Boise Real Estate Blog

This is Part II of the previous post with the same title (below)
I have now finished previewing the 41 homes I selected for the buyers I will be working with next week.
It has taken me the better part of four days of work to prepare for those buyers.
At this point, I have 7 drop-dead gorgeous, ideal, well-priced homes to show my buyers.
Any of the 7 would be an excellent home for their family’s needs.
I think I know which one they will pick, based upon their desired location, features, and price but that will be their decision and I will not reveal which one I think is best for them until after they make their decision.
This past Monday, I completed a broad MLS search to identity potential homes.
That search yielded a stunning 175-200 homes.
Then, I narrowed the field by applying my knowledge of areas, subdivisions, and builders to end up with 41 remaining properties.
Then, I eliminated about half of those 41 homes with drive-bys (busy streets, burned up landscaping, backing to commercial or office professional properties, etc.)
Then, I personally inspected the rest and ended up with the final 7 homes I will show my buyer.
It is both fascinating and rewarding to look back on my activities on this clients’ behalf this week.
I KNOW I have done a good job for my clients and am confident that I am very well-prepared for next week.
Preparation = confidence 😉
One of my colleagues at the office asked me “Why in the world do you DO that?” this afternoon.
My reply was simply “That’s just how I do it!”
I will know if I did a good job when I show my buyers those 7 homes next week.
If I have accurately assessed their wants, needs, and motivation they will buy one of the 7 homes.
If not, we will re-approach the situation, figure out how we went astray, and start over.

I am busy preparing for the arrival of buyers this week.
We have been in touch with other for several months, following their initial contact with me on my www.BoiseReal.com website.
We have exchanged countless e-mails and had numerous phone conversations about their wants, needs, likes, and dislikes.
And, they have been fully pre-approved by Countrywide (yes, they remain in business!) and are eager to sign a buyer representation agreement with me.
I haven’t pressed them to sign the buyer representation agreement because I know they would have great difficulty finding another agent who would work as hard for them.
They are terrific, loyal clients and it is a pleasure working with them!
So, knowing what they want, I have been busy identifying potential properties for them.
The search criteria is 2,000 sq. ft. minimum, up to 5 years old, 4 bedrooms, a 3-car garage, and $250,000 to $325,000 price range.
My initial MLS search turned up between 175 and 200 homes.
After screening those listings, I quickly narrowed the field to 41 homes.
Since Monday, I have been out in the field previewing those homes, starting with the vacant ones first because they don’t require an appointment to get in.
Most agents won’t bother to preview homes before showing, but I think it’s the only way to do business.
Can you imagine how confused my buyers would be if I marched them through 41 homes?
Especially, when only a few were in good showing condition and properly-priced?
I believe that it’s my job to prepare for my buyers and weed out the crappy, overpriced listings without taking their valuable time!
I am now about halfway through the 41 homes, and will knock out the rest by the end of the week.
I’m down to the owner-occupied homes now and will have to set appointments to see them.
I never cease to be amazed at the condition of some of the homes I see on the market.
It’s like “what in the world are those sellers thinking?” with most of what I see on the market.
And, honestly, I wonder why the listing agents even took some of the listings I have seen.
Maybe they were trying to win the office listing contest?
Overpriced, filthy dirty, six colors of interior paint, worn out carpets, cobwebs around the front door, burned up yards, etc.
That said, I am confident that I have what my buyers are looking for, but the decision will be up to them.
I don’t “close the sale”.
After educating my buyers and ensuring that their questions have been answered, I simply ask “So  .  .  . what would you like to do?”
It’s nice to be able to do business this way.