Buyers telling their agent that they’re holding off on buying until the market bottoms out is becoming an increasingly common barrier to putting qualified owners into very well priced homes, and how you handle this issue could very well mean the difference between thriving and struggling in 2009.

Most importantly, this way of thinking presents us with a golden opportunity to provide our clients with the education and guidance they'll need to realize that they'll never properly time the bottom and trying to wait means venturing into entirely new territory with no guarantees. Comps, and other statistical analysis is essential to helping consumers understand what is really going on out there and how it effects them individually in the long and short term. It is our job as professionals to provide our clients with an in-depth analysis of all this information as well as a plan that balances their desire to make a good investment with the other factors specific to their situation.

There is also an extra benefit to putting in this extra effort to help your client make the best decision by providing the proper guidance and data- it allows you to find out who’s actually serious about buying in the near future and to focus your efforts on those people. In this marketplace, it’s essential for REALTORS® to keep a very good handle on how their time is being spent and by doing so they will maximize their success while minimizing wasted time.

At the end of the day though, keep in mind that not all people will be swayed by your efforts to show them why holding off could be a bad idea. I honestly believe that many people are actually happy to wait until the market recovers because then they will be making what is in their eyes a safer investment in an appreciating environment. There is nothing wrong with this, and buyers who fit into this category certainly are worth keeping in contact with so when the data does support a significant improvement in the market you’ll be right there ready to help them through the buying process.

In closing, take the time to ask your clients the tough questions even though you might not like the answers. By sorting through your pipeline and finding out the concerns and motivating factors of each individual client you will ensure that whenever your clients are ready you’ll be there ready to help them achieve their goal of home ownership now or in the future.