It’s a total cliche to start a conversation with “we all know life is unpredictable” but some sayings are overused for a reason.
Life really knows how to throw a spanner in the works when you least expect it. One minute you’ve got your life perfectly mapped out, the next your hubby has been made redundant and you don’t know if you can cover your mortgage repayments on one income. Or maybe after months of trying, your girlfriend finally falls pregnant and you realise you need to move out of that one-bedder in the city to something more roomy in the suburbs.
None of us know what is around the corner. You’re an agent, not a clairvoyant so how can you predict when a client’s situation is going change and it’s time for them to make a move. The truth is you can’t, but one thing you can do is recognise the key turning points in life that change a person’s property needs.
If you have this, you will always be able to turn a conversation into a listing opportunity and a listing opportunity into a long term and prosperous relationship with your contact.
Here are some major milestones to look out for and why:
Having a Baby
A new bundle of joy means a new bundle of space is required in the household. For many young parents it signifies moving from the first home they’ve bought together or perhaps looking to buy in the suburbs after years in an inner-city apartment. For you as an agent, this means upsize, upsize, upsize!
Divorce
When a couple splits, there are two common scenarios that take place. One of them chooses to stay in the marital home whilst the other looks for something smaller or they decide to cut their losses, sell the property and start new lives, in new pads. As cold as it sounds, divorce offers a great opportunity for agents to capitalise on a two-for-one deal.
Retirement
After working for the man for the better part of forty years, it’s no wonder that those on the cusp of retirement are dreaming about selling the family home and setting up somewhere to enjoy their golden years. Perhaps it’s a wealthy investor wanting to sell off her property portfolio to take a river cruise through Europe, or maybe it’s a grey nomad ready to trade it all in for a motorbike and a unit on the beach. Either way, retirees are the ultimate downsizers.
Bereavement
This can be the most difficult chapter in a person’s life cycle and needs to be treated with utmost sensitivity. Needless to say, this isn’t the time to get dollar signs in your eyes and swing into bull-in-a-china-shop commission mode but it does pay to know the general property habits of those going through loss. That way, you’ll know what they’re looking for and how to service them better. If it’s the loss of a spouse, chances are your client is looking to downsize or relocate closer to family. If it’s a parent or close relative, they may have come into an inheritance and are looking to invest in property for themselves or their kids. You can use your expertise as an agent to guide them in the right direction.
Graduates
Whether it’s TAFE, uni, circus school or a tradie apprenticeship, there’s nothing more exciting in a young person’s life then finishing their studies and finally being able to make enough cashola to start putting away their pennies and planning for the future. Welcome, first home buyers! Don’t overlook fresh-faced young graduates, if you nurture them through their first-home purchase you’ll create a customer for life!
Remember...
Being front-of-mind when your contacts go through different stages of their life journey is paramount to your business. It’s all about building relationships that inspire trust. Do this and your clients will want to share their personal moments with you. ActivePipe can help you nurture relationships by sending out intuitive communications that encourage meaningful conversations.
Stop seeing contacts as a listing opportunity and start seeing them as a customer for life.
