Anything will sell if it is properly priced. This concept was taught to me by the fabulous Bobbie Noreen, the broker who taught me almost everything I know about the real estate business. Truer words were never spoken – and these days they are coming home to roost with every buyer out there. The Nashville market has lost its mind again. Everything sells, seemingly in a matter of hours, not days.
Last year, I worked with 14 buyer clients, and I’m working six more right now. There has been some rough sledding trying to get to a deal on the right house for what looks like a reasonable price – and it seems to be getting rougher. Fast action, strong offers, and sharp elbows are required.
So, lately I’ve been thinking about the Three Ps. Presence, Persistence, and Patience – as essential for success in real estate as they are in the rest of life. And these days, perhaps especially essential for buying Nashville real estate.
Presence
You have to show up. These deals aren’t going to land themselves. Both realtor and client have to be in the hunt. My inbox loads up every morning at 5:00 with new MLS listings based on what my clients are looking for. And my clients are sending me listings as well. We are present and in it together – always looking, ready to bust a move. In this market, snooze and you lose.
Persistence
You can’t give up. As daunting as it may be to lose out four times in as many months amid multiple-offer pile-ups (this happened to clients last year) you have to keep going. Sometimes pulling back for a breather is in order (I have clients doing this now, lest they get brain damage) but eventually you have to get back into it. And stick with it until you get what you want.
Patience
And of course, doing one’s best not to get crazy while all this is going on is also a required effort – as true for me as for my clients. Impatience not only brings negative energy to the process, it can also lead to the pursuit of a bad deal just to get it over with. Not wise. Keep calm and carry on.
The good news is that with the dedicated application of the Three Ps, success will almost always come. It can be a long road, but you will get there.