9 minute read
PLAYING THE REAL ESTATE
Playing the Real Estate Matchmaker –Follow These 8 Dating Rules to Ensure You Match Your Client with the Perfect Home for Them
When you think a bit more about it, the ultimate goal of a real estate agent serving a client is really to match them up with the perfect house for them, almost the way a matchmaker tries to find two people that will fit well together as a couple. When people are looking for a house, they often treat the process as a quest for “the one” house that will fulfill their dreams of living in the house of their dreams. Don’t be fooled. It is always a search for “the one”, at least when it comes to helping a couple or family find a home.
When you look at your client’s search for a home in this manner, then you might begin to notice some pretty obvious similarities
between shopping for a home today and online dating. In this day and age most people live a substantial part entire lives online. People socialize with their friends on Facebook, they meet potential friends in forums and online communities, and we now even search for our perfect mate online. Shopping for a home also happens to usually start online. When they begin this search, make no mistake; they are looking for the “one.” These people then turn to you, the REALTOR ® to play matchmaker for them. It is your job to wade through the pool of eligible homes (bachelors) and sort through all the ones that are too expensive, too nerdy, not cute enough, not smart enough, etc. until you find the “one.”
It makes sense then to consult the tried and true practices in matchmaking that help those professionals find the right people for each other, and see if any of them could also apply for matching your clients with their dream home. You’ll find that these 8 dating rules may just show you the secret to matching your clients with the perfect home. back to the store if you’re not happy with your new home. It’s best to first help your client get prequalified. This is a tangible step that shows they are ready to move on to a new home. You want to make sure they are completely over their love affair with their previous home. You can even ask them for a sign or proof that they’re ready to move on.
Who Is In and Not In Your Client’s League? Know Your Client’s Price Range: When a person is looking for a mate, it is a waste of time for them to even consider those potential mates that are clearly out of their league. These people won’t even stop to give them the time of day. In the world of real estate the idea is the same. There is no point showing your clients houses that they can’t afford and will simply lust after without having any real chance of purchasing the house. It is your job to keep your client ground in reality, and help them be realistic in terms of price when choosing their next home.
Make Sure Your Client is Ready to Move On From Their Last Dream Home You’re job is also to make sure that your client is truly ready to move on from their previous home. This is a long term commitment, and they need to be absolutely sure they actually want to buy a new house. You can’t simply take the receipt
Be Genuine, Not Superficial When trying to manage the many pitfalls of online dating, on inevitably goes on a date where the other person looks nothing like their picture online. That can be just as big of a problem when looking for a house. When clients show you a particular house they want to visit, ask them to name something about the house that they like other than the aesthetics. This way you can see if they are simply infatuated with the way the house looks in those pictures, or if there is a deeper interest in the home that could become a deeper connection between your client and the house.
Never Let Your Client’s First Impression of a Home Rule Their Decisions When your client first sees a house they have already been lusting after in their mind, they’re often so excited to finally be looking at it, especially if it does in fact look as good as it did in the pictures. Make sure to encourage them to take some time before making such a big com-
mitment, and don’t let their excitement push them into making a rash decision. It is your job to keep them grounded in reality. Push for your clients to do an inspection to make sure the house isn’t hiding any dark secrets. Sometimes the most charming facade can hide tons of slime and deadly mold.
Follow Your Heart (or Gut) People often laugh at and ridicule the idea of love at first sight, but when it comes to homes, the phenomenon can certainly happen. Your client may just find their perfect dream home at the very first place you take them. If you have a client that does insist this is the case, then you don’t want to try and rationalize with them or talk them out of their decision. You do, however, want to make sure you are watching out for their interest and make sure your clients take all the necessary precautions before they jump in headfirst.
See What Other People See in The Home – Do They See What Your Client Sees? Have you come to the conclusion that your clients are being blinded by all of the twinkling windows and crystal clear water glistening in the backyard pool, and can’t see that the house they’ve fallen in love with is really just a dirty animal (maybe a pig) dressed up in nice clothes and lipstick. Ask your client if they would be willing to look at the house again with
their close friends, family, and anyone else they trust for a second opinion there to see it with them. If the house really is a dud, they’ll be able to see past any personal bias your client might have to the truth. They will be able to help your client see through the shining facade
Celebrate the Happy Union! When a couple gets married they tend to throw a big party and celebrate their union. The same goes for the closing. Your clients have just essentially married the house of their dreams, and now it’s time to rejoice. Congratulate them on their new union. Show your support for their new homeowner status by going to their housewarming party.
Help Your Clients Maintain Their Dream Home & Ensure a Lifetime of Happiness You can’t just disappear after the transaction is finished. Become their realtor for life by showing your clients how to maintain their dream home. Act as their resource for other professionals they may need to maintain the house such as handymen, plumbers, electricians, etc. Show them how to keep up with home maintenance so they don’t ignore problems that surface and end up with a much larger issue than they started with. Help them make sure their dream home lasts so they can live happily ever after in their home for a lifetime.
KEN COVERS
Enthusiastic and passionate about real estate, Ken Covers has become one of the most loved agents in the Atlanta region. Producing just over $39 million in real estate transactions in 2019 alone, it’s clear he’s doing everything right while enjoying every minute of it. He got his start 20 years ago, when he retired early and moved from the midwest to Georgia. “I was going to garden and become a southern gentleman,” he says. But his active mind soon pushed him to explore the idea of real estate. “My agent said I should go into it, because I know a lot about houses, and I laughed at the time but after 3 weeks of retirement I drove to real estate school and earned my license,” Ken explains. He was a “secret agent” while he honed his skills, but word spread fast and
soon Ken was growing at an exponential rate. Today he is a top advisor at Engel & Völkers Atlanta, serving buyers and sellers and specializing in the intown luxury market. The vast majority of his business derives from repeats and referrals, a testament to his superior service.
expert. They come back to me for results and service, that’s the bottom line.” Ken has established a solid reputation in the region, with clients coming to him knowing he will get the job done while exceeding expectations. For his buyers, he doesn’t stop until they find the home they’ve dreamed of, while also helping them see the potential in properties that don’t check all their boxes. Ken’s sellers get the same guidance throughout, including tips on how to make
their homes have the best first impression. “I believe that homes sell within the first couple seconds of walking in, so I labor over the details,” Ken says.
After the transaction, clients love to spread the word about his work. One recently said, “Ken Covers is a man of high integrity, with a tremendous professional ‘know how’ which achieves the best results for his clients. I’ve dealt with many fine top rated realtors (17 homes) and have never been so pleased and am very grateful. In the end, I not only bought a wonderful home and sold a lovely townhome with Ken at the helm; I gained a lovely new friend as well.”
When it comes to staying in touch, Ken often hosts social functions at his home and invites past clients. He also maintains an active presence in the community, getting involved
in many events and charities. “Our company charity is the Special Olympics, and I’m on the board for the Alzheimer’s Association, hosting fundraisers at our house.” Ken was a
featured dancer on Dancing Stars of Atlanta, raising $272,000 for charity, the most ever raised in the history of the event.
During any free time, Ken can be found gardening or staying active outside. But he
admits it’s hard to stop working, because real estate truly is one of his favorite things to do.
