# Buyer Scripts & Qualification Dialogue
*Sources: Tom Panos (Real Estate Gym), Team LANC (Matt Lancashire), Serhant Agent Training Guide*

## Qualifying Questions (Natural Conversation)

Use these naturally — not as a checklist. Weave them into conversation.

**Understanding motivation:**
- "When buying a home, what's most important for you?"
- "What's the best home you've seen so far?"
- "What prevented you from making an offer on that one?"
- "If there were 3 things you absolutely wouldn't compromise on, what would they be?"

**Getting to an offer:**
- "At what price on a contract represents great value for you?"
- "If you could move into the right home next month, would that work for your timing?"

**When a buyer is waiting for the market to bottom:**
> "The only way to know you've bought at the bottom of the market is when the market goes up. But by then it's too late. Because the only way to know the market was at the bottom is when prices have already gone up. Do you want to make a decision based on the market, or based on your life?"

## Post-Viewing Follow-Up Process

**Within 2 hours of viewing:**
1. Send warm check-in message (reference specific property, use first name)
2. Capture overall impression, interest level, positives, concerns
3. If interested — offer second viewing or next steps
4. If not interested — ask what they ARE looking for (refine criteria)

**10-Day Follow-Up (if no response or "thinking about it"):**
- Brief, value-led message — share new comparable that just listed, or market insight
- Never "just checking in" — always lead with something useful

**Hot Buyer Management:**
- Maintain a hot buyer list with key criteria
- When new properties come to market, check against hot buyer criteria within 24 hours
- Call (don't just text) for strong matches — "I've just seen something that ticks every box you mentioned"

## Encouraging Offers

**When a buyer is hesitant:**
- "What would need to change for you to feel comfortable making an offer?"
- "Is it the property itself, or the timing?"
- "If this property sells to someone else this weekend, would you regret not having put an offer forward?"

**When a buyer lowballs:**
- Use comparable evidence: "Let me show you what similar properties have actually sold for recently"
- Frame as collaboration: "Let's find a number that the seller will take seriously, so we don't lose the opportunity to negotiate"

## Getting Buyers Off the Fence (Serhant)

- Show them what they think they want (validates their criteria)
- Show them the WOW listing (exceeds expectations, creates excitement)
- Show them the consolation prize (makes the WOW listing feel essential)
- This is about understanding their emotional journey, not manipulation

## The Flip: Turning Negatives Into Positives

When a buyer raises an objection about a property:
1. **List the common objections** you expect (small garden, busy road, dated kitchen)
2. **Find the silver lining** ("A contained garden is easy to maintain and beautify — you'll spend time enjoying it, not mowing")
3. **Offer a solution** (share photos of beautiful small gardens, connect with a landscaper)

Always acknowledge the concern genuinely before flipping it. Never dismiss a buyer's objection.