What weeds tell your homebuyers

SOMETHING IS HAPPENING, EVEN WHEN IT’S NOT

The homebuilding industry is in a unique situation. The unparalleled rush to buy new homes has propelled demand that far exceeds supply—of inventory, materials, and labor. Delays have become a natural occurrence. Buyers understand that they have to wait, but are they comfortable in this limbo? Something is happening in the building process for their homes, even when it’s not happening.

Think about what weeds tell your homebuyers. When weeds pop up on an empty lot, it’s a sign of neglect. Is that the signal you want to send to a customer who has invested their future with you?

The quickest trigger for a homebuyer who is in the waiting zone is to see weeds growing on their homesite. They weren’t there when the customer chose the lot. Everything was tidied to give the prospect a good feeling about what’s to come there.

Letting the weeds grow is similar to taking someone for granted. The honeymoon is over and you no longer need to impress. However, a strong relationship has no room for neglect. Neglect leads to resentment, often unspoken. Your customers are unhappy and you might not even know it, but you should.

WHERE ANXIETY GROWS

When a buyer’s mind wanders, it’s never good. 60% have buyer’s remorse before even talking to a salesperson. They’re already doubting their decision and at a high anxiety level. Anxiety is a bad use of someone’s imagination. It leads to overthinking, which sparks worries about their decision to buy the house.

I recently ordered new furniture and was told that it would take 20 weeks for my order to be delivered—and that’s just production furniture, nothing custom. So, I know manufacturers are backlogged. But this company proactively manages customer satisfaction with a great customer service program. When I placed my order, the representative said she would provide me with an update every four weeks, even when there was nothing to report.

“Let’s schedule the first call right now,” she said.

With this simple step, I was completely at ease, confident that the furniture company would be paying attention to me and my purchase.

WEED OUT THE WORRY

Silence is never a cure for anxiety. Engagement is.

Show your homebuyers that you’re staying on top of their investment in you. Keep the communication flowing. Tell them when construction will start and then pre-schedule calls to keep them updated.

When there’s no progress to report, give them an assignment to keep them engaged. You can suggest they look at stone samples, send them links to articles on home decorating to inspire them, and provide videos to watch, like your new home orientation.

Every time you communicate with a buyer, you either add to or take away from their anxiety. Pluck the weeds growing in their yards and you’ll prevent the angst from growing.

‍