Buying and selling real estate and wedding dreams in Kitchener Waterloo. What’s really happening here?

gameShopping malls, we all agree, are a great place for people watching. It’s fun to see couples and families, little glimpses of their lives. I’ve always enjoyed hanging around malls and I can often be found here. For me, I also like interacting with retail salespeople – some of the best salespeople in the world work at the mall. In the back of my mind I’m always critiquing the salesperson with whom I’m dealing.

Although, I love malls because I learn a lot about people and buyer-seller interaction, the very best way to witness buyer-seller interaction is at a trade show. It will happen one hundred times an hour, right before your eyes.

I was at a trade show on the weekend – the Wedding Dreams show. I was there hosting Tanglewood Condominium’s booth. I like trade shows. I learn a lot.

Tradeshows are a microcosm of buyer seller interaction.

What’s happening is that the salespeople are trying to gather information, for follow up, for mailing lists, for current or future sales…and the visitors are trying to gather information about services offered and prices, comparing one option against another…

We all do this. We are all playing by the same rules.

Think about it.

How do you choose a realtor?

In the real estate business, a prudent home seller will interview three realtors, finding out as much as she can about prices and services with the first one, using that information, improving her position with the second and confirming what’s she’s learned with the third one. (Which reminds me, if you’re thinking about selling your home, call me third please.)

And think about this.

Who saves the commission when you sell your home yourself?

The same is true with private home sellers; the game changes, but the rules remain the same. The potential homebuyer knows the home seller is saving the commission. He often uses fact as justification when putting in a “lowball” offer, insulting the home seller in the process. This game is a little rougher as both side are new and don’t really understand the rules.

Most of us don’t really know what’s happening to us. We are playing by rules that we’ve never thought about.

If you’re thinking about selling or buying property in the future, give me a call and I might be able to help you understand how the game could play out.

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