The Home Buying Meeting

A few years ago, I started having mandatory meetings with future buyers. My feeling was, if they couldn't sit down for 30 minutes over a cup of coffee and discuss their home buying process, the legalities of shopping for a home and my role as their agent, it was probably not going to be a good fit. My thinking is, I am going to spend a portion of a million dollars on where I will be living for a few years, I might want to know a thing or two about how I got there. I would like to think others would too. Besides, with the crazy real estate market, a lot of buyer decisions are being made very quickly with very little time to think. It is better to know upfront what the consequences are of those decisions.

At first, my mandatory meetings weren't mandatory if I had a client I had represented before or if they were someone who had purchased a home in Arizona before. But, now they are. Period. And I have to say, my clients are better educated and have their expectations set early*. It makes for a smoother sale.

Usually.

This past month, I sat down with two of Dee's Felon Friends and talked with them about what the process entails. Both were gracious and sweet. The information is overwhelming, and I admit, a bit of a brain dump, but I think it is necessary. Both agreed with the previous statement. Today when I met Doug at the Cracker Barrel, he asked if I had any questions of him--specifically his past. No I didn't. I had met him a few times before and is my Felon of Choice. I would rather know the man who is rebuilding his life than the one he used to be.

Hopefully today was beneficial and the rest of the purchase process will be quasi-smooth sailing. There are a few hiccups right now. He was thinking of changing jobs (NO!). Turns out his divorce isn't finalized (a problem). But he is prequalified, has a down payment and wants to move forward with his life. Today was that first start.

* For the record, the "home selling shows" on television are fake and buying a home in the Phoenix metro area is nothing like this.