This is understandably a question many sellers ponder when selecting an agent. Your thinking seems to be that some agents have more buyers than others. Unfortunaltely this misconception is a trap.
Firstly understand this undeniable truth:
To persuade you to list with them over other agents, some claim that “they have more buyers”. You’ve probably heard it…
“We’ve got the most buyers… We’ve got the biggest team… We do the most advertising… We sell more in your price bracket, neighbourhood etc”
From a sales tactic point of view, it’s designed to trigger “fear of missing out”. They’re implying that if you don’t sell with them, you’ll lose good buyers.
Let’s clear up this falsehood with a quiz:
Which agent has the most buyers for your property? The one…
a) With the largest pack of salespeople?
b) That does the most advertising?
c) Belonging to a national brand?
d) Selling more in your area/price range?
e) None of the above.
The honest answer is:
e) None of the above.
Think about this for yourself. Let’s say you have a favourite real estate agent, maybe a friend or family member you’d really like to buy through.
The problem is, they don’t have every home on their books, so you still need keep an eye on what other agents have.
Your friend is trying really hard but just hasn’t come up with the right one. In the meantime, it comes onto the market with a different agent. It looks perfect for your family, is in the ideal location and it’s within your budget.
Are you going ignore it? Are you going to walk away from your ideal home just because it’s not listed with your favorite agent?
Of course not. Because getting the right home is more important than who you happen to buy it from.
Not so long ago, another agent phoned one of our clients claiming he “had a buyer for her property”. She explained that we were her agent and suggested he give us a call. His reply… “No I don’t share my buyers” – putting the ‘fear of missing out’ onto our client. (My opinion of how ethical that was and how such behaviour affects this industries reputation, can wait for another day).
Long story short, within 48hrs we recieved a call from none other than his daughter, wanting to book an inspection. Yes, even his daughter was more concerned about finding the right home than who she purchased it through.
It just goes to show that buyers are not loyal to agents. They just want the best property they can find and couldn’t care less who you are on the market with. Any genuine buyers in the market, looking for a property like yours, are going to look at it regardless of who’s sign is on the fence. Therefore the fact of the matter is:
There are exactly the same amount of buyers in the market for your property regardless of which agent you engage.
Any that claim otherwise are, well, lets put it this way – they don’t have a magic buyer tree.
Here’s a tip. Rather than asking: “Which agent has the most buyers?”.
You may instead be wiser to ask yourself:
“Which agent do you want representing you when those buyers are negotiating to buy your property?”
In other words, which agent do you believe will best protect your interests and maximise how much you bank?
