Positioning yourself as the #1 Buyer to Realtors and Sellers
Just as there are many unique and different properties out there, the same could be said for Buyers.
They come in all different forms. From the "just lookers" and the "Oops, I accidentally filled out that form out online" to the "I'll know it when I see it."
I've come across them all.
We live in America and as a Buyer you certainly have the freedom to handle and carry yourself in whatever capacity you choose. Whatever demeanor you follow, you should equally expect to be treated the same.
If you'd rather just carry on as "business as usual" you can save yourself the time and stop reading. BUT if you're serious about being the #1 Buyer in your area, follow what I'm about to present to the "T."
I don't need a bunch of stats to tell me that the more prepared buyers (physically, mentally, financially, etc.) will beat out the unprepared any day of the week. I've experienced it.
Let's dive into this!
PROFILE
Just as you have your social media profiles setup, you want to start thinking about your Buyer profile.
What and who are you engaging with?
How well do you appear?
Are you someone you'd work with?
How professional is your communication style?
Are you serious about buying a property or just curious?
Be honest in answering these questions. The worst thing you can do is not answer them sincerely. If you feel negative about a question that means it's time to look in the mirror and either accept it or make a change to turn it into a positive. Realtors and Sellers research you online before communicating or shortly after talking with you! Have all of your profiles updated and professional. Create a resume that you can save as a PDF highlighting the features about you and what you're looking to purchase.
COMMUNICATION
Once you have your profile(s) updated and ready to go, it's time to take some real action.
For the realtor side of things I would identify 10 realtors that you think would be the best fit for you. Setup an appointment to talk with them over the phone. This first outreach is to mainly get a sense of how you feel about them and to get comfortable communicating about real estate and the process. From your initial 10, narrow that down to your top 5. Setup an in person meeting that lasts no more than 1 hour. This could be at the agents office or a local coffee shop. At this point you'll get a deeper feel of that agent and if you connect with them. From there, pick the #1 agent you feel is the best for you and your situation and offer them the chance to work together. Most agents will say YES right away.
Don't burn a bridge with the other 4 agents. Simply thank them for their time. You never know, they may have a listing you like and put an offer in on. Because of your profile and professionalism, you'll be known as a #1 Buyer.
Everything I mentioned in the first part of this section is what leads to Buyer Agency. Let's say you want to bypass that and do everything yourself and just reach out to listing agents.
Anytime you talk with a listing agent you're going to save that agent's contact information and start creating a list of all the agents you're connecting with. If you want to take this a step further, setup a one on one call or in person meeting. The main objective here is to stay top of mind with these agents. Create a weekly email that you send every Sunday morning. I've provided a basic template below:
Hi [Agent Name],
In case you don't remember, my name is [Your Name] and I'm looking for a property that matches the following criteria:
Criteria #1
Criteria #2
Criteria #3
I prefer to connect with listing agents over working with directly with a Buyer's Agent. I would love it if we could keep in touch and work together in the future.
I have looked at properties before, most recently [Property Address]. I also have all of my financing in order and am ready to make an offer on any property that matches my criteria.
All of my contact information is below. There are two attachments to this email - a PDF to get to know more about me and a pre-approval letter. Please feel free to connect with me on social media as well.
Talk soon!
[Your Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email]
Simple, right? Most buyers will send this once and give up saying it didn't work. Create a schedule for this action. Tailor the email and make it personal to you. Drive agents to learn more about you. Yes, agents want to sell properties but they also want to work with ideal clients. It makes real estate so much more enjoyable and fulfilling.
If you build your buyer profile and add in some communication, you'll be known with Realtors and sellers in your area. You'll be amazed at what opportunities start presenting themselves to you.
Send me your email from above and I can review and give you feedback.
Let's go!
Al
Al Wisnefske is the Broker/Owner of Land & Legacy Group and has been named a Top 500 Broker by Milwaukee Real Producers. His #1 philosophy is: "Relationships over Transactions." Through his LEGACY Process, he helps rural property owners sell their property and start on their next chapter in life. This has provided him and his company with numerous raving fans. He is a multi-million dollar producer specializing in land, farm, and country home sales in Southern Wisconsin.