Accepting new clients…

I see that same message all the time in ads for dentists or other health professionals and I always wonder when they are not accepting new clients.

In general, Reators® are always open to accept new clients; however, some Realtors have decided not to work with certain types of potential client. Many Realtors focus upon only being listing agents. They will list a house for almost anyone, but they prefer not to work for buyers. Some agents are just the opposite, they don’t like working for sellers and prefer working for buyers. The challenges involved with working for either side of a real estate deal are different.

On the seller side, it is often difficult to get the would-be seller to accept the advice of the Realtor on what they need to do in order to make the property more marketable and to accept their advice on market pricing. Owners get comfortable with the condition of the property and are sometimes offended when they are told that it is cluttered or needs a lot of maintenance work or updates. Older owners may take the stance that, “it was good enough for me, it should be good enough for a buyer.” Or, they may push back that the 30 year old furnace isn’t broken, so why replace it or that the 25 year old roof isn’t leaking yet. The point that they don’t get is that the buyers don’t feel comfortable taking on those risks or update costs and will discount the price to factor that in. Of course, the sellers seldom agree to discount the price initially themselves to make the house more marketable. Some sellers are actually proud that they haven’t changed a thing in the 40 years that they’ve owned the place. I have dealt with all of those scenarios and can patiently work through them with the sellers.

On the buyer side of the deal one often finds confusion and/or indecision. There is a common real estate agent saying that, “buyers are liars”, meaning that they lie about what they want to buy. The truth is often that they really don’t know what they want to buy. Many buyers, especially first-time buyers, enter into the process without giving it serious thought . They may not know how much they can afford  for a home and most are totally ignorant about all of the costs involved with buying and owning a home. Many have never lived anywhere else than with mom and dad or in a dorm room at school or an apartment. Things like closing costs and PMI and homeowners insurance and property taxes are alien to them, not to mention things like wells and septic fields or property encroachments. Just the terminology that real estate agents use can be intimidating. The key for these buyers is finding someone who has the patience and will take the time to educate them as they go through the process for the first time.

 I have always maintained a balanced practice, working for both buyers and sellers. I have the patience to work with the most recalcitrant sellers and with buyers who need to learn as they go. I particularly like working with first-time buyers because it give me the opportunity to educate them during their first exposure to the real estate world. As a parent myself, I very strongly advise against any first-time buyer purchasing a home that I would not sell to either of my children. A few times, I have had to bite my tongue and help a buyer complete the purchase of a “fixer-upper”, even though I had my doubts about their ability to do the rehab work. I try during the process to assess their skills and financial wherewithal to take on such a project.  

So, I am accepting new clients right now in  the areas that I service - Oakland and Livingston Counties in Michigan. If you have been thinking about selling and need advice on what needs to be done to get the house ready for market, give me a call. If you think the house is ready and you want an opinion of its current market value, give me a call. If you have been unsuccessfully “testing” the market with a “For Sale By Owner” effort, give me a call. Maybe you had an unsatisfactory listing experience and withdrew from the market; but are now ready to try again, give me a call. Perhaps you are a buyer making your first home purchase and really want to work with an agent who will take the time to explain things to you and not constantly be pressuring you to make up your mind. Give me a call. Maybe you’ve bought and sold houses many time before; but, it has been a while, and you are looking for good advice about the current market. Give me a call.

The real estate process does not have to be intimidating and certainly should not be stressful. The agent that you choose to work with in that process makes a big difference. It is my goal that the sellers get the most that is possible from the sale of their property, that buyers get the best home that they can for what they have to spend and that both end up at the closing table as satisfied with the process they’ve just gone through as they are with the house involved. I’m accepting new clients. If you live in Livingston or Oakland counties or would like to live there, call me. You can call or text me at 248-763-2497.