THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 2, 1994 TAG: 9406300466
SECTION: REAL ESTATE WEEKLY PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: By Heidi Glick
Special to Real Estate Weekly
LENGTH: Long : 179 lines
When Laura Doherty, a Chesapeake real estate agent, meets new buyers or sellers, she doesn't expect them to know all the right questions to ask.
Many customers - especially first-time buyers - aren't familiar with interest rates and other mortgage information, says Doherty of Century 21 First Colony Realty.
Sometimes, they don't know if they want to live in the city or the country. Many have no idea what they can afford.
So Doherty asks them questions.
``What are your needs? Can you afford to buy a house? When do you need to move? Do you need to be close to public transportation?,'' she says.
``Constantly throughout the process, I'm asking questions. `Do you understand? Do you have any questions you need to ask me?' ''
Communication is crucial in building a good working relationship between agent and client, say Doherty and other Hampton Roads agents. But agents and clients can take many other steps as well to prevent problems from arising.
Knowing what these steps are, agents say, can go a long way toward making the home buying and selling experience a positive one for all sides.
Conflicts between agents and clients might not be common, but they do happen, says Darlene Lamb, president of the Tidewater Association of Realtors and a broker with Prudential Decker Realty in Chesapeake.
Whenever she fields a complaint from a seller, Lamb says, it's usually that they haven't heard from their agent.
``For an agent, the most frustrating thing from a seller standpoint is not knowing what's going on,'' she says.
When Lamb was a sales agent, she called her clients every week, she says, even if she didn't have anything to report.
``You're letting the seller be aware of what you're doing,'' she says. ``The seller has no idea what you're doing if you don't tell them, and that gets people off on the wrong foot.''
Another piece of advice for agents, Lamb says, is to include the seller in the marketing of the house. Let them help write the newspaper ad, for instance. Because the seller lives in the house, he or she probably knows its strong points better than anyone else.
An agent, for instance, might visit the house, see a breakfast nook and simply describe it in the ad. But the agent doesn't know the sellers sip their morning coffee in the nook while the sun is rising.
Only the sellers are able to describe the warm, comfortable feeling of sitting at their breafast nook. Such a description might turn out to be more attractive than the agent's.
Lamb also advises agents to lay out their advertising plans for the seller. Don't just tell them what publications will feature their home, but also state how often the ads will run.
``The seller assumes they'll be in all this media,'' Lamb says, ``and get all this exposure.''
Agents can prevent a lot of conflicts by being up-front with their clients from the start, especially when it comes to suggesting home improvements, says Nancy Russell, an agent with Re/Max in Virginia Beach.
When she first meets a client, Russell immediately tells what needs to be done to prepare a house for sale, she says. That might mean replacing carpeting, wallpaper or making other cosmetic changes.
A lot of sellers become defensive, she says, when told to alter the decor of their home.
``It's a real personal thing, especially for people into decorating,'' Russell says. ``They have their own specific taste.''
But if the home is so personalized that it doesn't appeal to the masses, she says, it won't sell as quickly.
Agents should tell their clients to make the home as marketable as possible to the largest number of buyers. That means selling vanilla ice-cream, she says, not some exotic flavor.
``It's easy to sell vanilla,'' Russell says.
To address this issue tactfully, an agent can say someone else made the decor suggestions, says Herald Pardue, director of the Tidewater Real Estate School in Virginia Beach.
``If more than one agent tours a client's home, the seller's agent can say, ``Someone noticed. . . ,'' and throw it off to a third person,'' Pardue says.
It also helps to get client input. Ask them, for instance, where to put the for-sale sign, Pardue says.
``Bring them into the picture,'' he says.
An agent isn't the only one responsible for a smooth home selling experience. Their clients can take several steps to make the process easy for both sides.
Such steps can be as simple as letting the agent know that the for-sale sign in the yard was damaged during a recent storm.
Sellers should also realize that a listing agent is working hard even when he or she isn't showing the house. More than likely, the listing agent has been marketing the house to the public and other agents.
``The agent they list their property with is not always the agent who sells their property,'' Lamb says. ``Sellers think the listing agents bring the buyers out. More commonly, the agents in the office bring the buyers out.''
Another tip for sellers, agents say, is to heed an agent's advice to pack away knicknacks or household items that get in the way of showing the home.
``Sometimes you can't see the house for all the stuff that's in it,'' Russell says.
Also, if sellers have a pet, agents say, they should either remove it or keep it out of the way during an open house.
Before getting into real estate, Doherty she dealt with three agents when she first moved to Hampton Roads. Two of them were really good, she says, but one wasn't.
``The agent just didn't show an interest,'' Doherty recalls. ``Never bothered to call me, or ask, `What do you want?' ''
Quality service, Doherty says, is just as imporant in the real estate business as it is in a department store. If lines are too long, and no one is willing to help, customers will leave, she says.
``If I don't get the same quality service I give to people, I don't go to that store again.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Cover]
[Color Photo]
D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Chesapeake agent Laura Doherty, left, holds a follow-up meeting with
Pam Pender, who just bought a home. COmmunication, Doherty says, is
the key to making things run smoothly.
JIM WALKER
Darlene Lamb, president of th Tidewater Association of Realtors,
advises agents to speak with their clients often. "The seller has no
idea what you're doing if you don't tell them."
ERIC THINGSTAD
Laura Doherty, left, an agent with Century 21 First Colony Realty,
and home buyer Pam Pender. It's important, Doherty says, for agents
to determine the needs of each customer.
JIM WALKER
Darlene Lamb of the Tidewater Association of Realtors says agents
shoul seek the seller's advice when marketing a home. Sellers often
know the home's biggest strengths.
GETTING ALONG
Here are a few steps agents and their clients can take to build a
better working relationship:
For the seller:
Notify the agent quickly about any problems, such as a damaged
for-sale sign.
Realize that your agent is working hard even when another one is
showing the house. Most likely, your agent is doing all the
marketing needed to let other agents know the house is for sale.
Don't become defensive if your agent asks you to change your
home's decor - whether it's adding new wallpaper or removing
knickknacks and antiques. Keep in mind that even a well-decorated
home will languish on the market if it doesn't suit the average
buyer. Also, too much decoration can clutter a house.
Let your agent know what you plan to do with your pet during an
open house. Preferably, you will remove it or keep it out of the
way.
Help with the home's marketing. Let your agent know what you like
about your house, and make sure your ads mention this.
Be honest with your agent, especially if you're not satisfied.
For the buyers:
Discuss your needs with the agent. For instance, would you rather
live in the city or the suburbs?
Try to get prequalified for a mortgage by a loan office so you
know how big a home you can afford.
For the agent:
Keep in touch with your client even if you don't have anything
new to report. Try to call your client at least once a week, says
Herald Pardue, director of the Tidewater Real Estate School.
Tell the client, immediately after you first view the home, what
changes need to be made to the property. If possible, tactfully say
that someone else suggested the changes. For example: ``Somebody
noticed that this purple carpeting might be too strong.'' Let the
client know that the house needs to look generic to appeal to the
most buyers.
Welcome input from your clients. Ask their opinion on your
marketing efforts and other matters.
Ask your seller and buyer questions. Find out how soon they want
to move, for instance, or how big a home they can afford.
Show that you care about your client. Selling or buying a home is
an emotionally charged process. Let them know you want the deal to
run as smoothly as they do.
by CNB