In real estate, moving a buyer from first interest to a signed contract is rarely straightforward. It is more like running a one hundred metre hurdle race, with 8 separate hurdles between the start line and the finish.
Examples of eight key hurdles most buyers face before they can confidently commit to a purchase:
- They must genuinely like the property
- They often need to inspect it again
- They usually organise a pest/building report or strata inspection
- Their family or decision-makers need to approve
- The timing has to suit their current situation
- Contract adjustments may need to be negotiated
- They reflect on price and value
- Finally, they require reassurance before signing
Not all buyers make it past every stage. Many will stumble at hurdle three or four, and that is a natural part of the process. The mistake we make as agents is becoming frustrated when buyers seem ready but suddenly back away.
For example, they may have taken the contract, attended the auction, registered to bid, and still hesitated at the last moment. It is easy to feel annoyed when this happens, especially if your guide was $1.5M and the buyer only bid to $1.4M. But the reality is, we have not always provided a buyer experience equal to that of our vendors.
Buyers represent fifty percent of every transaction. Without them, the deal does not move forward. Yet the industry has too often treated buyers as an afterthought, which is why buyer’s agents have become such a growing part of the market. They are filling the gap we have created by not treating buyers with the same care and service as our sellers.
If you want to create better results and stronger relationships, this mindset needs to shift. Buyers deserve clear communication, consistent follow-up, and patience. Some will move fast, others will need time and guidance. Your role is to support them at every stage, remove the friction, and help them clear each hurdle.
Service is not just for vendors. The best agents in the country deliver ‘vendor like’ service to their buyers as well. When you start thinking that way, your results will follow.
By Adrian Bo, CEO of Adrian Bo Real Estate Training & Auctions