First Things First
The majority of open house Guests are Buyers. There are some neighbors and others. Those open house Guests that are Buyers come in the door already loyal to another Agent..or not. We completely respect those that are committed to another Agent.
A listing Agent has a fiduciary responsibility to the Seller. An Agent holding an open house that is not their listing does not have the same fiduciary responsibility. Either way, to be fair to the Seller, the Agent must determine whether the Guest is interested in the house. This is as simple as asking, “Does this house interest you?” Or, “I promised the Sellers to ask each Guest whether you are interested in the house. Are you?”
Give Them What They Want
The Guests want to be comfortable and they want information. Greet each Guest with a gracious smile. Welcome them to the house. Offer to answer all their questions. Provide them with more information than they were expecting. On the dining room or kitchen table provide information on the community, and the neighborhood, a fully filled out sample purchase offer and addendums, financing recommendations with advantages of each, and detailed closing cost estimates.Have printouts or preselected switch properties on your laptop that are in the same geographic area, same price range, same size or same style. These are properties that the Guests are likely to be interested in if they showed up at this open.
Ask Questions That Interest Them
As Buyers there are only a few reasons they chose that open house; location, price, size, or a particular feature. So, ask, “This house is in Brighton. Are you looking exclusively in Brighton or also in Penfield, Pittsford and the other eastern suburbs?” Or, “This one is $279,900 is that your price range or are you looking higher or lower than that?” Or, “This one is 2,500 square feet with four bedrooms and three baths may I ask is that the size home you were looking for or did you want something larger or smaller than that? Or, “This one is adjacent to the golf course. Were you looking for a property on a golf course or did you just like this location?”
You will immediately discover those Guests that are loyal to other Agents because they will identify themselves as such. The unattached or loosely attached Buyers will answer you. They will immediately begin to like you and trust you; because you are asking questions that interest them. These questions demonstrate that you know about other properties that have similar characteristics which mean you can help them. If they answer one of the above questions, follow with the others, taking time to listen, and ask more details if appropriate.
Show Sincere Interest
Then ask, “Why don’t you tell me all the things you would like in a house and I’ll make a note.” Once they have answered the questions above about location, price, and size they will answer this question. Their trust toward you deepens. Loyalty is yours as long as you continue to show truly, sincere interest in them and what they want to accomplish.
Offer Education and Information
Ask if they have reviewed the current paperwork that is used to buy a home in the area. “Has anyone given you a copy of the contract that you will sign to purchase a home so that you can become familiar with it? I like for people to be familiar with it before you are in the middle of making a $200,000 decision.”
“Are you familiar with the variety of inspections you might want to choose for homes in this area and the roles of the attorneys and other professionals involved in making sure things go well?”
“May I suggest that we get together? I don’t bite. I promise. I’ll go over all of that with you. Give you copies and other information that will protect your interests and make the process enjoyable. No obligation, if we hit it off, and it looks like we will, I’ll help you find a great house. If we don’t, you’ll just be better prepared. Would it be best to meet this afternoon after the open house or early next week?” The words contract, sign, and decision are used purposely in a way that may make the Buyers realize that they need someone that they can trust to protect them.
Go All the Way or Don’t Go At All
Harold is one of hundreds of Agents who have said to me, “Rich, I do something similar to that and it doesn’t work.” Similar doesn’t work. Part of this language and approach will not work. Go all the way. Work with it until you have it all. Be like Jennifer who builds loyalty through the use of this approach and this language exactly the way it is described above. Jennifer said to me, “That is so easy. It is so comfortable for me and for them. It makes so much sense to them that they answer the questions and just naturally evolve into Clients.”
A True Story
One more reason this approach works is because the experience of most Buyers is being abused or ignored in open houses. A house was open on my street. The door was open. I walked in. I walked into the living room, the dining room and in the kitchen the Agent holding it open was reading something on the counter with her back to me. I purposely didn’t say anything and headed into the basement. Came up, she was still reading with her back to me. I walked past her up the stairs, through the bedrooms, came down, and walked out the door. This is such an unprofessional disservice to the Owners, the Guests, and a clear example of why professionalism and good service will make you stand out.
The approach in this article is proven. It works for many reasons. The main reason is that serious Buyers want to work with an Agent that thinks and acts in the way described. Be different simply by being attentive, sincerely interested, and committed to the success of each Guest.
Rich Levin is a Master Coach and Real Agent Productivity Expert. He resides in the Rochester area and works with Real Estate Professional across North America. You can hear him live every weekday on his free Daily webinars. Register at www.FreeCoachingWebinars.com. For coaching information you can contact him at 585-244-2700 or Rich@RichLevin.com. If you live in the Rochester area or are willing to travel he will meet with you in person.