How to read emotion
Generally, there are lots of emotions that potential home-buyers feel. A few of them include being excited, feeling overwhelmed, and being stressed. It’s important to know how to identify emotions and use them for the best.
Excitement
When it comes to excitement, this isn’t something you want to squash in a homebuyer. Keeping your buyers excited is important. You want them to keep a positive attitude, while also being realistic. For the most part, buyers who are excited will talk a little faster and louder than normal. They’ll generally gesticulate more and smile oftener.
Overwhelmed
Buyers who are overwhelmed will tend to shut down and be a little harder to interact with. This may mean they don’t want to carry on conversations. Instead, they may want to walk around the house quietly or by themselves. When buyers seem overwhelmed it’s best to offer assistance one time, and then be available, not aggressive.
Stressed
When a buyer is stressed, they may put a lot of pressure on you. Stressed people can sometimes be aggressive and rude. This may mean it’s up to you to keep the situation calm and friendly. Learning how to de-escalate a situation can prove to be extremely helpful. Not only will it give you a better understanding of how they’re feeling, but it will help you remain calm.
If a buyer gets too aggressive (i.e. physical aggression, yelling, etc.), being ready to ask them to step out or leave is a good precautionary measure. This is one reason it’s always safer to have at least two people at a house during showings. Not only are things safer in pairs, but there’s a level of accountability for every person. People don’t tend to act up as much when there’s more than one person around.
How to use emotions to gather useful information
Now that we know better how to read emotions and understand home buyers, it’s time to know how to use emotions to be more effective with house selling. You need to know if and when to mention various details to buyers. Let’s learn how!
Common sense helps many people know how to read people and get information from them. But not everyone knows exactly what to say when. As an example, you would think most people would know better than to tell an already angry buyer that the basement leaks and occasionally floods. However, (in laymen’s terms) not everyone is that observant.
What to do when the buyer is excited
When you’re gathering information, there are a few key things to watch out for. Many times, when someone gets excited, they talk more and might say helpful things. They might mention an aspect of the house they really like, or that they really want. Being in-tuned and listening closely is important and helpful.
What to do when the buyer seems overwhelmed
As we mentioned earlier, excited buyers sometimes say useful things. However, overwhelmed buyers sometimes do the exact opposite, and say nothing. They’re trying to process what they’re seeing, so they don’t take time to explain how they’re feeling. When interacting with overwhelmed for sale by owner buyers, being a good listener and trying to be understanding are the best things you can do.
What to watch for when the buyer is acting stressed
When it comes to stressed buyers, you’ll generally find out what they like and dislike very quickly. When someone is stressed, they often have less of a filter over their speech, and say what comes to mind. They might say, in passing, things that they don’t like about the house. This will help you to understand them, and their likes and dislikes better.
However, it can sometimes feel hurtful to the owner. They may say something rude about how you’ve decorated, or your paint color choice. It’s vital to remember to take everything said with a grain of salt. It’s always good to remember that words spoken when stressed out can be different from how someone normally feels.
Be a detective
Honestly, reading someone can be rather fun. It will help you get better at understanding what other people are feeling, and also being empathetic. In the end, communication is key. Making sure you and the buyer understand each other is very helpful and will make the process smoother. In your spare time, read this article to learn about how to have an easier sale by avoiding these FSBO problems!
