Bruce the Savvy Buyer
The client who taught me to be a better agent
The savviest buyer I ever represented followed a rule: he would not fall in love with a house until he owned it.
His name was Bruce. And although I was supposed to be the real estate expert, he taught me a few things.
My specialty has long been home selling strategy, but occasionally I’ve helped buyers. Bruce expected Harvard level representation. I suspect many agents have never been taught what that involves. I didn’t fully appreciate it until I met him.
To Bruce, a house was an investment first. It could become his home after he bought it. The order mattered.
That sounds easy enough. Until you walk into a kitchen you adore, see the view from the patio, and start mentally arranging your furniture. Suddenly, you’re looking for reasons to buy. Reasons to be careful become less welcome.
Bruce kept his enthusiasm on a leash.
Before we made an offer, he expected me to investigate the property, the neighborhood, and the community’s prospects. How had values performed compared with similar nearby communities? What could I learn about the schools, taxes, and surrounding development? Were businesses opening or leaving? Was demand growing? What might bring more houses onto the market?
A beautiful house could still be a mediocre investment. Bruce expected me to look beyond the front door.
And handing him a pile of statistics wouldn’t finish the assignment. He wanted my opinion, supported by facts.
Why might this property appreciate faster than comparable properties elsewhere? If the market weakened, what might help it hold its value?
Bruce knew I couldn’t predict the future. But he expected me to explain my thinking before he committed his money.
Then came my favorite part.
His instructions went something like this: “Greg, make the sellers love everything about my offer except the price. That’s how I’ll get the deal I want.”
Think about that. Most buyers focus on what they want, then ask their agent whether the seller will take less. Bruce expected me to discover what the seller wanted before we put an offer on paper.
That meant calling the listing agent and asking questions. What closing date would work best? When did the seller actually want to move? Would a little time in the house after closing help? Was a shorter inspection period important? What else would make the transaction easier?
I wasn’t supposed to guess. I was supposed to find out.
Then we could build an offer around those answers, giving the seller reasons to accept our price. Bruce had one firm boundary: he still needed enough time to inspect the property properly. Being accommodating didn’t mean being careless.
He understood that a seller’s life doesn’t fit neatly into an asking price. A closing date that costs a buyer nothing to accommodate might solve a seller’s biggest problem. Certainty, convenience, and a smoother move can have real value.
Discovering that value was part of my job.
Bruce put me through my paces, and it was a joy to help him. When he purchased, I felt I had truly earned my fee. There was research behind my advice and a reason behind the terms we offered.
So when you hire an agent to help you buy, ask what happens beyond the showings. Who investigates the seller’s needs? Who examines the investment potential? Who gives you an informed opinion, including reasons to walk away?
Bruce expected all of that. After more than 50 years in real estate, I still believe he set the bar for buyers and the agents who represent them.
I called him Bruce the Savvy Buyer. He helped me become a better buyer’s agent.
Thank you, Bruce.
