I had a wonderful conversation today with a lead off my Fort Hood website.. It is a lovely Army wife who is doing the legwork prior to her and her husband arriving here in the Killeen Fort Hood Real Estate Market. The couple is now stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, and they are first time homebuyers.
The excitement in her voice was refreshing, and she's taking this search for a home at Fort Hood as a serious mission. She also told me her husband (who is an Army pilot) is a perfectionist who wants everything to go just right. In fact, she told me that he wants to work with TWO Fort Hood real estate agents, one for him and one for her! She said they are afraid that they won't get to see all the available properties if they don't use more than one realtor who is familiar with Fort Hood homes for sale.
I had to smile when she said that, as I haven't run into buyers who think like this in quite a while. I used to get calls all the time from buyers who insisted on working with more than one Fort Hood real estate agent, but the internet and all the real estate info and advice that's out there online has really minimized this type of thinking.
As we talked, I managed to explain to her that I'd love to help them see all the homes that would fit their needs in the market, but if they are already working with another agent, I recommend that they stick with that person.
She listened somewhat patiently while I explained about the Fort Hood MLS and how I can show and sell any homes they may see online through IDX MLS searches. I also gave her some information about the benefits of buyer representation and what that means. After some further conversation, I discovered that this couple qualifies for some money saving benefits through their affiliate preferred lender. By the end of the conversation, she agreed to get prequalified with her preferred lender and asked me to send listings to both her and to her husband in Iraq. And she confided that he had emailed a Killeen Fort Hood realtor last week who had not even responded to him yet!
All it takes is a little honest and sincere education to bring buyers on board. It really is all about them!
Luke - Yes - we have plenty of listings on the board right now but are ready to work with buyers who need help coming into the Fort Hood area. Did you know military families will fly in here from all over the world and hit the ground ready to go look at houses after a 10 hour flight? It amazes me how resiliant they are and how they know exactly what they need for their family. We usually spend just two or three days looking and getting a contract negotiated.
Hiya, David and Tonya! Sounds like you know the score! That lender is just fine, but again, local lenders do work harder for the business and are offering great rates with no origination fees right now. I saw that "preferred lender" talk a buyer into paying over $4,000 to buy down the rate on a $150,000 home he will probably stay in for three years. I could not talk him out of it because "they" said it was a great deal!