Let Them Explore

Sometimes, the best way to support the client is to let him or her lead. When showing a home, agents should let the buyer walk through the door first. The client can lead the way entering each room and be the first to walk up or down the stairs to other levels of the home.

“The agent should always stand back, never blocking any windows or paths,” McNamee says. “If the room is especially cramped, do not even go in – just lean in from the doorway. For the first few minutes, let the buyers discover the property on their own.”

Fiorito uses the first moments a client spends with a property to gain an understanding of how they think and make their judgments of the property. “I’ll ask questions in each room to see how it compares to what they have now,” she says. “The kitchen is very important, so I’ll ask if they hang out there, if they cook, and if they entertain.”

The client may want a family room that opens to the kitchen so everyone can be together, for example. A kitchen is often where families gather and where kids do their homework. Fiorito may offer suggestions on how various rooms can be used.

Agents must be prepared to highlight the top features and benefits of the home at any point before, during, and after the showing. Successful agents help clients envision themselves in a home, based on their specific needs.

Overcoming Objections

A key tactic for keeping the sales process moving is overcoming objections before they come up. Anticipate possible objections and overcome them while touring a home.

Fiorito, for example, is currently working on a listing that has an open space under the stairs.
“It’s a neat space, but people can’t figure out what to do with it,” she notes. “So, I pull up pictures on from my ‘Houzz’ app and show them how it could be a desk, reading space, storage space, or a bar.”

Once they see the pictures, clients who may have been initially wary about how to handle an irregular space generally get excited about the area’s potential, and are able to envision what they would do with it if they bought that home.

There are many aspects of the homebuying and selling processes that may give clients pause, especially in the early stages. Agents can give their clients peace of mind (and move forward) by heading off common objections before they’re brought up, including, “that price is too low for my home,” or “this home has everything but–.” By asking questions to get to the root of the objection – which may not be obvious – agents can develop a plan to move forward and eliminate the obstacle.