I ran into a conundrum recently that I had not experienced before. Our business is a good part “ethics” and also “best practices”, which sometimes change with the times.

I had a buyer client recently who came to me as a referral. The husband and wife (not material to the story) wanted to look at urban condos as they were are planning on settling in the area. I picked out a half dozen nicely-priced, top-end properties in their price range in different areas as they are somewhat familiar with the area, but not intimately so.

During my buyer pre-interview, where I ask questions of the Buyer that will help me understand their motives and goals better, I found out they were looking to retire in 3-6 months and had a property to sell in another state. Not a problem – it’s actually quite common for Florida buyers.

Halfway through our showings, we viewed a unit where the owner was home. Buyers asked the right questions and seller had the right answers. They had a lot in common and we spent about 30 minutes exploring the home – the buyers really liked it. As we were leaving, the buyers casually mentioned they would be retiring in the next 1-2 YEARS and are not looking to buy right now. I cringed immediately, out of surprise and a little embarrassment. 1-2 YEARS? I had been told 3-6 months?!? I could tell the seller was taken aback, as was I.

About an hour later, I received the phone call I was dreading. It was Mr. Seller. His first question, which I had already contemplated, was, “Why did you waste my time with a buyer who isn’t ready to buy?”

After informing him I was as flabbergasted as he was and that the timeframe quoted to him differed greatly from the timeframe I was told, I apologized profusely for taking up his time.

Upon ending our conversation, I mulled over the “ethics” (maybe not the best word for this situation) and “best practices” of showing buyers properties. Normally, realtors show properties to buyers who are ready to buy. But what about nurturing those inquisitive buyers who are making the transition?

Do we flat out tell them we can’t show property unless they are ready to write an offer? Hard to keep clientele that way, as my goal is to meet my clients’ needs.

Do we only show them vacant properties so as not to inconvenience sellers? Hardly a way to accurately see available inventory.

Do we tell the sellers/listing realtors up front that the buyers are not looking to buy immediately but want to see their home? They could only see it as a waste of their time.

Do we not worry about it, as sellers are marketing their home with the expectation of selling to someone? That’s not fair to sellers.

HOW do we nurture buyers who aren’t ready to write quite yet but want to see what’s available in a particular area and see price/value trends in that area?

My conclusion is that there is no correct answer. It’s one of those sticky situations that doesn’t come up often.

Being a realtor is often about making judgment calls, as there are many “gray” areas in our business. Ultimately, we represent our client(s) and should act in their best interest. Maybe that’s the answer…

With +/- 25 listings at any given time, ensuring hat my sellers are putting their best foot forward is always a priority with me. Our markets are seeing double and triple the normal amount of inventory, which means your home can get lost in the crowd! Everyone knows Sellers should de-personalize their home, light candles, blah, blah, blah. Ok, those things work, but can you tip the scales in your favor in addition to those tried-and-true selling techniques?

I think you can and I'm going to share some great ideas with you:

1) Map your home for sale with drive/walk times and distances to local restaurants or other places of interest (bike trails, malls, etc), playgrounds, schools, parks, etc. Our culture is becoming more exercise-conscious, walking-friendly, and main street centered.

2) Make a comprehensive list of all your upgrades with the year it was upgraded. Buyers love to see the years when certain items were updated - it gives them a sense of security and ability to forecast potential repair/replace issues. Don't have remodeled/replaced items on your list - - - your list price better reflect that!

3) Make a list of all contractors who normally do work on your home - plumber, electrician, roofer, pest control, etc. Having this issue shows buyers you care for your property and have a team of certified professionals to rely on.

4) This is big - assemble your last year's worth of electric bills...better yet, itemize your monthly utility bills. That's the greatest unknown when buyers are looking and putting that info out there shows you are proud of your home. Are your utility bills large? Consider making changes to you home to mitigate those costs (new insulation, low flow toilets and shower heads, new energy-efficient appliances, etc).

5) Include a copy of the last couple of monthly meeting minutes for your HOA or COA. Unless your community homeowner's association is a warzone, including meeting minutes is a great way to familiarize your potential buyer with your community.

6) ***GOOD TIP*** Ensure you have a copy of you Condo Docs/Deed Restrictions & latest Financials on hand. I always have to tell my buyers that we normally don't see condo/hoa docs until we're under contract. Analytical Buyers HATE that answer. Soothe their fears by having those docs on a personailzed thumb drive or CD.

7) Have warranty info for machanical items summarized on a separate sheet. it will give buyers great piece of mind and they may be a little more "accepting" of flaws in home inspection.

8) This one takes some coordination but can really seal the deal! Let a neighbhor know when your showings are and when the buyers arrive/depart, have that neighbor wave, say good morning, or start casual small talk. This feat req's some coordination and a personable neighbor, but it will instill a sense of belonging in your buyer and allow them to picture themselves living there.

These are just some out-of-the-box ideas - good luck!

BUYERS AND SELLERS!

If you have a closing this week, Ida may have just put a damper on your plans.

Although it has been a quiet hurricane season for Floridians, there is a staanding rule that insurers will NOT bind homeowners insurance when a tropical system moves within a certain proximity to our area. Without insurance, mortgage companies will NOT underwrite their loan, which ultimately means buyers can't pay for the house at closing time.

Our standard Florida Association of Realtor contracts have a stipulation that covers rare instances like this and I urge buyers, sellers, and realtors to review the contract language. It's non-jeopardy for all parties, which is good.

The only problem I forsee is if a seller is consummating a short sale and the short sale deadling is the closing date this week. Hopefully the Loss Mitigation/Short Sale closer will be understanding, but that is not always the case.