Buyers are liars. Fact or fiction? In several sales professions, namely, car sales and real estate sales, you will hear sales people say that buyers are liars. Normally, you would never hear me compare these two professions, but figuring out what a buyer really wants is something we have in common.
It is usually spoken by a resentful salesperson, as in, “Can you believe that guy? He told me he was going to show his wife, but, well, you know—once they walk out the door, they’re gone. Buyers are liars.”
Another scenario I hear about from more seasoned salespeople is that they have a pre-determined notion that the buyer is not telling them the truth. “If the buyer says they want an open floor plan on a cul-de-sac, with a view, don’t believe it. Buyers are liars. One of those might be true, but the others they’ll compromise on.”
In my opinion, buyers mix their “must haves” with their “wish list” and it takes a true professional salesperson to determine what they can compromise on and what they cannot. Many times buyers don’t know what they really want, they just saw it somewher and think they have to have it.
Salespeople hold a lot of power by virtue of expertise and this can be intimidating during the sales process. Buyers need to feel like they are making an educated decision without being sold to. Therefore, many buyers attempt to control the situation by limiting what they disclose to the salesperson. They want to avoid getting screwed over, so they resort to what feels low-risk.
Buyers are liars. However, usually it is the salesperson’s fault. Taking the time to get to know the buyer’s lifestyle, personality, and how they make decisions is imperative to closing the sale. Texas Dream REALTORS are trained to get to the point of mutual admission so that each party feels they are bringing something to the table in an effort to reach a common goal…homeownership.