Deep down, what do your clients really want?

They obviously want to buy or sell a house. But any good real estate agent knows that a client wants so much more than four walls and a roof. Home ownership holds a lot of meaning to the people making the purchase or sale. No two clients are the same when it comes to their primary motivations.

If a person is buying a house, they’re looking for the setting of lifelong memories, family events, and major changes over years and decades. It is the stage on which they will live their lives. If a person is selling a house, in some ways they are parting with all of that. It can be a very emotional process for everyone involved, and a great real estate agent not only has to assist in the particulars of contracts and negotiations, but also has to assist in navigating the emotional journey that can ensue.

Agents might have to talk clients down with reassurances or they might have to inspire confidence with bolstering. When you understand what a client is truly searching for, it can make the process of managing their emotional expectations much easier.

• Are they looking for money?
• Are they looking to start a family?
• Are they downsizing from a family home now that the nest is empty?
• How do they feel about their current living situation?
• Do they actually want to move?
• Is their financial situation dire?
• Does their move mark a beginning or an end?

When you look into their real intentions, you can become the perfect agent. You can base your actions on something more concrete than their simple goal of buying or selling a home. The process can be arduous. Great agents end up becoming trusted guides when they go the extra mile to figure out all the whys of a transaction. When you provide this level of service, you become an advisor for life and earn coveted referrals.

Acting as a consultant for a family’s future can be a lot of pressure on one person’s shoulders. So ask yourself the above listed questions out of the gate, and you’ll be able to make dreams come true, which is a pretty rewarding job.