Finding the perfect house is hard, and it’s only in rare cases that people buy the first house they see. The process usually requires realtors to show several houses to the buyer before finding one they like. So, how many houses should a realtor show?
Most realtors show between 3 and 8 houses daily, but some show more. It’ll depend on factors such as the client’s motivation, available properties, and distance between the houses. As a client, you can house hunt efficiently by researching, identifying your criteria, and having a realtor interview.
However, this alone doesn’t mean you’ll quickly find the house you’re looking for, or you won’t have to inspect several properties. When it comes to house hunting, patience is essential. Here, we discuss how many houses a realtor should show and how clients can simplify the house-hunting process.
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How Many Properties Should a Realtor Show In A Day?
There’s no specific rule on the number of properties that a realtor should show a client in a day. However, most realtors show between 3 – and 8. Showing several homes to a buyer in a day can be stressful and might not even be productive. When clients see multiple houses, the images blend, and they forget which house looks like what. When showing clients property, it’s essential to stick to the plan by showing buyers only what meets their criteria. While a bit of flexibility is good and welcome, it’s always best to ask the client beforehand so they can express their consent to see the property. With this, everyone can be on the same page.
It’s also important to schedule the whole house showing exercise. Although house showing is part of the realtor’s job, it’s not exactly the core job. The last thing you want to do is make house showing affect every other part of your job as a realtor. It’s also important to know when to stop. Only a few clients would require seeing dozens of houses before finding one they like. Many experts believe that if, after showing ten homes, the client doesn’t show any sign of making any decision, it might be best to stop.
Factors That Determine Number of Homes Shown to Client
Since there’s no standard number of houses to show clients, it’ll usually depend on the following:
1. Available Properties in The Target Market
The number of properties available in the target market will determine how many properties a realtor will be able to show within a day. If there aren’t many homes, the realtor can’t offer more than the existing number of homes before they call it quits. The high demand for homes and limited supply now means that more realtors show a lesser number of homes to clients per day.
2. Distance Between Property
The distance between the houses can also determine how many the realtor can show in a day. Showing homes is stressful and can become a logistic nightmare when the distance between the properties is far. Therefore, the longer the distance, the lesser the number of homes a realtor would be able to take a client to in one day.
3. Motivation Of the Client
The client’s interest in getting a property can also determine the number of homes a realtor will show in a day. With a buyer who’s urgently looking for a house and very willing to buy or rent, realtors could show them as many as 5 – 10 properties in a day. Usually, the more homes a client sees, the higher the chance of finding the right one in the shortest time possible. So, when the client shows they’re on board for it.
How to Search for House Efficiently
The average home buyer usually has to visit ten homes in 10 weeks before finding one they’re satisfied with. But the numbers do vary. There are a few cases where it took just one look, and everything was right. However, this is an exception rather than the norm. House hunting can be stressful for everyone involved. As the client, you can reduce the stress yourself by doing the following things:
1. Research Online And Physically
Nothing beats physical tours of the house, but you don’t have to spend it all inspecting houses. You can save yourself the trouble of having to inspect and tour homes that don’t meet your specifications by simply researching online first. This helps you narrow your option and avoid the stress of checking out countless properties before you find one suitable for you. More people are starting their house search online before deciding which realtor to go with. Even after finding a listed property online, you can still do a drive-by of the property or neighborhood to see if it meets your desires. Many people focus solely on the house when researching and forget that the community is equally important.
2. Determine What You Want Based On What The Market Has To Offer
Nothing wastes your time like not knowing what you want. With homes, you should know what you want and what you don’t want. But knowing this in a vacuum might not help you. That’s why it’s necessary to see the kind of homes available. If you’re looking for a single-family home with an expansive yard and long driveway in a market dominated by condo listings, you might spend months touring different homes and not find the right one. Knowing what’s on the market helps you to manage your expectations. But it also enables you to decide on the approach to house search. If the kind of home you’re looking for isn’t currently available in an area, it might mean focusing on another location.
3. Do Realtor Interview
One of the ways to effectively reduce the number of houses you have to see before finding your perfect house is to do a realtor interview. Through the discussion with a realtor, key points such as price range, location, home features, and more will come up. When the realtor also knows what you want specifically, the chances of being called to see homes that don’t meet your requirements are much more limited. While that might mean you have to be hunting for homes for more time before finding what fits you, it saves you the trouble of going on unnecessary house tours.
In Conclusion
It takes an average of ten homes before a buyer finds what matches their specifications. In several cases, this means multiple weeks of inspection. While the realtor needs to show the client only houses that match their specifications, the clients also need to be flexible.
