Sometimes when we show houses our buyers bring along a friend or family member. That family member or friend has their own pre-conceptions of what issues the buyer should be looking for. I once had the "friend" going around flushing all the toilets to make sure they worked. That was their number one priority on what to look for.
Well today I was looking at homes with one of my clients in Canton MI. She was a single woman who brought along her uncle. Of course the uncle was pointing out every bad point in all the houses we looked at. So it turned off the young lady.
There is no home in Canton MI that is perfect. There are not any perfect homes. Any house over 5 years old has some sort of issue. Older homes have more issues. But my buyers uncle was scaring this poor young lady about no having glass block basement windows. It isn't a major cost to put two glass block windows in if you want them. It shouldn't be an issue not to buy a house.
On another home we saw the Uncle saw only one plug in a room. The other plugs and outlets were hidden behind furniture. But that house had a bad electrical system. As a metro Detroit realtor we sometimes walk a tightrope.
We can't openly dispute the friend or family member. It would cause a rift in our relationship with the client. So we have to be patient before we dispel the mis-conceptions that the friend or family member has created.
So right now we are scheduling more Canton homes to look at. It may take a few trips looking at homes before my buyer realizes the difference between a major issue and a issue that is reasonably fixable. But usually it just takes time for the buyer to understand that there is no perfect house. So I am sure that we will find a nice home in Canton that fits her needs and that she likes.
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My Month of December quote:
~ Mark Twain”
Russ Ravary
"helping make your move easier"
your local Metro Detroit Realtor helping clients like you sell and buy homes through out the entire Metro Detroit suburbs. I love showing and selling Oakland County and Livingston County Lake front homes too.
Russ, Isn't that frustrating? It's happened to me too. The fact is that I've personally built two houses from the ground up and still come out with a punch list a mile long. You're right, there is no perfect house. I hope you can get your buyer to understand that some things are an easy fix.
I share the feeling here! Dad's I think are the worst ! I had some young folks, though, who kicked Dad out of things and said they would do fine on their own. Only once has that happened, however!
Guess that they have the buyers best interests at heart, but absolutely lack the market knowledge to know what represents a home that has been priced for its condition. Nobody and no house is perfect. Showing homes can be frustrating.
Russ, you are right. The Uncle may be wise, but you are wiser. And, the client needs to see that, too. You will get her to come around.
Russ ~ that is sooo tough when that happens. And it happens often. I'm getting good at balancing.
I have found that their "trusted advisor" will only kill one house that they really love. After that, they will listen less to them and more to you.
Hey Russ, you are lucky that it was on the first showing, I really get anoyed when it is the second and third showing and the "friend" kills the deal:)) It is like a jet plane flying over a showing.
Russ, next time instead of walking the tightrope, take the rope and tie the Uncle to the toilet....
The advisor seems to always play Devil's Advocate on everything as though they believe it's their responsibility or maybe they are making the down payment...
Russ, I can certainly relate. On more than one occasion, buyers have brought friend/family and it was all I could do to keep from telling said friend/family member to put a sock in it and let me do my job. But you are right, it is a tightrope, because that friend/family member has more pull with your client.