Posts
“The right home for the right price” – If only finding it was as easy as saying it. To do so these days, you can’t be just a good salesperson or property hunter. Now buyers expect you to play builder, designer, and financial expert all at the same time.
Clients need you to tackle their biggest questions, no matter how closely (or loosely) related to your real estate license.
So, which questions do you need to be ready to answer?
Here’s a list of 6 you want to be ready to respond to to move your clients toward an offer and a few helpful tools for tackling each one.
1. “Will my Grandma’s antique table fit here?”
When touring a home, it’s usually not the total square footage that keeps clients from stepping toward closing. Many times there’s one wall, nook, or doorway where the feet – or inches – cause buyers to question whether a home is right.
It’s likely that you (and your clients) won’t know exactly how their favorite furniture will fit. But, if you’re serious about closing the deal, you can get your hands on the answer.
The apps for answering furniture fit:
Not too many agents keep a tape measure on hand. Here are two apps that allow you to simply take a photo of the space you want measured and calculate an accurate measure with your fingers.
Photo Measures for iOS
My Measures for Android
Price: $4.99 Price: $4.99
2. “I wonder what we could do with this space?”
Whether you want to admit it or not, there are certain homes with designs that are, well, let’s just say “interesting.” Your goal is to get buyers thinking outside the box (or whatever shape you’re dealing with.)
Offer suggestions of rooms you’ve seen in the past. The more personal you can make it for the client, the better. If you know that their huge movie buffs, why not suggest turning that odd-shaped office into a mini-theater with just enough seats for the entire family.
The apps for instant room ideas:
Check out this interior design database right from your phone to help clients get the decorative juices flowing and generate ideas for how they could use those “interesting” spaces.
Price: Free
3. “What were they thinking with these walls?”
Ok, so maybe the floral wallpaper or the do-it-yourself sponge-painting wasn’t the previous owner’s best choice ever. Don’t let your clients dwell on the current look. Instead, ask “What are you thinking for these walls?”
The more you can your clients imagining themselves living in the home, the better. It helps get them one step closer to purchase.
The apps for seeing past the ugly wall:
Selling potential is easy when you can show potential. Help take your clients painting ideas a step further with virtual “paint” features that them visualize their take on an existing space.
Color Capture available for iOS and Android
ColorClix available for iOS and Android
Wall Painter available for iOS
Price: Free Price: Free Price: $.99
4. “What’s nearby?”
You know as well as we do that clients aren’t looking just for a home. They’re looking for a neighborhood and lifestyle. Be prepared to answer the neighborhood questions with tips and insights to share on the surrounding area.
Tools for looking like the neighborhood know-it-all :
Have your iPad or laptop? Get all the information you need withTrulia Local, recently nominated as a top 5 finalist for SXSW’s 2013 Interactive Awards.
Only traveling with your home? We hope you’ve got the Trulia for Agents App to manage your business, but make sure to use the great “nearby” features on our Trulia app that bring Trulia Local right to your handheld device.
Price: Free
5. “What will our mortgage on this place look like?”
Even if your clients love the home you’re showing them, the ultimate
question is: can they afford it? Just like a bedroom, if buyers can’t visualize how a monthly payment is doable, they won’t offer.
Don’t make them wait to run the numbers. Help them estimate their cost commitment on the spot with one of these free mortgage calculator apps for your smartphone.
Apps for estimating monthly mortgage payment:
There are lots of mortgage apps out there, so make sure you choose one that’s simple and actually works. Here are a few of our top picks:
Karl’s Mortgage Calculator for Android
Simple Mortgage Payment for iOS
Trulia’s Mortgage App for iOS.
Price: Free Price: Free Price: Free
6. “Can we make an offer?”
Cue the hallelujah chorus. It’s time to make an offer. You’ve helped your clients find the perfect home, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop wowing them – it’s your time to really shine.
Keep the transaction moving forward smoothly and quickly through the offer, contract, and other paperwork sign-offs that can seem overwhelming. Take advantage of document signing tools to avoid being slowed down by a pile of paperwork.
Apps that help get an offer signed from anywhere:
Docusign Ink for iOSand Android
HelloSign for iOS
Price: Free Price: Free
Docusign Ink for iOSand Android
Price: Free
HelloSign for iOS
Price: Free
Keep these tips and smartphone tools in mind when you’re out with clients on the go. When it comes to buying, your answer could be the difference between a closed deal or a ‘so close’ deal.
0 comments:
Post a Comment