cultivate. I have often spent over 45 minutes on the phone with a new client just chatting. By the time we hang up, I know all about their children, what they like to do for fun, what kind of experience they want when they are at home relaxing, where they travel to work, and every single thing that makes them a family unit. After such a conversation, I know my client and my job of match making is much simpler. Often times, the clue to the perfect house comes in just one sentence, and the light bulb goes off and I immediately know the perfect house. While some may say 45 minutes chatting to a client is a waste of valuable time, I look at it as time saved. In 45 minutes, I discovered what makes them tick, thereby eliminating showing them several houses they wouldn’t possibly be interested in. But the most important thing I created was a lasting personal relationship. Being a Real Estate Agent is so much more that listing and selling homes, and if you don’t have a complete grasp of the whole picture, any agent is seriously missing the boat. The E-Harmony of Real Estate is who I have become known as. It is a compliment as well as a challenge. Because in the end, whether I lease or sell a house to that particular person is simply not the only objective. Creating deep rooted relationships with people who will forever remember that I took the time and energy to truly care about their needs is ultimately what I am creating. Those relationships will last, turn into referrals, and ultimately make my business grown. So the next time you are searching for a home, why not stop by my office. Let’s have some coffee and chat. I bet I can find your perfect match!!
Posted on: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 02:05:54 +0000
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