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BUYING SIGNS AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE CLIENTS

“Many of my culturally diverse clients give me absolutely none of the buying signs I’m used to when showing property. It makes it really tough to figure out if they like or hate a house. What really annoys me is when clients from other countries go off in a corner and talk in their own language. Why are they so uncommunicative and disrespectful?" Bob P.

Some cultures, particularly Asians, do not give physical buying signs such as getting excited when they find a home they like. There is an old Chinese proverb that says, “Control over the body is control over the mind” which means you do not want to show any emotions in public as this energy could disrupt the harmony in the air.

Ironically, the behavior you find so offensive is about the only buying sign you’re ever likely to get from some new immigrant buyers. Ask yourself, “Does buyers. regardless of culture,  hang around in a house they doesn’t like and talk about how much they hate it?” Of course not, they simply walk out as fast as they can go so they can get to a home that better suits their needs. So what do you think people talking about in their native tongue in front of you? Let me give you a hint – it’s not about you which is probably why you find this habit so offensive! When you learn a second language like English, it’s relatively easy to use it to converse about facts and figures such as the number of bedrooms or square footage but when it comes to emotional questions such as, “Do we feel comfortable in this community?” or “Will or children be happy in this neighborhood?” people naturally revert to their native language, often without even thinking about it. They certainly don’t mean to offend you and may not even be aware that they’ve switched to a language you can’t understand.

When you think about it, speaking in their own language may be the only buying sign you may get from some buyers. Instead of being miffed, I suggest you be thankful and encourage them by simply saying, “It seems you want to talk about your new home. Please take your time and I’ll wait for you in the car.” By looking at your buyers’ behavior from this slightly different perspective you’ll see that they are actually being very communicative – if you’re culturally aware.

Also, don’t expect many cultures to give traditional buying signs because most do not get emotionally involved in purchasing real estate. This is merely an investment and if the sellers won’t make it a good deal another one will certainly come along. This is why it’s usually futile to say to a multicultural buyer, “You’ll love this house.” The only thing they’re likely to love about the house is the bargain they’re getting. So it’s best to concentrate your efforts in explaining why it’s such a good deal rather than using emotional appeals.

About the Author: Michael “Soon” Lee, CRS, GRI, is a broker in business since 1977 who is also a multicultural consultant and professional speaker. He is the author of the book OPENING DOORS: Selling to Multicultural Real Estate Clients (Oakhill Press, 1999) and speaks to real estate companies and associations throughout the country.  For a free copy of his article, “Ten Myths About Multicultural Clients” Michael is President of EthnoConnect™ the Multicultural Sales Solution and can be reached in the U.S. at (800) 41-SPEAK or by e-mail at:michael@seminarsunlimited.com.

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