You decide to start looking for a new home. Whether it’s your first home, an upsizer, downsizer, new location, holiday house or investment to add to your portfolio… it’s always a big step. You hop on the net or check out the local paper to start your search. Once you find a property that sparks your interest, you call the real estate agency to organise an inspection.
Within the first phone call, the salesperson askes about your current living situation, if you are looking to invest, is it your first home, how long have you been looking, do you have finance approval… Or any mix/variation of these questions.
How dare they?
As a private person, you feel uneasy. The stranger on the other end of the phone asking you questions about your private life. All you want to do is inspect the attractive 3 bedroom home by the beach… Why do they need to know if you have spoken to the bank?
This process is commonly referred to as ‘Qualifying Buyers.’ And while it may seem intrusive, this is an important part of a real estate agent’s role.
These questions give the salesperson an indication of your ability and readiness to buy. This is important for all parties involved.
If you put yourself in the shoes of a seller (a position that you may have experienced already), this conversation can save you from the sticky-beak down the road, the false hope of a buyer with no ability to purchase a home, and let’s be honest – who wants to go to the effort of cleaning the house and making yourself (and family) scarce for no good reason.
As a buyer, these questions can help the salesperson advise you on the best way to proceed. A good salesperson will happily talk through possible scenarios with you and help you put your best foot forward in regards to buying your next property.
And let’s face it, as much as a salesperson would enjoy casually taking any-and-all enquirers through the beautiful properties they list – they have a job to do. They need to use their time wisely to achieve the best possible results for their clients.
To seek advice on buying or selling, please always feel free to contact our office. We are here to help.
Written by Anissa Smart, Agent Representative and Receptionist at Wilsons