It’s All About the Benefits

A common mistake made by agents involves pointing out a key fact to the buyer or seller without explaining how that fact directly benefits them. Consider the following examples:

For Buyers

Fact– I’ve sold more real estate than anyone else in the area.

The benefit to you Mr. Buyer is that I am the agent that’s most qualified to give you the best advice.

Fact—I have done extensive research on market trends in this area.

The benefit to you Mr. Buyer is that you can’t make the best possible decision unless you have the best possible information.

Fact—Pending sales could show an increase in price per square foot.

The benefit to you Mr. Buyer is that we are likely to have better success negotiating with sellers before they see the closed sales date.

For Sellers

Fact—Stimulus spending under QE2 is scheduled to finish in June.

The benefit to you Mr. Seller is that you still have the opportunity to get a good offer before  the economy is possibly or adversely impacted.

Fact– Interest rates are expected to rise.

The benefit to you Mr. Seller is that we have an opportunity to get your home sold before fewer buyers are able to qualify for your home.

Fact—We could see a drop in activity after season.

The benefit to you Mr. Seller is that it is still active now. If we can get your property sold before season ends, you can avoid another year’s worth of expense from carrying costs, lost opportunity costs, and additional depreciation.

For Sphere of Influence
Fact—Based on my research, there are some very interesting trends developing in real estate.

The benefit to you Mr. Contact, is I can help you track the price change with the single greatest asset that you own.

Fact– We send out a monthly neighborhood market activity report.

The benefit to you Mr. Contact is that you are keeping up to date with exactly what is happening to real estate in your neighborhood as opposed to getting generic information about the city from the media.

Fact– I analyze real estate market trends and multiple economic indicators.

The benefit to you Mr. Contact is that you have the best information available with respect to your real estate holdings.

Making a statement and assuming that you client understands the consequences is a big mistake. The most compelling and impactful arguments are made when benefit are directly applied to your client.