If you’ve been following this blog you know I keep talking about the ‘Motivated Homeseller’. And, by definition it is someone who needs to sell rather than someone who just wants to sell. How do you determine who really is motivated?
By asking questions.
I assume you have your list now. If not, stop reading and go get your list together! Without someone to call, you don’t need to know what to say!
A conversation might go something like this:
“Hi, I was calling about the home you advertised….(pause a little, stumble a bit)..Is it still available?â€
“It is? Great! Can you tell me a little about it?â€
Just get enough information to know whether you are interested in pursuing a deal. At this stage you don’t need to know every little detail and you don’t want to spend a lot of time just chatting and making friends with someone. Get basic info and move on. If the home turns you off immediately, say it doesn’t sound right for you and call the next number.
If you are interested, keep going.
“Gee, it sounds like a nice home, why would you ever sell it?â€
This goes to the heart of Motivation. Don’t skip this question!
You want to find the homeowner that is selling because they were transferred out of the area, or bought another house already and need to sell because they can’t afford 2 payments, or just inherited the property and has no need for it, or is settling a divorce, or lost a job and can’t afford the payments any more, etc., etc.. These people need to sell, they don’t just want to.
“How much are you asking for it?†and “How did you come up with that figure?â€
These questions again go to Motivation. Maybe they’re just testing the water to see if they could make a killing now.
Whatever you do, don’t ask them if they would consider a creative financing approach to letting you buy their home! This will kill the deal dead! Save this until you actually see the home and are face to face with the homeowner. If it sounds good, set up an appointment to see the home and talk in person.
That’s it for now. Keep calling your list.
If you run out of numbers before you get an appointment, get more numbers. Set yourself a goal with a treat. Promise yourself a break after you’ve called 10 or 20 - you set the number. Go get a sundae. Take in a movie. Take your loved one out for dinner. Do something as a reward and then get back to it.
If you would like more info on the telephone approach, Peter Conti does this very well.
Originally posted 2006-03-31 10:54:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
