One size definitely doesn’t fit all in these instances and we thought it would be interesting to highlight the different types of people agents may come across.
Humans are a strange breed. There are those who literally step through the front door of a home and know immediately that this is the property for them. They may continue to look at a few more houses, but essentially their minds are already made up and they will sign the offer to purchase as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there are others who will spend months or even years looking for the right home and although agents will seldom admit it, these types are the bane of their existence.
We are going to take a lighthearted look at different personality types in order to highlight how tough an agent’s life can be.
‘The know it all’ – this person has invariably bought and/or sold a property before and now truly believes he’s Donald Trump. Yep, this gem of a human being knows everything about anything and isn’t reluctant to share this knowledge with all and sundry. He always quibbles about the price and as such often loses out on a seriously good deal. He once knew someone who almost finished law school and will consequently nitpick over every clause in the sales agreement.
‘The show off’ – is likely to borrow his uncle’s first wife’s third cousin’s 1989 BMW in order to make a good impression on the agent. The type who perfected all the dance moves in the movie Saturday Night Fever, he’s easy to spot. Bushy black chest hair, 25 kgs of fake gold around his neck and a ‘poppie’ for a wife are the standard look and although he’ll dream big and brag about his wealth, will often end up buying the cheapest property on the agent’s books.
‘Anal retentive’ – these buyers find fault with everything, in every single home they view. No need to point out the property’s faults with this type of buyer – they noted the problems before they got out of the car. This type has worked with every agent in town and will spend years looking for their ideal home. They find fault with everything they see and it’s advisable for sellers to call in a civil engineer, a plumber, an electrician, the pool man, and an interior decorator for a thorough assessment before letting a buyer of this nature through the door.
‘Loud aggressive type’ – similar in many ways to the ‘know it all’, these people don’t believe in sparing the agent or seller’s feelings. They have always seen something bigger, better and cheaper the day before and will not be shy about stating the same thing over and over again. For all his posturing, he is likely to buy the home he complains the most about.
‘The DIY enthusiast’ – will start planning to revamp the house from the get-go. Again easy to spot by the tool belt (complete with handy tape measure and spirit level) hanging around his somewhat expansive girth. This person does not mean to offend and would remodel the White House if the opportunity arose.
‘People pleasers’ – basically every agent’s nightmare. They would never dream of hurting anyone’s feelings and as such, love everything about every home they see. They are difficult to work with as the agent doesn’t know what they are actually looking for in a home. On the upside,the long-suffering agent may well receive a condolence card and flowers if the buyer chooses to use another agency.
We’ve kept the worst for last.
‘The undecided type’ – this buyer has been to every agent in town and has viewed every property to be found. Trying to figure out who sold the home becomes a nightmare and the agent usually walks away from the deal with 3c in commission after he has split the money amongst the listing agent, the seven agencies who have ‘sole mandates’ as well as with the agent who insists that he was the effective cause of sale.
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