The one question every buyer needs to hear

Preparation and urgency are key to getting buyers over the line, according to two Australian real estate experts.

Alexander Phillips and Pru Kelley, of Phillips Pantzer Donnelley in Sydney, shared their secrets to success at this year’s Australasian Real Estate Conference on the Gold Coast.

Mr Phillips, who was voted Australia’s number one agent for the second year running last year, explained the importance of ensuring buyers were prepared when out looking for property.

He said their current strategy involved asking all the “right questions”.

“‘Are you actually financed?’ is the most important question,” Mr Phillips said.

With the current bank restrictions on lending, it’s important for buyers to have their finance sorted prior to starting their house hunt, he said.

“It takes 3-4 weeks to get finance. We tell buyers to go get finance and then come back. We are pushing back on them.”

“We need to get buyers that weren’t buyers, into the position of being a buyer and then get them across the line.”

Between Mr Phillips, Ms Kelly, and their three other team members, they take 1650 calls per week.

The team’s emphasis is also on the urgency of signing new listings and helping vendors and buyers to take the next step as soon as possible.

“Urgency is important, we’re always progressing our vendors and purchasers,” Mr Phillips said.

“We’re issuing all our contracts with great comparable sales.”

“Within 72 hours of Alex leaving the vendors, I get under way with organising the styling, painting and gardening,” Ms Kelly said.

“Vendors are never waiting for Alex to call. The moment he leaves an open home he jumps in the car and calls the vendors to give them a rundown of who came through the home.”

They also help buyers with building inspections and other necessities to help get them over the line sooner.

n 2017, their team took 550 appraisals, sold more than 190 properties and achieved a $570 million gross turnover.

“Anyone who plans on selling in 10 year’s time will get a call from me every three weeks,” Mr Phillips said.