In our current working environment, it becomes imperative and critically important to pay attention to as many details as possible when catering to your sellers, investors, purchasers, and even renters!
In order for you to follow through within our new norm of doing business, listening, paying close attention, and truly understanding what everyone really needs and wants becomes a number one priority!
Asking probing questions, providing the necessary and required new COVID-19 forms to be completed are the initial steps, to begin with even before showing the property as required by the Department of State agents should be emailing or faxing those forms to prospective clients or having them fill them out once they initial walk into your office, prior to showings.
All agents should be asking for them and supposed to be filled out in advance and sent to them for their records. We want everyone to be as safe as possible; so if you have been in other states traveling, had a fever, been in contact with others who have been tested positive, we need to know about it.
Also, we need you to know that we are disclosing whatever liability that you might have when entering any premises. So far, based on my research and reading, since June 10, where we have been able to conduct business once again, I have not heard of any seller, buyer, investor, or renter who has gone out with a broker or agent that had become infected.
Hopefully, that situation will continue, but then again I worry and question about all those that are traveling to New York by air and car and how strict we are monitoring and enforcing our new travel-quarantining rules and how well people are abiding by them?
There is a $2,000 fine for anyone coming into New York who doesn’t fill out a form, quarantining for 14 days or does not accurately and honestly answer the required questions on the COVID-19 Travel form.
This is especially critical for those that we may take out to show properties that are in the process of beginning their search moving from any of the 41 states as of Tuesday, July 21st that is on our travel advisory list,
We also have a new form as of April 20 from state Department of State, Division of Licensing Services (518) 474-4429 www.dos.ny.gov New York State Division of Consumer Rights (888) 392-3644 New York State Housing Anti-Discrimination Disclosure Form passed by the state Legislature and signed by Gov. Cuomo.
This must also be presented to all potential buyers, investors, purchasers, and renters and became necessary mainly due to the 3-year investigation by Newsday in addition to complaints that had been filed over that period.
These forms are an integral part of being a concerned and professional Broker to disclose and provide the initial paperwork (besides the additional agency disclosure form as to who is representing who in the transaction).
For some, the paperwork can be overwhelming, but I liken it to learning how to ride a bike, you first have to put on the training wheels and learn how to balance, then one day you’re riding without them; so once you know what documents you have to present, it becomes rote, just automatic as riding a bike without training wheels.
The process of learning is all about constant repetition and learning every day 24/7 (sometimes we are thinking and learning while we sleep!
After the preliminary forms, it is important to ask probing questions of all your clients to determine and ascertain what is most important to them in their decision making from most important to least important to know what they are willing to trade-off in their search whether selling and relocating or buying and even renting too.
For you to able to have ease of access to their mindset it is crucial to develop that rapport so as to build solid relationship status.
It amazes me as to how so many don’t consider these important steps to learn and practice, leading to an automatic way of doing business leading to future referrals; because if you were a taxi cab driver you are going from point A to point B.
Those that pursue that course of action in sales are what I called “glorified” taxicab drivers. However, those that treat their sales (I call consulting) businesses seriously, will always be considerably more successful over the short and long term.
Observing or asking If your clients have any special needs, handicaps, etc, then logically you will have a better understanding of the type and style of home they will need, whether it be a ranch-style home or a building that is handicap accessible.
Also, at the beginning of the interview process just asking a simple question, do you have any pets, if so what breed, weight, etc, will save you and your client a lot of time that might be wasted when you find out after you have already shown them several properties. Lastly, the art of listening has been going by the wayside for a very long time due to all the noise out there but it is an art whereby being an excellent listener or learning how to be one from start to finish will go a long way to becoming financially successful.
P.S. Sellers, when is the last time your Broker reached out to you after you bought something through them? 1 year, 2 years, or never?
Philip A. Raices is the owner/broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute and also as a Certified International Property Specialist. Just email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your ideas and suggestions on future columns with your name, email, and cell number and he will call or email you back. For a consultation, he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com to answer any of your questions or concerns.
