It seldom happens these days . . .
When I first got in the business of selling houses, almost every closing happened in one place – The Title Attorney’s office. All parties (Buyers and Buyers’ Agent and Sellers and Sellers’ Agent) would show up and pack the lobby and “visit” with each other until the Closing Attorney was ready.
The Buyers would go into the closing room and sign all the loan docs while the Sellers sat in the lobby . . . Then the Sellers would be invited into the room to sign their part.
At the end was always a bit of a celebration .
There was seldom any unpleasantness excepting sometimes estranged divorcing couples or the occasional bittersweet endings or byproducts of a tough negotiation . . . but we agents always were able bring things into control and resolve most all issues (sometimes with the help of the Title Attorney as mediator) . . . Those times were the times we REALTORS faced the REAL tests of our patience and professionalism . . . and each closing created a new story for us to tell later 🙂
These days, the Buyers and Sellers seldom cross paths or have ANY form of direct interaction. In fact, it’s not unusual for the REALTORS to do the entire transaction without ever seeing each other and often even with minimal voice-to-voice contact – Email and text prevail.
Is today’s way better?
More efficient?
What about compassion and the emotional side of the real estate transaction?
Who tends to that in today’s environment?
When the Seller has emotional attachment to the property, there’s an itch they might want to scratch . . . to know the Buyers . . . to know that the Buyers will love “their” house as much as they did through the years.
Similarly, some Buyers want to know the story of the house only as the Seller could tell.
So . . . how do you deal with the question: “Do we get to meet the Sellers?”
After all, the seller can show us what the plants are in the yard, when they bud, what wildlife frequents the yard, which doors stick (and why), where the secret trap doors in the deck floor are that give access to the outside hose bibs, how the gas fireplace works, who are the neighbors (which ones are sane and which aren’t), what’s the short-cut to the grocery store . . .
This meeting can be invaluable to both Buyer AND Seller . . . In fact, the value to the Buyer INCREASES every time I’m able to introduce Buyer and Seller prior to making an offer . . .
Why?
Because there are fewer unknowns . . . Buyer knows more about seller . . . and Seller knows more about buyer.
and it just feels better for everyone.
That’s the way I roll whenever possible.
Of course . . . I’m sure there are myriad horror stories about Buyers and Sellers meeting, but I’ve forgotten most of those . . . I like to remember the good karma stories 🙂