Q&A For Buyers: What To Know and Expect With CJRE
Buying a home is a unique and exciting experience, it can also be an area of unknowns for buyers, no matter if it's your first home purchase or tenth! At Carl Johnson Real Estate we are here for you every step of the way - using our expertise knowledge, years of experience, and specialty skill set and resources to hope you get what you want and need as a buyer. I set down and compiled a list of some Q&As that will help you understand our process when working with buyers and hopefully answer some questions to make you feel confident in working with us to reach your home goals.
What is your process for getting to know a client and finding out what they like and dislike about an area?
I have a very different approach to working with buyers, where before we hop in the car to look for a house, we schedule a business meeting. In that business meeting we discuss the process, the different contracts and paperwork that they need to be aware of. We also talk about a commitment to communication and how quickly we will be responding to communication. Because we are building a team before we go out and look at properties, it is of the utmost importance that in this meeting we understand each other and build team. We discuss lenders and all the different things that we need to do to position ourselves as the best buyer for the property that they are looking for. I pride myself for moving very quickly, I often joke and call myself the “Real Estate Express” because in a market that is a seller's market, we have to move extremely quickly, and go out there to win as many buyers in a sellers market have buyer fatigue from submitting numerous offers. When we leave the business meeting we have a full understanding of what we need to do together and what commitments we have. We have built a team. After this meeting, then we know how to work best together so that I can achieve the goals of my client.
Is it ok if the client reaches out to you with questions, or if they see a home pop on the market they really want to see?
How available are you as an agent?
I encourage my buyers to reach out and let me know when they see a property pop on the market that they feel checks most of the boxes. Actually I have a new client that we just had our “Buyer Business Meeting” and we discussed our strategy of how we work hard to secure the home that best meets their criteria.
I realized after about one year into my Real Estate career, that Buyers appreciated understanding the details and the process of buying Real Estate property. That is how my “Buyer Business Meeting” began. In this meeting we review all the documents associated in the process of looking for a property, we discuss things like commitment to communication and responsiveness, as well as the wants and needs for the criteria of the desired property.
After this meeting we schedule a “Home Tour”, where we go see about 8-10 properties that best match the criteria. This process is crucial as we both learn more about what the buyer client is looking for and what they like and don’t like. This assists in decisiveness when choosing the property that best matches the criteria of the buyer client. This has been crucial in finding what the client wants and needs in a shortened period of time as the above process streamlines the search considerably. I have even had clients that have purchased several properties and they say “I did not know that” then I am certain that I am doing my job and uncovering knowledge so that my clients may make a well informed decision.
Is your process different for a first time buyer vs a multiple home owner? Do you work with buyers who are investors?
I am a very process oriented, timely, systematic, organizational professional, however I am personally an artist at heart. Creativity and systems are my happy place and I utilize all my attributes for my clients, but apply the tools best suited for each client. There is not a “box” or a “one size fits all” in my process.
There are so many different parts involved in purchasing a home (finance, inspections, laws etc.)? Do you have a network you trust and work with?
I do have a network of trusted, experienced and knowledgeable professionals that I am able to refer to my clients. I always say, “I have a short list” as I am loyal to my trade professionals and we have built rapport for many years. Just recently, a friend reached out for a referral for a service provider. They called and were unable to get them to come to the home within the next week or so, they were told that it would be 2 months until they could schedule an appointment. The friend called me back and let me know this. I suggest they call back and say Carl Johnson The REALTOR® referred me and we have an urgent need. The friend then got the appointment scheduled in less than 7 days.
Do you have a typical client, or a typical area of the triangle that you specialize in?
I’ve been here in the Durham-Orange county market since 1986 and I know those two markets like the back of my hand. I have assisted clients in Wake, Alamance & Person counties as well. I worked in publishing and marketing in very visible public roles for many years and I have an insider's view of the market, instead of an outsider's view going into the market. I have grown up in this market since college; started Durham Magazine, General Manager of The Chapel Hill Herald, owning my own boutique marketing company, volunteering on chamber boards and committees. For me, it’s having the heartbeat of the community. I have a very unique sense of knowledge of the community. The number one thing that clients say they like about me is that I really know the area.
I am familiar with the rest of the triangle and do work in.
Is it ok if we come to you as a buyer and a seller at the same time? Or do clients often come back to you after their first purchase when they are ready to move to a new home for their next phase of life?
I have been honored to work with many repeat clients over and over again, and this is so humbling. It is always wonderful to reconnect with a past client and start a new project together. We have already built the rapport and this streamlines and process as there is not a learning curve for the client and myself. It is like seeing a friend you have not seen for a long time.
We do work with clients by purchasing and selling a home at the same time. Actually this is very helpful for the client as we assist navigating the right timeline for selling and buying and cater the order of the process that best meets the needs of the client.
Do you have any interesting stories that have ever happened with a client?
Funny story, I was looking for a Townhome for one of my clients. A single story one with a lower price point, one that tends to move very quickly on the market. I received a text from a client of mine. I tried to pull up the listing but I couldn’t really find it, maybe there was a typo in the address number. So I drove over to the community at 8:15 in the morning and I was actually sitting outside the property and I called my clients. My clients came right over. We were the first one to tour the property and put an offer for that property. That’s how I work with my clients. I am always moving as quickly as possible and making sure I am doing everything I possibly can so that my client's offer is always the winning offer. For all my buyers, we have had a really small percentage of having to put in second offer on another property. I move quickly and I am focused on getting the client exactly what they want.
We hope with Q&A helps you feel confident in your decision to work with us as CJRE. We are here to be your team and cover all and any of your needs when it comes to buying a property. I look forward to working with you and cannot wait to see how we can help you find your dream home.
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