Your Best Deal Now!**
It’s been said that life has just two certainties. I would add a third: the ever-changing real estate market. At times the market appears more favorable to buyers, then conditions shift and it appears more favorable to sellers, while at still other times it may be unclear just whom the market is favoring. But regardless of the kind of market we’re in or how we choose to characterize it one thing remains certain: buyers hope to buy for as little money as possible, and sellers hope to sell for as much money as possible. Realtors often work in the murky middle ground, a kind of no man’s land that neither side truly wishes to occupy, but a gap which nonetheless must be bridged for a real estate transaction to occur.
In social settings I’m occasionally asked to name the one thing clients often fail to do which would be in their best interest if only they “knew what they didn’t know”. My prepared response to this question is to appeal for clients to strategize more openly with their agents. Too often buyers and sellers wish to keep a modicum of secrecy in the negotiations, to let the process play itself out and see what fate has in store. This approach, however, doesn’t always yield the best results.
Imagine for a moment that you’ve flagged down a taxi, but once inside instead of telling the driver your exact destination you simply share the general direction in which you wish to head. This is analogous to a buyer or seller who enlists the services of an agent but fails to disclose to that agent their destination, or target buying/selling price. One may be fortunate and still reach their destination by operating in this manner, but the circuitous route by which they finally arrive may take longer, be filled with more anxiety and ultimately end up costing more than had they given their agent (the driver) better directions from the outset.
Transparency is to be applauded in all business transactions, not just those involving real estate—and not just client to agent. Transparency is equally important agent to client as the results they achieve depend largely on the strength of the alliance they form. As an agent working in the real estate field for more than 20 years I can tell you there’s much good news for today’s buyers and sellers. Many of my colleagues are some of the most diligent, forthright and hardworking individuals I know. By inviting more transparency into the process I feel certain that your best deal lies just ahead.
Doug