216,904
Have you met with a lender? No, well, once you do, ask them to send me a letter confirming your buying ability and price range and I would be happy to arrange showings for homes withinin that range. Please understand, I am not a tour guide and can not take time away from ready, willing and able buyers to show homes to buyers who are not committed to the process. A lender is the first step...here are a few lenders who may be able to help.
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Bob Betel
Sweetwater, TN
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Raymond E. Camp
Ontario, NY
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Chris Ann Cleland
Gainesville, VA
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Pete Xavier
Pacific Palisades, CA
913,348
I tell them I need to check the show instructions first, and also tell them I need to know where they are in the buying process. Working with another agent? do you have to sell first? Are you currently in a lease? Have you already met with and chosen a lender? Ask them why they are calling me? I actually had someone not long ago who kept calling wanting me to show him rentals, but he said he still had 6 months left on his current lease. I told him that the owners were not going to hold the property for 6 months, so there wasn't any sense in me showing it to him. Asking questions can save everyone a lot of time.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Pete Xavier
Pacific Palisades, CA
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Hella Mitschke Rothwell
Honolulu, HI
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Melissa Jackson REALTOR
Azle, TX
3,383,384
I would ask to see their pre-approval letter. Just had an incident on a listing where a buyer's agent brought a buyer to a listing, trusting they could afford it. Turns out, they couldn't. They struggled for ten days figuring out how many relatives they could pull into the loan to buy it, only to lose the home to buyers who came in with solid financing. I let them know that avoiding heartbreak is what the purpose of having that pre-approval letter is all about. If a buyer gets offended, well, my guess is they wouldn't have qualified.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
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Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
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Pete Xavier
Pacific Palisades, CA
42,670
I would show them the house but recommend they be pre approved before I show them anymore.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Lise Howe
Washington, DC
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Linda Guess
Branson, MO
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Raymond E. Camp
Ontario, NY
921,504
I show the house......
UNLESS,
The listing agent has other standards which allows me to say, "Seller is limiting access to those with documented abiltity to buy."
BUT, before delivering THAT message, I will have a Plan B.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Amelia Robinette
Falls Church, VA
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Melissa Polce
Huntersville, NC
1,771,867
I aways ask if they are pre-approved, I will not waste my time or theirs.
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Bob Betel
Sweetwater, TN
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
140,768
Depending on time and distance, I might take them to see the home to build the relationship. I respect all those who wouldn't do it though. We all make our business decisions.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Linda Guess
Branson, MO
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Amelia Robinette
Falls Church, VA
3,988,013
I will meet them in the office but unless I am already at a property I will not go without knowing if they are prequalified. I don't necessarily have to see a letter but I need to have a conversation and know that they have the ability and are not just looking for fun.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
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Pete Xavier
Pacific Palisades, CA
112,947
Ask the loan type first... This is how I state it ... Are you purchasing the home VA, FHA or conventional or cash , not all homes can be purchased on all types of loans . Some people think you are just out for the bucks!!! This usually diffuses them and lets them know you have their interests at heart.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Amelia Robinette
Falls Church, VA
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Pete Xavier
Pacific Palisades, CA
5,772,575
Melissa,
I believe we should give everyone the benefit of the doubt. In our commercial real estate experience, I prequalified over the phone as to what they were willing to pay on lease and term of lease. One time I met someone at my listing, which after viewing she did not like. She asked me about a listing that was very expensive, and when I told her the price, she also revealed the fact that she definitely could afford it. It turned out she was one of the heirs to the local drugstore chain that had been bought by CVS. You never know...A
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
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Pete Xavier
Pacific Palisades, CA
5,111,821
I try and get a bit more information on them and I tell them I will show them 3 houses without a pre-approval. And more, they need to get pre-approved.
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Jeff Pearl
Lovettsville, VA
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Joan Cox
Denver, CO
1,624,653
I would show. Sometimes they just do not know the process( hard to believe, right?). Yet, I'd ask them if they have already seen other houses, how long they are looking for a house..... and if they work with another agent.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
2,375,285
I am willing to meet to show one or two houses - I use it as a qualifying interview-
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
6,416,169
"Just to save time for You, The Seller, and myself, we will need to get you prequalified before I can show this one to you"
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
1,466,257
Melissa Polce Let's make sure you can qualify for purchasing this property before we take a look.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
3,986,308
I will show them ;'A' home but I then give them info on loan officers. They need to tal to one before we go any further
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
518,497
I ask them if they are working with another realtor, and also if they have been prequalified with a lender, of if they will be paying cash. I try to ask as many questions as possible prior to going out to show them.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Pete Xavier
Pacific Palisades, CA
687,136
I keep the conversation going to where I get a lot of information out of that person. Minimum, I need their full name and where they are calling from. My clients mostly don't need a loan. But that depends on the location they are looking. If it's low-end, I ask a lot more questions about their finances, how they plan to pay for it, etc.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Pete Xavier
Pacific Palisades, CA
1,505,863
"What time would you like to see the house?" I had two of these calls on one of my listings yesterday, while I was holding another house open. Sent my broker over there. They weren't ready (still had homes to sell), but picked them up as potential clients for a couple months down the road when they relocate out here.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Amelia Robinette
Falls Church, VA
1,712,776
I don't work with people that are not previously qualified unless I know them personally or come highly recommended.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Pete Xavier
Pacific Palisades, CA
3,349,229
I don't give it a second thought ... and I am not concerned about losing an opportunity. I tell them, we only work with qualified buyers. I'd be happy to show you the home, but first I will need your loan approval letter and proof of funds. If you have not yet been pre approved I am happy to refer you to a great lender.
By the way ... I make NO EXCEPTIONS to this. My time is too valuable.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Pete Xavier
Pacific Palisades, CA
1,153,794
Are you prepared to buy today? That will entail cash or a pre-approval in hand to get us through the door. Let's start there before any disappointment can occur.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Pete Xavier
Pacific Palisades, CA
1,513,143
I ask if they are pre approved as well as if they are committed to an agent.
If there is a no to both I make the appoinment for the showing and an appointment to meet after to go over a buyer packet and have them call a mortgage broker while we are sitting there.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Melissa Jackson REALTOR
Azle, TX
979,596
Melissa - I will ask them a few questions, similar to Jeff Pearl, to learn more about them and see how serious they are. If the home is nearby, and it fits in my schedule, I may show them that one home. After that, they better have a pre-approval.
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Jeff Pearl
Lovettsville, VA
4,900,085
It is my policy if they are not pre-qualified we are not going to look at houses. No exceptions so no violation of fair housing laws.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
5,237,947
Ask questions about pre-approval. Depending upon the situation, may show the house but no more until they are qualified with one of my lenders. In some situations, pre-approval first!
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
862,210
Upfront about it. They need know what they qualify for so as not to disappoint themselves and sellers. Mark
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
1,683,912
If the home is occupied, I discourage it, until they get pre-qualified for that amount. If it is empty, I may show it and at the same time show them homes in their price range while we're out.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
80,653
I would show them the home to build a relationship and refer them to a lender to get the prequalification letter before we see more homes.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
469,510
Probably not the most helpful answer but for me it depends. It depends on how the rest of the phone conversation went. It depends on whether or not it's my listing. It depends what else is on my plate at the particular time they want to go. And where the property is located factors in. If the phone call over all goes well. They were willing to give me their full name, phone and email. And they don't already have an agent, I would typically go. If I already had appointments and couldn't squeeze it in then I may bring up the pre-approval thing mostly because I can't meet their desired schedule and having them go through the pre-approval process will allow me enough time to get the showing worked in to my schedule.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
150,466
The responses have been interesting, and have been all over the place. I will just keep watching....
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
2,224,473
I would show the house. I sold a house this way and the buyers weren't pre approved when I met them. I put them in touch with a lender and we closed on a house four months later. They had some minor credit issues to clear up, but they did that and now own a great house.
These buyers have also been a great source of referrals for me. I have sold family members houses, too.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
140,560
I handle calls differently than most agents. Most of the time I do not ask if they are pre-qualified on the initial call. Unless the says something that I just do not like, I always opt to go meet the person and show the home.
Once I am showing the home, I begin to gently ask questions to and gauge interest. This is where I try to qualify them as a buyer and it so convince them to work with me.
My goal is to sell them A house and the best way to do it is to SHOW them a house. Yes, some are a waste of time. However, my conversion rate is much stronger when I meet the customer.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
617,935
Melissa,
I’m willing to meet and show a house or two. More often than not I close that lead.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
1,241,754
The seller asked all viewers if they have been preapproved yet?
Sorry....
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Pete Xavier
Pacific Palisades, CA
1,617,916
3,071,489
Prequal, Agency Disclosure, Buyer Broker - all to be signed before the showing
225,526
I would advise to have them meet you in your office, then have them fill out an short application and then call your lender for a pre-qual letter. If you have a good lender, they can do this in 10 minutes. Know your customer before you show them a house.
4,272,934
One house, vacant, not a problem! It is like I'm previewing a home. A whole slew, we can wait!
4,581,818
7,862,342
Explain how you work with prospects and refer them to a loan officer if they are not yet pre-approved for mortgage financing.
5,877,179
In the Denver market, without a pre-approval, you might as well not go see it. It will go under contract, and you MUST have a lender letter accompany the offer.
2,191,449
2,759,812
Good Melissa. You've got several great answers. I would suggest to follow their advice.
4,319,773
Melissa Polce - I do not show the home to any caller. They need to meet me in office first or send me their pre-approval at least.
The simplest reason is - we need to know each other. How can you trust me with such a huge investment you are planning to do?
223,831
Melissa Polce each situation is different I have had multiple buyers get denied for financing and parents end up paying all cash. The price point I work with buyers in makes it worth my time to try.
1,846,851