1. If I pay less commission, I will have more money in my pocket.
  2. If I ask more, I will get more.
  3. The agent that sells the most properties, sells properties for the most money.

Not all sellers harbour these misconceptions, but they are common enough that we want to be on the lookout for them.

The sellers are not fools for thinking these things. These things may be true in the world they work in. They are not true in real estate and it is our job to help them come to know this.

Notice I didn’t say tell them. People don’t like to be sold and they don’t like to be told.

The art of high-level ethical sales is helping people come to know what they need to know and make good decisions.

How do we do this?

We start from a place of empathy and curiosity for and about them. We leave all threads of judgment behind. We ask sincere questions about what they see, what they have experienced, what they believe and what they want. Once we have gained some trust, we ask courageous questions about their assumptions.

“Ms. seller, are your thinking of giving the listing to the agent who gives you the highest price?”

“Mr. Seller, do you believe that all agents are the same?” (wait for answer) “Can you tell me what you do for a living?” “Are all _______ the same?”

“Mr. and Ms. Seller, I agree, X team does sell a lot of homes in this neighbourhood. I have a question for you though – does McDonalds make the best hamburgers?”

Master the art of building trust and then asking courageous questions that uncover misconceptions without causing people to feel defensive and you will be amazed at the loyalty you receive from the sellers, buys and other agents alike.

Written by Suze, Oct.6, 2016