I don't continue to have dinner out with people who can't choose off a menu and I try to do the same with indecisive Buyers!  For some, it is a deep hidden psychosis that we're best to avoid digging into

My time is valuable and I'm very upfront with people.  I've ended many an afternoon with "You know how to find me - let me know when you're ready!"

This is really hard to do... there's always an underlying reason why someone sits on the fence and first it's important to find out why. Are they looking for a great deal, a great mortgage rate, a specific neighborhood, etc.? Once you know what's holding them up, then you know how to tempt them. Then again, there are those permanent fence sitters.... a whole other topic.

Good morning Paul. If you can figure that one out, you would be extremely wealthy.

By determining how motivated they are when we start the process.

It is difficult. The buyers usually learn when they lose out on a house they like.

Home ownership changes lives because it is the most common way to build family wealth.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.  

Urgency.

Scarcity.

Fear.

Yesterday, one agent on AR reported success creating urgency/scarcity via a 'Black Friday' strategy.

Exactly HOW you create the motivation depends on your skilled observation regarding what the client says and does.

Ask many questions designed to get them off the fence. First question: "What has you on the fence?"!

Good morning Paul. You have just asked a question comparable to asking what the meaning of life is.

Every person makes up their mind differently, some just take longer than others.

Paul - That is a difficult question to answer, but knowing why they are looking, and what their motivation is, should go a long ways towards finding out.

I can only give them the facts.  It's not my place to make them buy a home before they are ready.

Usually by telling them a story about how another buyer lost their dream home by waiting to a buyer who saw it, loved and wrote the offer. 

That is a loaded question. It depends what is going on in your local market w/ inventory, the market in general, rates and what is in the Buyer's head. I generally tell a Buyer you will know when you find the right place and go w/ your gut. If they don't pull the trigger after seeing the right one a couple of times they maybe eternal lookers.

Find their pain and pleasure points and utilize them.

Paul S. Henderson, Realtor, Tacoma Washington finding the right reason to move is very important.

And if they make low-ball offers and lose many homes in a row, you know what to do with your time.

Stay in touch, call them and send the listings....

Ask them if they can picture themselves living in this house.

FOMO

It is easier in our market, homes are not on the market long, so they have to make a decision.

Paul,
If they are sitting on the fence there is usually a reason. I try to help them but not push them.

Pulling a trigger and making the offer --- hmm, maybe that's what I need to do.  This scenario underscores the answer -- motivation.   

I don't think there is anything we can do to "motivate" them. They need to be ready without any scare tactics that might turn them off (market changing, interest rates going up, nothing better might turn up, etc.). I think Susan Emo got this right - some just can't do it for whatever reason. I had a client like that (a psychologist...), who always came up with an excuse no matter how "perfect" the property was. I finally had to pull out.

Sometimes it is impossible and I count my losses and move on, but I've found that prayer helps.

Take the fence down! 

Ask what would make them more comfortable making a decision. You unfortunately might find out this person is incapable of making a big decision.

Answer more questions on what they are afraid about.

Paul S. Henderson, Realtor, Tacoma Washington I like Ken Jones approach.

That is like trying to motivate an agent..they are either motivated or not and nothing that you say will mold them into something that they are not ready for.

Buyers need to be motivated before you waste your gas.

Eve

Very broad answer to your general question.It depends on that specific buyer's motivation and you need to hone in on how best to satisfy that need.