Why Meet At The Office?

ARTICLE INDEX

   Doug Barry, Associate Broker
   LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE, INC.

                     Licensed in Maryland

Direct Line 410-207-4751 Office 410-583-5700

Why It's Important To Meet The Agent At The Office

Many buyers have a set idea of how things are going to be done when they go out to find a new home. For some buyers, once they have this idea set in their mind, no amount of logic or reasoning will change their mind. It may be just as unfortunate, that there are a number of agents who will do whatever the buyer asks them to do. This is not necessarily in anyone’s best interest.

Buyers and agents both need to know that there some compelling reasons for meeting in the office the first time you meet. Buyers can receive a higher level of service in a more efficient manner, the sales transaction will be carried out with fewer problems and a much lower chance of unexpected surprises for the buyer, proper preparation to arrange financing can be made and the safety of everyone concerned is much more certain.

BETTER AND MORE EFFICIENT SERVICE

Buyers that try to meet agents at houses think they are saving time. They aren’t. Meeting at the house will lead a buyer to a string of houses that don’t meet their needs. They will also be missing numerous houses that are exactly along the lines of what they are looking for. No buyer can drive down every residential road, see every sign or find every ad. Plus some properties may not be advertised and may not even have a sign. If an agent takes the time to conduct a thorough interview in the office at their first meeting, they can really find out what is going to make the buyer happy. An hour in the office could mean looking at only eight houses instead of thirty. A properly conducted meeting can save numerous hours down the road.

FEWER PROBLEMS AND BAD SURPRISES

Most states, if not all, require some sort of disclosure to be made about agency and/or fair housing. Agency deals with who is being represented. The buyer has the right to know whether or not they can or are being represented. In most cases, to be fully represented, some sort of contract must be signed. Can a contract that obligates a buyer, maybe for as long as six months, be adequately explained in five minutes in front of a house. If the agent is just saying, “I need you to sign here,” they are abandoning their obligation to deal with all parties fairly and honestly, and if that buyer becomes a client, they may be abandoning their obligation to look out for the client’s best interest before the relationship even starts.

This is also an opportunity to explain the entire process from beginning to end. Even if a buyer has purchased a house before, it is likely that a lot has changed since they made that purchase. What happens if you find the perfect house and the buyer doesn’t have money in his or her checking account to make a downpayment, or money to pay for the home inspection. The initial meeting is the ideal time to tell buyers when things are going to happen, when they will need money and how much and any other advance preparations the buyer will have to make in the sales process. The agent may also want to qualify the buyer to see what they can afford, or even arrange a meeting with a loan officer, so the buyer can be pre-approved. Why waste time looking at houses you can’t purchase?

  Doug Barry
  LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE, INC.

  Direct 410-207-4751
  Office 410-583-5700
  Doug@RealtyComplete.com

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