Lost in Translation: Bridging the Gap Between Buyers & Agents

There is a disconnect between what buyers think their agent does for them and what the agent actually does. Sarah recently saw an interesting statistic: buyers think it takes an average of 15 hours for their agent to find them their home. However, in actuality, it takes more like 80-100 hours for an agent to find their home. Mark argues that a great agent actually takes even more time than that. Part of this disconnect could come from the fact that a lot of what an agent does is make things easier and more streamlined for their client and agents don't always do a good job of clearly articulating what they're working on behind the scenes. Most of their job is behind the scenes. Even if you're just looking at showing time, 15 hours would accumulate pretty quick. If the agent shows a client 10 homes, you've probably already exceeded 15 hours in just face time. What does it take to prepare for a showing? Good agents will preview homes and neighborhoods so they're familiar with the area, what else is for sale, amenities, schools, parks, traffic, etc. Comps also need to be pulled on recent sales and based on that, a determination on if the home(s) are priced adequately. Many buyer agents will call the listing agent to see how motivated the seller is or if there are inclusions/exclusions. For those 15 hours of face time looking at 10 homes there is at least an equal value (probably more) time on the back end in preparation. This puts us at 40 hours minimum just in early conversations with the buyer, a strategy session, and 10 showings BEFORE writing contracts, negotiating, inspections, resolutions, walk-throughs, and closing. Agents, you have to be louder and voice what you're doing for your client. You have to show them that you're in their corner looking for that perfect home. We've talked about having your value proposition dialed in to secure a client, but you have to communicate your value throughout the process.