3,988,007
I would refer it out. We have an avid fisherman in our office that used to be a fishing guide and knows all about the local fishing spots. It would be a homerun for me matching the two of them up.
-
John Mosier
Prescott, AZ
-
Jack Wickham
Clarksville, TN
279,878
630,251
Learn about what they are looking forward to - and help them.
-
Praful Thakkar
Andover, MA
938,537
Vern, come on over to West Lafayette, Indiana and I will give you a quick lesson on our little pond out back!
-
Eric Kodner
La Pointe, WI
2,224,473
Like Bill, I would love to help a buyer looking for a fishing property. But if it wasn't my area of expertise, I would refer it out.
-
John Mosier
Prescott, AZ
6,393,609
There are plenty of stats out there on how the various lakes perform, however it may be better to know a bit before recommending a lake to them.
4,800,082
3,071,489
582,106
Problem is, you need to know more than what a fishing pole looks like. Buyers want to know if the lake they're looking at has "good fishing" and they need to tell you what kind of fish they're looking for.
I showed a pretty little cabin on a lake in northwestern Wisconsin last summer that was located on a lake which freezes to the bottom every winter. The folks who live on that lake call it the "Dead Sea". No fish in that little pond..
5,104,931
I have clients who would insist on working with me not matter what. I'd be honest with them and get as much information as I could from colleagues about the best places to show and then find the homes. Don't need to know much about fishing to suss out the best properties.
1,661,936
With the Rio Grande running through Albuquerque we know about fishing and yes work with those who want to live and play along the river.
544,892
Definitely refer it to someone who fishes. Do you know what kind of fish your friend likes. A bass fisherman may seek something different than someone who fishes for catfish. He will also be concerned about a boat dock and other things which you will not know about.
Our business is all about serving our clients. It is also in our code of ethics to work within our area of expertise. I doubt you would be doing so in this case. I also doubt you would be familiar with lakefront properties and might not know what the key issues are.
An agent in my area specializes in neighborhoods where there are cabins on old mining claims in the Ponderosa Pines within The Prescott National Forest. She gets a lot of calls from Agents in Phoenix wanting to represent Buyers in purchases there. Very few Agents from Phoenix know what the issues are or what questions to ask. Agents who are not members of our MLS earn a Buyer-side commission on her listings which is about the same as a referral.
I also sell recreational properties in an area where the lot sizes are mostly 40 acres. Agents from Phoenix or Las Vegas are quite likely to get lost if they try to show properties there. How can one represent a Buyer if they cannot find or show the properties? I encourage city agents to refer their clients to me and that works quite well most of the time.
519,324
Vern, You let the buyer decide. Be honest that you're not an expert on fishing. He'll figure that out fast enough. If it were me, and I do know a bit about fishing, I'd say, "I'm not an expert on catching fish, but I can find every home on local waters and let you decide which one suits you best."
If they "bite" you have a buyer. If they are tempted to swim on by, you can always say, "I know Joe in the office spends every spare minute on the water, he might be a great partner in this.., let me get him on the phone."
4,272,548
I have fished for most my life however I don't know every fishing hole in Washington state. If I feel comfortable I love adventure, if not I get on the phone!
4,319,419
Vern Eaton - what's your relationship with the buyers? You can tell them that you are an expert Real Estate Professional - and when it comes to Fishing, you are the boss! Let's work together to get the best home for you!
(And my opinion may be differnet. What I'd like to stress on is relationship - and working as a team.)
2,443,250
That is why we have google. You don't have to know everything about everything when you know how to research.
1,683,912
The goal is to work with a client and help them the best way you can. If it takes referring them to a more knowledgeable agent, then that's the way to go.
3,727,873
OK, how hard is it to become a quick study in fishing? For me, it would depend in part upon the price range and how close is is to DC.
3,986,258
Refer it out...Although this would be right up my alley, a downtwon big city condo woudl be refered out by me.