Real Estate Tips Your Mom Would Be Proud Of

I love children. My kids—Nicole, Howard, and Michael—are the three biggest blessings in my life. They were the reason that I was a stay-at-home mom for so many years before launching my real estate career. And with the addition of my two grandchildren, Joshua and Eva, I once again have little ones running around the house. If I had to sum up in one word what being a mother and grandmother has taught me, it would be PATIENCE.

Raising three children taught me countless lessons that I still bring to my real estate practice today. I know how to treat my clients who are parents of little ones. As a mother myself, I understand how distracting children can be. They run around, they want your attention, they get cranky, and the list goes on.

Children, the love of our lives, can make the home search a challenging endeavor. Imagine a mother who is responsible for making one of the family’s most important financial decisions—buying a home. I’m driving her from listing to listing, where she has to remain focused on her search. It’s easy to lose concentration when her son is tired, hungry, and just wants to go home.

Here are two easy solutions to keeping children occupied, which frees up your client’s attention as she finds her home.

Tip #1 Keep Them Busy

Have coloring books and crayons with you. For older kids you can provide crossword puzzles (sudoku, an import from Japan, is really popular now) or markers and the more sophisticated coloring books like Dazzling Designs by Koichi Sato, which are appropriate for kids up to 12 years old. I’ve seen teenagers spend lots of time carefully coloring in the intricate geometric shapes during long flights.

Tip #2 Keep them Full

For kids—and adults too—it’s tough to be well behaved on an empty stomach. So have snacks for them, and don’t forget their parents too. Carry bottled water, crackers, cheese, and fruit with you. Once you offer these to your clients' children, you’ve won both of them over. Parents have good memories when it comes to people who have acted kindly toward their children.

It warms my heart when my clients’ children see me and ask something like, “Hi Myra, do you have any treats for me?” As you can imagine, many of these kids have every type of toy and food under the sun. But they still look forward to receiving a simple surprise. Once we arrive at the listing, the children are already occupied with a coloring book or some crackers, and their parents are able to focus on finding their home.

These simple steps will soothe a temperamental child—maybe even prevent a tantrum, occupy a bored one, and feed a hungry one. All of which allow their parents to concentrate on the listing. And as a result of your generosity and consideration, you’ve left a lasting impression.

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