Now, the above question begs the next one...what is a serious buyer. Well, I will be more then happy to answer that question. As a professional real estate agent I come across many potential customers who seem to be interested in buying a home. Notice the word SEEM. This is a key word in our business because many people will tell us that they are interested in buying a home in order to gain free information from us. I know that many potential customers feel uneasy about the probing questions that most of us realtors ask them. I know that you feel that we are prying. Well, we may be prying but not for the sake of prying. We need to know the viability of being able to make a sale. This may seem rather materialistic but you need to understand the following:
1. Real estate agents do not make a penny when they provide you the information you request. The only time a real estate agent collects any money is at the conclusion of a real estate transaction, normally at the settlement table. However, providing you with the information does cost the real estate agent money. A single request is of nominal cost, but if you are constantly requesting information without givinig the agent any idea of your intent, then where is the incentive to provide that information.
2. Registering with multiple real estate agents is NOT the way to decide which agent you want to work with. Unless your criteria is to work with the one that allows you to extract free information from them without complaining. You need to actually speak to a real estate agent to find out if they are the right one to work with you. After all, agents want to speak to the potential customers for the same reason. And, yes, I have graciously declined potential customers because I didn't feel that it was a "good fit".
So, how do I tell if a potential customer is a serious buyer?
1. Does the potential customer leave their full contact information? Does it look legitimate? If the potential customer enters their name as Mickey Mouse or any other fictional character then they are not serious. I don't care what they use asa reason to justify their actions...this speaks volumes about the potential customer's character (or lack thereof). If they lie about their personal information, and justify it, what else are or will they lie about and justify it.
2. Am I able to contact them via phone and speak directly to them? If I call them numerous times and leave them messages but they do not return my calls or never pick up the phone, I then do not consider them a serious buyer. Even people who are currently "shopping" are considered serious buyers because they have an end date to their shopping and have issues that need to be resolved before they can move forward...either financial or contractual issues.
So, are YOU a serious buyer? Or are you a "moocher" or a "gamer"? A "moocher" where you just want to get free information at absolutely no cost to you (similar to those people who go to grocery stores and >>help themselves<< to as many free product samples as they can get without attracting undue attention, with no intention of buying the product). A "gamer" being one that wants to make all of the rules but does not feel that any of them apply to them (i.e. "The information you provide me must be accurate and honest. But the information I provide you doesn't have to be.")
In conclusion, as a REAL businessman I prefer to expend my efforts and funds on customers that are looking for actual real estate help; so, please excuse me if I don't just through hoops and hand you the "keys to the candy store" just because you registered on my site. If you are a serious buyer, you would then provide me with the information that I can run my business with and provide the most help to you.
