The most successful real estate agents get to know their buyers and utilize their knowledge of them throughout the selling process. Each buyer is unique, what is a necessity to one can be unnecessary to another. If you educate yourself on the wants and needs of your client, you can market the property specific to their interests. By making the search for a new home a positive and custom experience, you are increasing your effectiveness as a seller. Try putting yourself in their shoes. Ask questions that go deeper than their budget, ideal size, or location. Though these are all important, it’s not all that they are looking for in a home. Here are some questions that I believe are important when getting to know your buyers:
What do they do for a living? This question is essential to the process because it is likely that their job situation is a contributing factor to their decision as this is one of the most popular reasons to move. Perhaps they are hoping to shorten their commute or have recently switched jobs. If you know what business they’re in or what company they work for, you can inform them of the benefits that this location has compared to others. Something as simple as being able to avoid highway traffic or unpleasant neighborhoods on your way to work can significantly improve your clients level satisfaction with the location. This also applies to people who work from home. If that is the case, help them to generate ideas of how they can use different spaces for their specific needs. For example, what is now a small bedroom can be marketed as an office if that is more appropriately aligned with their needs.
Prior to being a home office, this room served as an unused dining space but was transformed to best meet the owner’s needs. Photo by Maddy Smakulski
Another area you should educate yourself on is their family life. Do they have a family that lives with them? Are they planning on expecting a new child in the future? Are the kids older and starting to move out? These questions are important in many aspects and the answers reveal crucial details such as how many bedrooms or bathrooms are needed for them to live comfortably. Do the rooms have enough space for bunk beds? A room that may be small for a teenager might be just right for a nursery. Don’t need a home gym? It can be transformed into a playroom! Maybe they’re not in need of spare bedrooms, but they talk about how much they enjoy their large holiday gatherings and require enough room to host these events. Each of these details can determine what a client needs out of their next home, so be sure to open their mind to any less obvious possibilities.
What are their hobbies? Although this may not seem like a major factor, it can really help you market to that individual. A room is just a room until you make it your own. A sunroom can make the most lovely yoga studio; built-in shelves are perfect for storing all of your crafting supplies; an unfinished basement is a great place for an indoor workshop! While you’re showing the property, take advantage of this knowledge by explaining all of the opportunities that these spaces can offer. This strategy isn’t limited to just rooms either, unique characteristics may offer more than you originally thought. An example of this could be a large window nook can be a cozy place to enjoy a book, pursue an indoor garden or watch your pets play in the yard. If you can apply your clients’ interests throughout the home, you’ll be able to create an emotional attachment making them more likely to buy.
A creative mindset is one of our most powerful tools! The possibilities are limitless if you put your mind to it. By offering ideas relevant to your clients needs, you’ll be able to show how much you’re invested in finding them their forever home. Do you have rooms in your home that were initially advertised for a different purpose than you’re currently using them for? What are some other versatile spaces that you can transform to your liking? Let me know your ideas in the comment section!
Whether you’re a first time seller or already a real estate agent, if you plan on implementing these ideas to benefit your client’s experience, don’t forget to like this blog. If you know someone who’s ‘Mad About Real Estate,’ share this post with them, your friends and followers so that they can join our community! Remember to subscribe to my “Media Promotion Within Real Estate, A ‘How To’ Blog” so that you don’t miss out on any updates or new posts!
Resources:
What are the top 10 reasons people move house? (2017, February 17). Retrieved January 05, 2021, from http://www.harradines.co.uk/news/what-are-the-top-10-reasons-people-move-house/
Top 6 Reasons Why People Move. (n.d.). Retrieved January 05, 2021, from https://www.allmysons.com/corpuschristi/top_reasons_why_people_move.aspx