My oldest daughter is growing up.  For her birthday, her mom was letting her get highlights for the first time.  This was so exciting for her!  We are good family friends with a stylist that does a fantastic job with highlights, so we took our daughter over and the stylist began.  As I was sitting there, a thought occurred to me.  I’m not ever getting highlights.  The reason is that I don’t have any hair left to highlight!  I thought to myself;  hair stylists need people with hair, real estate agents need clients who can buy or sell.  After all, not every buyer actually buys a house.

As real estate agents who work on commission, we don’t want to spend our time on people who cannot buy or sell houses.  Here are some indicators of good buyers and good sellers.

Good Buyers

  1. They have a loan pre-approval. When you don’t have the time or the will to go through a preliminary credit check, you can’t be serious about buying a home.  In this market, houses can sell in as little as one day.  Without a pre-approval letter or proof of funds, your offer is likely to lose to one that does have these things.
  2. They know where they want to live. It’s OK to want to look at different neighborhoods, but you should have some sense of what county in St. Louis you want to live at a minimum.  Home buyers need to find a home that fits their style.
  3. They are active in the process. Home buyers who work to find a home will do better than those who wait for their real estate agent to do everything.  We live in a world of almost instant information, and while some of that information is totally wrong, buyers should at least be active in the process.  For example, school district information varies from website to website, but almost every school district has their own website with their own data.
  4. They have a reason to leave their current residence. Is a lease ending?  Is a major life event occurring soon?  Buyers have to have a reason to move from their current place of residence strong enough to leave it.
  5. They listen to real estate agent advice. Home buyers should have a level of trust with their real estate agent.  If they don’t, they aren’t a good fit for those buyers.  Good real estate agents are working in the marketplace daily.  They usually offer advice on home values and current market conditions.  Buyers should consider this advice when making offers and deciding which home suits their needs.

Good Sellers

  1. They are done with the house. Home sellers have to have a reason to leave the home they are currently in.  If they don’t want to sell, they usually give mixed signals.  For example, they can ask for a sign to be placed in the yard, but not sign the required listing paperwork.
  2. They have a realistic selling price in mind. Home sellers can have a tough time selling their homes.  Some reasons are here.   One of the worst ways to sell a house is to list it higher than anyone will buy it.  Good sellers know the dangers of listing their home for sale too high and don’t.
  3. They are flexible in negotiations. When selling a home, if a buyer asks for a reasonable repair, the sellers agree to it.  If a date to close has to be changed do to an unexpected circumstance, sellers work to accommodate the change.  Bad sellers will fight tooth and nail for every perceived advantage, which can ruin a sale.
  4. They can sell the house. Sometimes home sellers are upside down and can’t sell.  Sometimes, a sale of their current home will keep them from ever being able to live in a home again.  If a seller can’t sell a house because they have nowhere else to go, they aren’t good sellers.
  5. They make an effort to sell the house.  While sellers may have little money to work with when selling their home, there are some things that they can do.  They can keep the house clean.  Sellers can also leave when buyers have scheduled showings with their real estate agents.  Good sellers make an effort.

Great Hair Equals Great Home Buyers or Home Sellers

I’m not sure why some real estate agents spend so much time with people uncommitted to the process of buying or selling a home.  If they would just say to themselves, hair stylists need people with hair, real estate agents need clients who can buy or sell, they would know right away that they are wasting their time on people who can’t buy or sell.  At Deerwood Realty, you have an advantage.  If you’re serious about listing your home for sale, or buying your dream home, do yourself a favor and give Deerwood Realty a call.  While I’m not a good candidate for highlights, one of our real estate can definitely help you with your real estate needs.

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