I'll sell a house to anyone with the income to pay for it. Flip flops or barefoot, I don't care!  LOL

This is so funny.  I have a post in Word about this very thing.  NEVER judge a book by it's cover.  Everyone should be treated the same and respectfully no matter what.  Great post!

It is only human nature to pick the best apple from the barrel. In this market, I doubt they would be ignored. Still, it is a lesson to think about. You never know where a sale is lurking.

Janet, it is that 1st impression that sometimes gets to us.  Personally, I am more into meeting the person, establishing the beginning of a relationship first, then find our more about them.  Hey, they may not be qualified to buy a house, but they sure may know someone who is. AJ

Great post.  I remember when the seasoned agents in my office years ago always judged the walk-ins by the cars they drove, the rings they wore, etc., etc.  I never did.  I sold some property to a couple with their, I believe three year old at the time, in the Bar XX subdivision.  They told me they had gone to many offices and no one would give them the time of day because they looked like plain folk.  I spent many hours with them, watching their daughter while they walked the 20 AC parcels.  That was about 16 years ago.  They still come back to visit me and recently her parents passed away.  They had owned a home in San Francisco and one in Daly City.  They let me handle the referral. I searched for a realtor and found a dynamite one who sold both homes very quickly.  Don't Judge Your Ups by what they are wearing or what vehicle they are driving.

Roxanne Schilling, Realtor at Lake Tulloch in California

Janet,

Sounds like this professor type understands young people and quite possible this is his niche!

Great post. I flagged it for a feature. Good luck!

I long as I can get 'em pre-qualed I don't care if they wear moo-moos! In actuality, those flip-flop wearing kids are EXACTLY what I am looking for, because I know if I do a good job I can sell them at least 3 houses in the course of my career, not to mention all of their friends who got ignored!

Janet, It's sad how we tend to judge people by their appearances. The reality is that a lot of folks who look like "money" really should look like "in debt up to their ears" and quite a few folks like your kids are very financially sound. I wonder if the young kid that owns facebook would have received the same reception? Probably.

I'm glad to hear it all worked out. I'm sure the REALTOR(R) that did help them made friends for life.

BB: What I think is that customer service takes a nose dive when business is good. It is easy enough to say we would never do this now that real estate is tough. But when the buyers are flooding in, it is easy and natural to pick and choose among your many choices.

I also think it is especially hard with the younger generation, who dress casually for the most part, and are not into "status symbols".

Nice to hear from you BB, hope all is well.

I had a situation where a young couple was to be married in a year, did not want to buy a house until after they wre married but they told me the four previous Realotrs they went to would not even talk to them.  I spent the time to explain the process of buying a house to them, setup some searches in the MLS so they could start to understand the market and after they got married we went out and purchased a house !  Yes it took over a year, but the total time I spent with them was no different than any other buyer.  Don't  you think I now have a client for life?

Good post, Janet.  Folks do tend to get judged by what they drive and how they dress... boy, oh, boy what a mistake that is.  I know a lot of folks with lots of toys and the trappings of the well-to-do, but it's all mortgaged to the hilt. 

Never underestimate a client's finances by their dress.  I've seen more than 1 major surprise in that.

I made that mistake years ago! You judge the visitors to your open and you will be amazed at the "kids" that can buy a home! I do not judge anyone now.

This is really quite a lovely story.  I thank you for sharing it with us.  I myself have had the opportunity to help people find their home that said that I was the only person that asked if they needed help.  Guess we just need to ask!

Remember "Pretty Woman"  -  she dressed inappropriately and the snooty store owners ignored her - well she showed them when she returned beautifully dressed and coiffed - with many, many shopping bags in hand...same thing - ONE NEVER KNOWS!

Also, don't judge one's ability to buy/spend by the kind of car they drive...

I had to check this post out. I have been showing houses all week to a young couple wearing flip-flops and baggy shorts. I think it is so exciting to be involved in a huge event in their lives. I look forward to the day when I can hand them the keys to their new home.

Why wouldn't you sell someone a house just because they are young, wear torn jeans & flip flops and have more piercings than a piece of swiss cheese? I would never judge someone just by their looks! If they are qualified buyers it doesn't matter. Even more though I find it very important, being a Buyer Specialist, to make sure I educate and protect my "young", first time home buyers the whole nine yards!

Manuela

Yes I would. And I have a relative that goes shopping in sandels with black socks, multi colored shorts, and a t-shirt with some redneck saying on it and wonders why people don't seem to want to help him....funny thing is...he pays everything in cash or check....never finances anything, and is worth over 11 million. Drives a 1982 small truck....

This reminds me of a story (Kentucky style).  The story is that this man walked into a car dealership in town in his bib overalls (no we are not all barefoot with front teeth missing here).  Anyway, the man kept walking around a car on the showroom floor and everyone was ignoring him because of the way he was dressed.  Finally, one of the salesmen approached him and asked if could help him.  The man told him he wanted that car and asked how much it was.  The salesman told him and without hesitation, the man reached into the bib pocket of his overalls without even bargaining and pulled a large enough wad of money to choke a horse and counted out ALL CASH to pay for the car right there.

Never judge a book by its cover.

I don't judge a person when they walk into my open houses - that is for the lender to do -(j/k). I am not a real estate snob but I know plenty. I am glad they found someone that listened to them - that is the key - oh and I have sold homes in jeans and flip flops :) - yep always fun to show up at a construction project after hours just to measure something and find that buyer lurking around!

I could care less what they wear or drive.  It's a buyer!

Goodness.  I've sold homes to older folks who looked like they couldn't rub two dimes together but paid cash for their purchase.  I sold homes to young folks who are just out of high school with FHA non-resident co-borrower. 

This is a failing of the agent, not the buyers.  Serves them right.  I'm glad they found someone with some experience that knows that it pays to listen. 

All someone would have to do is speak and listen to them for five minutes and they would see a qualified buyer.

Janet,

That was one awesome agent that they found!  I recently rented a house to a couple who was covered in tatoos and dressed kind of ratty.  They are so happy that I didn't care what they looked like, I just wanted to help them.  Now they are getting ready to buy a house. Guess who they want as their realtor!!!

Lenn: I think you also need to think about the fact they had never been in the real world at that point. We underestimate the skills it takes to "stand up and be heard" as a customer. They do not teach that in college, you just get out there and figure it out.

There is more to this story....maybe another blog.......but they went through the entire transaction and never understood what was happening...

I often wonder how often this has happened to first time buyers.

I had to laugh at the title because I myself am often mis-judged by my jeans and flipflops. Okay, maybe jeans and Jimmy Choos, but still... I am frequently overlooked at car lots, etc... when in fact, I pay cash for my luxury items. You can bet there is a gold mine in the understated. NEVER ASSUME.

Love Lenn's comment. (gosh, she sure has a lot of groupies :))

Fantastic, as always Janet!!

Sara: I would have said flip flops and tatoos but not one of my kids has a tatoo. Thank goodness.

Jo: LOL. In the car business, car salesmen would always come to the lots on off hours. They knew the people would show up just to avoid the salesmen! They called them lot lizards. I didn't know there were construction site lizards as well.

In the South this story is the old farmer in a pick up truck and dirty overalls.  No one pays attention to him until one lucky agents does and he pays cash.  Now it shifts to our kids.  HA HA

Earleen: I was born in Kentucky and look at my picture! I have teeth! And you already know if you read my post that I wear real shoes!

Not only that, but I was in the car business, and we hated those cash buyers. The cash often smelled like dirt (had been buried). The banks assume it is drug money. There are limits to how much you can deposit. Not to mention how much green paper it takes to buy a $30,000 car, and how nervous you are just driving with it in your car!.

In Calif. cash buyer does not wear overalls, he wears sunglasses.

 Jen:

No one would overlook someone as cute as you at any car lot. Please. They are car salesmen.

Been there, done that.  I was only 19 when I bought my first house.  You should have seen the agents when I would come walking into the house!

If someone has the ability to buy a house, they deserve attention!

Janet.. As long as the money is *green*, they have a job and are qualified.. I'll sell them a home they can afford.  If you know anyone wanting to relocate to Connecticut.. please have them see me.  I'll be glad to help...even if they come in sandals, shorts and drive a beat-up truck. 

Okay, Chuck, about your relative: What AN ABSOLUTE GEEK. You need to talk to him about those black socks right away.

The 82 truck is normal. Many of my wealthy clients (when I was in the car business) felt the need to drive beat up cars to hide their wealth. They thought people would take advantage of them if they knew how much money they made.

Red neck t shirts (or those with suggestive sayings) belong in the rag bag IMHO

I smell a reverse snob here.

Nice post, you never know how much money anyone has treat them all the same, as if they are your only customer.

Bill: I can only imagine what it would be like at 19. When the Welcome Wagon lady came to your door did they ask to talk to your mom? LOL

Valarie: Sandels and shorts, yes, but if they have black socks on I think you should run the other way.

JoEllen: I am glad the headline drew you in. I hope your ending is as happy as the one I describe in this post.

Manuela: More tattos than swiss cheese? I bet over 60% of people under 30 have tatoos, what do you think? I bet over 80% have piercings. My own son has his ear pierced and is trying to get me to give him a diamond stud to stick in that hole. We would eliminate alot of the younger generation if this was the criteria.

Okay Stewart, we will need to leave Hollywood out of the discussion because anything goes in LA.

Not to take the discussion in a different direction, but do you ever feel that a potential client might pass you over because of your casual attire?

Joan: I loved Pretty Woman...and I forgot about that scene.

Chris: I think NOT ASKING is probably the biggest single SIN we as real estate professionals make. I am sure you are right to make the observation that the agents in this story were not passing them over due to what they were wearing. They just didn't ask, and the kids didn't know enough to be bold about finding an agent. Excellent observation!

Whether selling homes, cars, jewelry, antiques, etc., a good saleperson should never assume.

I tend to keep cars, as long as they run. My son used to refer to my car as "the Pig", not because it was dirty, but because it was big and guzzled gas.

Years ago, my family finally convinced me, that if I insisted on keeping my cars that long, I should buy one that's just getting warmed up, at 100,000 miles. 

I drove up to one "exclusive" dealer, in my old, Olds Custom Cruiser.  Chances are, I was wearing jeans and sneakers.  I was completely ignored.  Guess which dealer didn't get to sell me my Mercedes?  ;-)

James, it pays to keep in mind that everyone needs to start somewhere, and to not overlook people who just don't know how to go about "snagging" a Realtor. Thanks for sharing your story.

It's best to under dress if you don't want to be attacked by sales people

Marilyn: ZING! Any lady all by herself that goes on to a car lot should be taken VERY seriously. Ladies do not consider car shopping "FUN" and would not be there unless they were planning on buying a car.

Now don't get me started on how a car is important to your self esteem....I have very strong opinions about this....Driving a PIG of a car? Life is just too short, and it isn't about impressing others. It is about remembering why you worked so damn hard.

Oh Russ. Then you must be saying you agree with the fact salespeople go after those who dress the best?

Roxanne: You know, because of where you sell real estate, you probably rarely see people dressed up for work the way we do in the Bay Area. So someone could walk in and want a lakefront, but be dressed for fishing...am I right?

I already know you just take them as they come, without judgement. It is part of what I love about you! You can relate to everyone.

Janet,

I have learned over the years to never judge people by the way they dress.  I  have made some really nice sales to people who came in to my office in dirty jeans & a flannel shirt.  They turned out to be high end buyers who owned a construction company or some such thing.  I would definately sell to kids in jeans and flip flops because first timers are fun.  A little more labor intensive but when it is all said and done and they move in to their house they are so happy and grateful if warms the heart.  If I were judged by my dress I would never sell a house because I am a jeans type person myself.  I just wrote on a half a million dollar house today and when I met the people who bought the house I had just stopped by my office on a Sunday to do a little work and I definately wasn't dressed for work.  The old saying is Never Judge a Book by the Cover.

Not only would I have sold them a house, I would have taken them out while wearing shorts and a T-shirt if it made them more comfortable with me.  I know too many people that look like a million bucks and can't afford to look at money, and people that look almost homeless that can buy anything I'd want...

Janet,

I'm sorry if you misunderstood what I was saying.  I live in Kentucky...I was saying yes we do have teeth and we don't all go barefoot.  As a matter of fact Kentucky is known for its fast horses, pretty women and good whiskey.

I guess I should have qualified my story more....the man in the overalls happened in the late 60's.  Most cars were less than $5000 back then.

Anyway, point being you should take all buyers seriously.  Even if your children were low end buyers, they deserved just as much respect as a high end buyer. 

Great Story . . . absolutely I would sell them a home.  You cannot always judge a book by it's cover!  I would like to think I might be as perceptive as the agent who finally helped them.

Sheila

There is more to this story....maybe another blog.......but they went through the entire transaction and never understood what was happening...

I often wonder how often this has happened to first time buyers.    Lots, I'm sure.  Do write that post. 

I think it is so cool they ended up with the agent they did.  Othewise they wouldn't have had the opportunity to do what they did.

Interesting comment you made earlier about "the skills it takes to 'stand up and be heard' as a customer." That reinforces how important it is that an agent be able to professionally ask a few quick qualifying questions to any potential buyer. We need to keep in mind that anyone can be a buyer -- or a potential referral source. How we treat them initially will set the course for whether or not a business relationship develops.

That was a wise agent and a good judge of people. A very rare quality for any profession.

Earleen: I am from the South and I am not talking about Los Angeles. I am talking Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, AND born in Kentucky. I knew exactly what you were talking about....people who are NOT from the South, judge people who are....you know, as if they are all hillbillies.

 Oh, yes, I could rant about this for days and never tire. It is the whole reason I keep my Southern accent in check....

I am well aware the South is full of elegance and grace...I may live in Calif, but to this day I am drawn to people from the South and believe I am a Southerner at heart.

What a fabulous observation. I can recall being very young, looking at houses, and having the agents take a partial peek at us at open houses, with a dismissive attitude. I'm glad that the kids located someone really good.

Sandra: Good story. Whenever you sneak into the office with no make up and sweats you are sure to run into a client, right? I remember some of my girlfriends in Dallas had a saying that they lived by, It was  "Always look cute"

Laurie: Since I WAS a real estate agent by the time I was 23, I did not have to snag an agent to sell me a house. When you think of sales, you always think every single person who wants to buy will be scooped up. This is not the case.

Doreen: It is pretty cool that someone was able to translate the dreams of 2 young people into a house that changed their lives. We all laughed at their wedding because the house was torn down to the studs and their honeymoon cottage was a construction zone. They moved in with me during the rehab.

There is something sort of magic about a first house. I bet everyone could blog about the first house they every bought and the circumstances that connected them to that very house. I think there would be alot of compelling posts.

Lane....so very true. But throw being awfully young into the mix, and inexperienced in the business world, and you have some folks who can just get lost in the crowd.

Janet Great Post!!  You know this is the BASIS of all SALES. A good buddy of mine who has been in the car business for many years became a TOP SALESMAN because he made the effort to talk to EVERYONE and ANYONE that came in the parking lot, regardless of Creed,Color,Age,Height etc...most of his co-workers wouldn't think twice about certain sterotypes but guess thats why they found another job.

Another story that hits home is my own exp.  I was shopping for furniture for my 1st house and all the sales rep in that area just completely IGNORED me thinking im some young guy with no money, well little did they know I had a checkcard ready to pay for everything in FULL, the funny thing was an ederly associate from another dept saw me looking for help and he helped me and when it was time to pay the elderly associate asked one of the young sales guy to ring me up, I of course told them NO and demanded that the guy who helped me get the commission.  Karma, don't you just love it.

You can NEVER judge a book by its cover!  If they are qualified to buy a house - I'll sell them a house. I'm don't care what they look like.  They could be the cavemen from the Geico commerical for all I care.  You know, I've had people driving BMW's and Mercedes that were in debt up to their ears....just because they LOOK the part, doesn't mean they have the money.  The kids had the money (perhaps) because they weren't spending money creating the illusion of wealth.

First of all, it sounds like agents are violating the Federal Fair Housing Laws by discriminating against the "kids" because of their age. But, I would have at least asked them if they were pre-approved. That's all that really matters.

If someone is pre-approved and can buy, then let them be buyers ... flip flops or not. And in Arizona if we avoided anyone wearing shorts and flip-flops , well there would be far fewer buyers. It can be more than 110 degrees here-- everyone wears flip-flops!

I work with a lot of first time buyers in their early twenties - I always treat them as if they were my kids..........in so far as I want them to get the best deal possible -and I'm so proud of them for investing in real estate rather then just fancy cars - restaurants - and holidays - although those are good too!  Loved the retro house!

Hi Janet - bad mistake many agents make.  I've seen it happen in companies where I've worked, and I've heard buyers tell me how they were passed over or just told that they couldn't be helped.  Young buyers that look like kids, older buyers who looked like they didn't have a plug nickel between them, and others.  It doesn't take much effort to ask a few simple questions and run with it from there.

We were always taught to never judge a book by its cover - and that goes for not judging people by how they look, by the car they drive, the shoes they wear or don't wear, etc.  I've had mega multi-millionaires in my car and you'd never know it to look at them.

Yep, I like taking "cherries that are still green"!  Some of those 'cherries' have turned out to be lifelong clients who refer everyone they know to me.

Ann

"The kids looked, well, like kids. Blond and skinny, jeans and flip flops."

Janet, that's what all the new agent look like to me, let alone the buyers. ;->

Janet.  My experiences is that very few buyers, even repeat buyers actually know what is happening or what has happened.  That's why they need honest agents with fiduciary.  Since the consumer understands so little of real estate transactions and they think they know so much, it's easy for poor agents to under serve them.  Sad but true. 

Never judge a book by its cover.  I had a buyer recently who came out to look at homes in flip flops and jeans and looked about 23.  He had just received a big promotion at work, had a pre-approval letter and wanted to look at homes.  5 hours later I sold him a brand new home and it was the easiest sale I've ever had.  I'd love it if they were all like him!

Lenn:

the consumer understands so little of real estate transactions and they think they know so much

I would add to this: OR they are too afraid to admit they are lost and therefore don't ask questions.

The younger the client, the more this is true, in my experience. One of the big failings in our industry is making assumptions, which is of course, what this post is all about.

I found this out not only by watching my daughter buy her house, but by jumping out of the auto leasing business and into the mortgage business.

I was shocked as my auto lease clients one by one admitted they had no idea what kind of mortgage they had, and did not have the guts to ask their mortgage broker.

Jim: Best comment so far. LOL and long live flip flops.

One of my favorite scenes in a movie is when Julia Roberts goes shopping in Pretty Woman.  NEVER judge a book by it's cover, when the book is opened the contents may surprise you!!  I love to go shopping at higher end stores with sweat pants and a Taz T-shirt just to see who ignores me and who is customer friendly!  The customer friendly ones always get my business!!

Janet,

If the couple qualify for a loan, it doesn't matter what they are wearing.  I sold a home to a young couple in their mid 20's.  This was one of the smoothest transactions I dealt with.  If they are ready to buy and qualify, I am ready to work with them.

The owner of my company pulled down almost $400K last year...and he dresses like a skater.  lol

Liane: Bless those easy sales. You need one of those every once in awhile just to remind yourself that there ARE some easy ones. I think someone should come up with a new niche: I cater to buyers who wear flip flops.

Ann: I have a policy when I am at a social event or a networking event. I always look around the room for the person that no one else wants to talk to and try to engage them in a conversation. It could be they are just shy, or it could be they don't fit in because of the way they look.

But this policy has generated some of the most interesting conversations, and yes, often their appreciation at being noticed ends up with them becoming a client. But that is not why I do it.

Janet: This was a great post.. Best of luck to your daugher. This goes to show that a qualified buyer comes in many ways and one should always seek first to understand !

Liz: I know this sounds corny as hell, but whenever I have a first time buyer I always think like this: This could be MY KID. How would I want someone to treat MY KID if they had limited experience in the business world and had to rely on the agent to guide them through?

I would want them to treat MY KID as it he were THEIR KID.

You only have one chance to buy your first house. And that is why it is special, and should be handled with care. First time buyers usually have NO IDEA what they want or need, so an agent who can help them think this through is priceless.

Clint: is there a connection between the $400k and the skater look? I think I may change my look.

Hey Justin: Great story about furniture shopping. I think it is the weirdest experience when you are ignored as a customer. Almost like an insult....aren't salespeople supposed to attack me? What is wrong with me?

As for the car lot, there is a very good lesson there. If someone took the time to come out (to a car lot or an open house) THEY ARE POTENTIAL BUYERS. Why assume they are not? That is a glass half empty mentality.

Sandra: Those sales clerks are more than customer friendly, they are not making judgments based on how people dress. Salemanship 101.

Bob and Carolin: It isn't that hot in Berkeley, but flip flops seem to be the official shoe. I was agast when my daughter wore them to a family graduation (those flip flops were fancy ones, but still...) She just rolled her eyes and continued on.

When I was little we had flip flops. They were rubber and we called them thongs (I was raised in New Orleans). Same daughter keeps reminding me, "MOM! Thongs are something different!!!!!"

Lisa: Oh, I wouldn't go so far as to say they were victims of discrimination. I would just say they were not versed in the ways of the world where more experieced buyers would not wait for an agent to approach them. All of us will pick the best apple in the barrel and it doesn't mean we would NOT pick the other apples.

It just means we chose the reddest shinest biggest one we could.

good post..you just never know..shouldn't judge a book by its cover..