Buying a home is a big financial commitment so a buyer should be absolutely certain of their choice before signing an offer to purchase.
Buyers’ remorse should never raise its ugly head when it comes to purchases you’ve made, but most especially not when it comes to property. For this reason, it's imperative that buyers are absolutely sure about their decision before they sign a sales agreement. If the buyer has any doubts at all, the deal should be delayed, regardless of the pressure put on them by an estate agent or owner.
We recently received an email from a buyer who was having second thoughts. He said that although he liked a number of features in the home, he wasn't absolutely sure the property would be big enough to house his family comfortably and although he'd voiced this concern to the agent, he felt he'd been pushed into making a decision. The agent had told him there were other offers pending and he'd lose out if he didn't submit an offer straight away. He also noted that he felt obligated to buy the home because the agent had spent a great deal of time showing him a range of other properties and he was beginning to feel embarrassed at how long it had taken him to make a decision.
The last point is telling and is probably something that ‘people-pleasers’ grapple with every day. How do you say no time and time again to someone who has gone out of their way to find you the right home, and what happens if your agent doesn't show you a suitable property and you end up buying your dream home through another agent? In actual fact, this happens all the time and although the buyer may feel uncomfortable, they need to understand that this is one of those ‘you can't please all of the people all of the time’ moments and they have to make their decision based on what is best for them.
There's an art to selling and one of the most important aspects of the process is listening. An agent who either doesn't listen or who completely disregards what the buyer says will invariably show their client properties which are totally unsuitable. Pushy agents are a breed apart. Agents come in all shapes and sizes and most will give the buyer room to breathe before asking if they’ve come to a decision. There are however exceptions and unfortunately, there are some who refuse to take no for an answer and who will push and push in order to make a sale. We all react differently to pressure and while some people will simply brush off the pushy behaviour, others will cave. Ideally this sort of agent should be avoided by those who feel threatened by ‘pressure selling’ techniques. Buyers should never feel obliged to purchase something they don't like and unless they are absolutely sure, should walk away regardless of the threat of losing out on a good deal.
You need to find an agent with whom you feel comfortable and who understands your needs. Agents who are good at their jobs don't need to push - they simply concentrate on matching the right buyer with the right home and let the property sell itself.