I’ve been seeing a lot of discussion lately about whether now is the right time to buy, or later. Understandably, many buyers are hoping to hit the trough of real estate prices, just as in the sellers’ market of 2003-2004, many sellers were hoping to hit the peak. It’s always interesting to me to see how people behave, especially when it involves my profession.

I find myself talking at cross purposes sometimes with folks who are putting off buying, and I’ve noticed that sometimes people who are waiting to buy think my job is to talk people into buying now. I heard one such fellow remark sarcastically, “Of course, if you’re a Realtor®, now is always the right time to buy.”

Well, I’m sure that for some Realtors® who have a more dominant personality and agressive selling style, that is how they see their job — talking people into buying things. It’s certainly not how I see my job, however. Rather than talk a small number of people into buying something, my goal is to reach a large number of people, then find the section of it that’s ready to buy right now or in some foreseeable time frame and help them get it done.

However, sometimes it seems as though people who’ve figured out that October 22nd, 2008 at 9:32 PM is the “right time to buy” are waiting until that precise moment — or whatever moment they’ve decided on. Often they also seem pretty determined to share that date with others. They seem to want to develop a consensus about the “right time to buy”, as though the right time to buy were some weird celestial phenomenon that will occur at some well known time and that everyone in the Northern Hemisphere will be able to view simultaneously, presumably while sharing a Coke and a smile.

So I bring this up to clarify my role with respect to the people who want to buy (or sell) a home now, and the others who believe in — and want you to wait for — the residential solstice. Let me be clear: my job is not to convince you to buy. In fact, if you need to be convinced that now’s the right time to buy, that’s really good, but I’m not the guy to do it, and please, whatever you do, please-o-pretty-please stay out of my car. My wife and daughter and I can use that Sunday to go to Borders. I have an agent — who I love dearly — on my team who’s way more of a convincer than me, so if you need convincing I can refer you to her, if she’s not already booked working with people who’ve already convinced themselves.

If, on the other hand, you want to buy “now” (more or less) but want to spend some time working on it so you get the right home, then count me in. I have no trouble going out for one or two or five weekends to find you what you want, and then another month working on the paperwork, inspections, and closing with you. That’s my job. It’s a privilege to help, and if I do it right I can get paid a commission for it from time to time.

If you’re not ready to buy yet, that’s terrific! There are [mumble mumble] billion people on the planet, and only a handful are going to buy from me in a given month. I don’t even mind if you share your prognostications about “the right time to buy” with others here — whether you read it in the Wall Street Journal or something by Nostradamus. It’s all good — it’s just a little weird. When’s “the right time to get pregnant”? Is it February 22nd, 2008, or does it vary by the individual woman and happen as an ongoing thing?

Of course, if you’re thinking about buying and wanting to understand the steps better, that’s a bit of a different matter. I’m working on an email seminar if that’s the position you’re in. Or if you’re ready to buy now, call me and we’ll get it done!

There’s nothing right or wrong if you’re not ready to buy now, it’s just you’re not a client — sort of by definition — until you are, or at least, until you’re considering it. So, in my opinion, now’s a great time to buy for clients, and a lousy time for everyone else.

But who knows? Maybe I’m wrong and it’s October 23rd, 2022 for everyone. I hope not, though. I’d like to stay busy in the meantime.

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