Attention : Homebuyers
To be prepared, Realtor.com put together some questions that realtors will ask you when at an open house.
1. How long have you been looking?
They are asking this because the agent is trying to see how serious you are. If you’ve been looking for only a short time, the realtor will understand that you’re just getting your feet wet – that you’re still gathering your thoughts. If you’ve been looking for a while, then the realtor might dig in. That tells he/she that you’ve seen a lot, but haven’t found what you’re looking for. The realtor will be wondering why you haven’t pulled the trigger yet and that maybe this is the house you’ve been waiting for.
2. Are you working with an agent exclusively?
They are asking this because if you are already working with an agent, the open house realtor cannot represent you. This question sets the tone of the conversation. Don’t be surprised if the realtor asks who your realtor is. Most agents who do business in a certain area know other active agents . This way the open house agent can call your agent for your feedback instead of you. You are insulated by your buyer-broker agreement.
3. How does this house compare to others you’ve seen?
They are asking this because now that the realtor knows how long you’ve been looking, he/she wants to get a sense of whether the house is a contender. The realtor is also assuming that you’re touring other houses nearby. He/she wants your honest insight on whether the listing is better or worse than the others.
4. Are you specifically looking at this neighborhood?
They are asking this because they want to know how focused you are. He/she wants to rule out the looky-loos and focus on serious buyers. If you are looking in that particular neighborhood but not interested in making an offer on his/her listing, you’ve caught his/her attention. He/she needs to understand what other listings have that his/her don’t. The realtor will now be focused on knowing your trigger – Are you focused on certain streets within the neighborhood? A certain style of house? Or is it all about price?
5. What do you think of the price?
This is probably the most important question coming from a realtor. It might not be the first question because the realtor wants to establish a rapport first. The agent knows that people are more guarded when it comes to price. He/she wants you to give a thoughtful answer, not a flippant one.
6. Are you considering making an offer on this home?
They are asking this because they have to do their job, and it is a valid question. As a prospective buyer, remember that you hold the power here. If you’re planning to make an offer, it’s good news to the realtor and lets he/she know to expect something in writing. It also might help you if the house is in demand so the realtor will know there are multiple offers coming in.
