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Ambassador
1,452,669
Susan Emo
Sotheby's International Realty Canada - Brokerage - Kingston, ON
Kingston and the 1000 Islands Area

I don't continue to have dinner out with people who can't choose off a menu and I try to do the same with indecisive Buyers!  For some, it is a deep hidden psychosis that we're best to avoid digging into

My time is valuable and I'm very upfront with people.  I've ended many an afternoon with "You know how to find me - let me know when you're ready!"

Nov 30, 2015 10:25 PM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

This is really hard to do... there's always an underlying reason why someone sits on the fence and first it's important to find out why. Are they looking for a great deal, a great mortgage rate, a specific neighborhood, etc.? Once you know what's holding them up, then you know how to tempt them. Then again, there are those permanent fence sitters.... a whole other topic.

Nov 30, 2015 07:39 PM
Rainmaker
2,759,812
TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

Good morning Paul. If you can figure that one out, you would be extremely wealthy.

Nov 30, 2015 05:14 PM
Rainmaker
4,882,355
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

By determining how motivated they are when we start the process.

Nov 30, 2015 09:37 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

It is difficult. The buyers usually learn when they lose out on a house they like.

Nov 30, 2015 09:17 PM
Rainmaker
7,835,323
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Home ownership changes lives because it is the most common way to build family wealth.

Nov 30, 2015 09:03 PM
Rainmaker
1,661,936
John McCormack, CRS
Albuquerque Homes Realty - Albuquerque, NM
Honesty, Integrity, Results, Experienced. HIRE Me!

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.  

Nov 30, 2015 08:54 PM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

Urgency.

Scarcity.

Fear.

Yesterday, one agent on AR reported success creating urgency/scarcity via a 'Black Friday' strategy.

Exactly HOW you create the motivation depends on your skilled observation regarding what the client says and does.

 

Nov 30, 2015 08:50 PM
Rainmaker
5,216,353
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Ask many questions designed to get them off the fence. First question: "What has you on the fence?"!

Nov 30, 2015 08:28 PM
Rainmaker
2,538,633
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning Paul. You have just asked a question comparable to asking what the meaning of life is.

Every person makes up their mind differently, some just take longer than others.

Nov 30, 2015 05:12 PM
Rainmaker
979,496
Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807
HomeSmart - Chandler, AZ
Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

Paul - That is a difficult question to answer, but knowing why they are looking, and what their motivation is, should go a long ways towards finding out.

Dec 03, 2015 07:46 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

I can only give them the facts.  It's not my place to make them buy a home before they are ready.

Dec 01, 2015 04:49 AM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

Usually by telling them a story about how another buyer lost their dream home by waiting to a buyer who saw it, loved and wrote the offer. 

Nov 30, 2015 09:13 PM
Rainmaker
628,764
Buzz Mackintosh
Mackintosh REALTORS - Frederick, MD
“Experience, reliable, leadership”

That is a loaded question. It depends what is going on in your local market w/ inventory, the market in general, rates and what is in the Buyer's head. I generally tell a Buyer you will know when you find the right place and go w/ your gut. If they don't pull the trigger after seeing the right one a couple of times they maybe eternal lookers.

Nov 30, 2015 08:19 PM
Ambassador
6,392,929
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Find their pain and pleasure points and utilize them.

Dec 09, 2017 11:03 PM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Paul S. Henderson, Realtor, Tacoma Washington finding the right reason to move is very important.

And if they make low-ball offers and lose many homes in a row, you know what to do with your time.

Stay in touch, call them and send the listings....

Dec 01, 2015 01:40 PM
Rainmaker
1,683,912
Larry Johnston
Broker, Friends & Neighbors Real Estate and Elkhart County Subdivisions, LLC - Elkhart, IN
Broker,Friends & Neighbors Real Estate, Elkhart,IN

Ask them if they can picture themselves living in this house.

Dec 01, 2015 12:46 PM
Rainmaker
1,374,323
Joyce Marsh
Joyce Marsh Real Estate LLC - Daytona Beach, FL
Joyce Marsh Homes

FOMO

Dec 01, 2015 09:40 AM
Rainmaker
5,868,372
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

It is easier in our market, homes are not on the market long, so they have to make a decision.

Dec 01, 2015 07:50 AM
Rainmaker
617,935
David Gibson CNE, 719-304-4684 ~ Colorado Springs Relocation
Colorado Real Estate Advisers LLC - Colorado Springs, CO
Relocation, Luxury & Lifestyle residential

Paul,
If they are sitting on the fence there is usually a reason. I try to help them but not push them.

Dec 01, 2015 06:33 AM
Rainmaker
4,571,942
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Pulling a trigger and making the offer --- hmm, maybe that's what I need to do.  This scenario underscores the answer -- motivation.   

Dec 01, 2015 04:25 AM
Rainmaker
900,118
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

I don't think there is anything we can do to "motivate" them. They need to be ready without any scare tactics that might turn them off (market changing, interest rates going up, nothing better might turn up, etc.). I think Susan Emo got this right - some just can't do it for whatever reason. I had a client like that (a psychologist...), who always came up with an excuse no matter how "perfect" the property was. I finally had to pull out.

Dec 01, 2015 04:24 AM
Rainmaker
1,525,616
Sybil Campbell
Fernandina Beach, FL
Referral Agent Amelia Island Florida

Sometimes it is impossible and I count my losses and move on, but I've found that prayer helps.

Dec 01, 2015 02:58 AM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

Take the fence down! 

Nov 30, 2015 11:55 PM
Rainmaker
1,844,271
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

Ask what would make them more comfortable making a decision. You unfortunately might find out this person is incapable of making a big decision.

Answer more questions on what they are afraid about.

Nov 30, 2015 11:23 PM
Rainmaker
1,466,207
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Paul S. Henderson, Realtor, Tacoma Washington I like Ken Jones approach.

Nov 30, 2015 11:03 PM
Rainmaker
613,494
Eve Alexander
Buyers Broker of Florida - Tampa, FL
Exclusively Representing ONLY Tampa Home Buyers

That is like trying to motivate an agent..they are either motivated or not and nothing that you say will mold them into something that they are not ready for.

Buyers need to be motivated before you waste your gas.

Eve

Nov 30, 2015 10:39 PM
Rainmaker
1,725,996
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

Very broad answer to your general question.It depends on that specific buyer's motivation and you need to hone in on how best to satisfy that need.

Nov 30, 2015 09:38 PM