15 Things Clients Hate About Property Sellers

There have been a lot of discussions why clients who are looking for properties to rent or buy would often be disappointed when dealing with real estate brokers. What would make a client hate a property seller? We looked into the common reasons why potential buyers and renters would despise their brokers.

1. Not Paying Attention

Before scheduling a viewing with a client, make sure that you understood the specific needs and requirements for the property. Not listening means that you did not even make an effort on getting the best list of properties to offer them. Make sure that you have listed their priorities in terms of the location such as proximity to job opportunities, schools or hospitals, the preferred size of the home and other factors that they might consider. These factors are essential especially if the client is thinking of buying a house for long-term use. Work on the limitations they have provided and in case you do not find any match with your current list of available properties, provide for reasonable alternatives. Be honest at the onset of the transaction and look for areas of compromise by providing the pros and cons. If this can be done before scheduling the viewings, the clients will appreciate your sincerity and you won’t need to waste time.

2. Not Making an Effort to Research

Being a great seller entails non-stop learning not merely from experience but from books and other reading materials as well. There are many tips and articles which are now available online on how to be a better real estate broker. Make sure to be updated with various changes in the real estate industry to impress your clients. In addition, prepare a viewing list for yourself and for the client so that both of you are guided with the info regarding the properties.

3. Not Doing Oculars

You have listed all the properties that would satisfy the requirements of your clients. Unfortunately, once you have reached the properties for the viewings, there are many questions from the prospect buyer which were thrown at you and you can’t seem to answer them. Brokers are usually preoccupied with their busy schedules and, unfortunately, they can’t seem to find time in doing oculars before presenting the properties to their clients and this is one of the biggest mistakes of property sellers. Sometimes a property is not as good as what is written on paper so it is important to see and examine the properties first before presenting them. Successful brokers will effort to know even the slightest detail which may annoy the client so be prepared to answer questions and make sure that you can provide for solutions to possible issues that might come up. Before presenting a new property such as a townhouse for rent which you are not familiar with, take the time to visit and do an ocular of the house.

4. Talking Too Much

There is a misconception that sellers must do most of the talking in negotiating a sale. In reality, a seller must let the buyer or renter talk more. After presenting the main selling points of the property such as a house for rent, let the client ask questions and reply with responsive answers. In this manner, the buyer would feel that the broker values their opinions and concerns. Most of the time, being too talkative in sales talk connotes that the seller is not confident with the product and they would need to sugarcoat in order to hide the flaws of the property.

5. Being Late

Being on time is a sign of respect and, unfortunately, this is one mistake a broker must not commit. Anticipate the heavy traffic and estimate the travel time from where you are located and the area where the property is located. Just to be sure, print the location map of a certain house for sale in order for you not to get lost. Make sure that you allot an allowance of fifteen minutes to be at the site before the agreed time.

6. Not Properly Dressed

Brokers must dress properly and look neat because this signifies that you value your profession since you made an effort to look presentable to the buyers. Invest on business attire clothes so that you will look and feel smart. Dressing up will also give the impression to the customers that you are reliable.

7. Unprepared for Viewings

Aside from being on time and looking good, be prepared to answer the client’s question and bring the necessary documents if needed. Have a checklist of all the papers or things that you must bring to make sure that you would not forget to bring them. Be sure that you are updated and aware of the facilities and amenities that a condominium for sale has so you can highlight the selling points of the property.

8. Lying

Some sellers would lie or not disclose important information about the property just to close the deal. This is one of the most notorious traits a real estate broker may possess. When you are trying to provide options to your clients, disclose all the necessary information both good and bad. Clients would appreciate a broker’s honesty which will build trust between the two parties. Do not lie about pertinent matters just because you are afraid that you will not be able to close the deal. Sometimes, clients would just need to decide and settle between given options and you don’t have to compromise your integrity with not being able to sell the property.

9. Misrepresentation

There might be a thin line between lying and misrepresentation, but the latter usually happens in advertising the selling price. The ideal way to entice buyers to purchase a property is to disclose all the terms of payment. In addition, while negotiating with the client, give them the other possible fees which they might have to pay such as the real property tax or transfer of title costs. In this manner, they can decide buying the property in accordance with their financial plans or capacity.

10. Not Paying Attention to Details

This is common when a buyer or a renter is already moving in the property. Most brokers do not pay attention even to the slightest details of repairs needed in a property sold. This mistake regularly happens in condominiums for rent since sometimes, the unit is not in good condition. For instances where repair is needed before moving in, the broker must coordinate with the admin or the owner in order to fix the problem first.

11. Difficult to Contact

Brokers are usually busy with client meetings and viewings. However, they must be diligent enough to call back or respond to their clients if there are concerns. Being responsive to the needs of your prospective buyers means that you value them and this is another trait which makes a broker stand out from the rest.

12. Lack of Foresight

A broker must be able to foresee possible problems that the clients might encounter after purchasing the property. This is an important skill that a seller must have, but it is usually learned and honed through many experiences in the practice.

13. Lack of Knowledge

The real estate industry does not only deal with the skill of selling. A lot of other fields are intertwined in the business such as the real estate laws and regulations, documentation and other aspects governing ownership of property. Make sure that you are knowledgeable about other areas as well in order to gain the trust of your client. Remember that in selling a property, you are dealing with the hard-earned money of the buyer and it is easier to put confidence in someone who is well-informed with the business.

14. Lacks People Skills

One of the best assets of a seller is how they can relate to other people. You do not need to be overly charming but avoid being arrogant. As a broker or agent, make sure that you can put yourself in your clients’ shoes so you can ascertain how you would want to be treated. Try to be cordial and responsive.

15. Hard Sell

When a client does not contact you after several viewings, you can follow up once or twice especially if he or she has a pending question which you were not able to answer beforehand. However, do not pressure the client to buy the property and you must be able to differentiate persistence from pestering. Accept the decision of the person if he already said “No” after trying to convince them. You just need to move on and direct your efforts to another prospective buyer.

Some people would say that people tend to hate what they fear. In the business of selling properties, homebuyers and investors are usually scared of losing their savings so show them that you are worth their trust in order to clinch that deal. Always keep in mind that selling is an honorable profession and you must avoid the negative qualities that clients usually attribute to property sellers. Stick with the correct ways of effectively selling properties and referrals from former clients will definitely follow.

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