The real estate market is going crazy right now. There are substantially more buyers than sellers and this is leading to a low inventory scenario that some agents have never experienced. A lot of people want to sell their home but they might not be ready to list just yet. Keep your eyes and ears open and listen for those conversations that indicate a future sale. Look for POD’s, moving trucks, yard sales and furniture listings on Facebook Marketplace. When you identify a potential pre-market opportunity send a handwritten note saying “hey, I noticed it looks like you’re moving. The market is hot today and I have a buyer who is interested in this specific area. Have you considered selling?” Explain any benefits to selling sooner rather than later, and explain contingencies that could be put in place if they are afraid of their house selling too quickly. This is a legitimate concern with some people right now. 

 

Here's a few more tips and tricks to help you get these early sellers and score those rare listing opportunities.

 

 

  1. Set a goal for yourself to have 20 conversations a week with people who are not ready to sell yet. Make sure to wear your name tag as you're out and about and encourage people to talk about real estate with you.

  2. If you don’t get a response from your notes go knock on the door after about a week, introduce yourself and remind them of the note. Say something like “I have buyers interested in homes in your area, would you be willing to have a conversation with me about possibly selling your home.” 

  3. Overcoming the knee jerk “NO”

    1. Just have a conversation, ask how long they've been in the neighborhood, if they like it, where else they’ve lived. These conversations can lead to a spark of “well I’m not ready to sell but my neighbor was talking about it the other day” or “my sister is looking into selling her house in a different part of town”. Just be genuine and friendly and see what the conversation turns into. 

    2. If they are afraid that they won’t be able to find a new house because of the very legitimate inventory concerns (that’s why you’re out there) try to ask about features that they want in a new home or some advantages that they are looking for and just tell them that you’ll keep and eye out and circle back if you find anything like that. This presents the opportunity for you to

      1. Get more contact info, at least a phone number or email and

      2. Creates a possible buyer's agent position for yourself if you can find a home they might be interested in. 

Finding homes for sale in this market is certainly difficult but not at all impossible. There are a number of ways that you can identify opportunities in your market. The next step is to get out there and DO IT!