Hi everyone,

I am a new agent and here is my situation, your input is appreciated.

As a family with 2 children (1 year old and 7 year old), we have 2 cars:

Car #1: Audi A3 2010. Has the carseat in it. Purchase.
Car #2: VW Golf 2010. No carseat. Leased.

So, because of the carseat situation, last night at my first showings I drove the VW. My clients sat in the back. They are a young couple, so I didn't give the car thing too much thought.

On my way back home, I started to think about it...should I make the A3 my official real estate car...? My superficial side says ''take the A3 you dumba$$'', but my rational, down to earth side tells me ''don't change your family habits! the VW is fine!''.

Thoughts?

I say concentrate on the client and what their interests are. Give them awesome solutions to help them get where they want to be. If you can do that, they won't care if you pull them to the houses in a wagon.

The last thing they are talking about when you leave is...Did you notice MCP's car? It had a car seat. Or it was an Audi.

If you load them with solid data to review and links to explore and resources to review and ideas to consider, the car is irrelavent, so long as there is a place for them to sit safely.

May I add........Good luck to you in your new career and with your young family.

Do agents really drive their clients around much anymore anyway? I dont work with buyers except on very rare occasion but even then they meet me there...Even before I got licensed and I had buyers agents we never drove together.
Curious as to how many actually drive their clients around.

Don't be mistaken, the car you drive matters. The first image is what is important. If your are meeting people at the office, dress the part and have a clean work space. If your meeting them make sure your car is the same. It takes 27 positives to change a poor first impression. If you are selling a $150,000 house and you show up in a $100,000 car....bad move, same goes for the million dollar buyer/seller, show up in a brand new Kia and you'll have problems. I started 14 years ago with a Camaro as my Realtor car I now have a Land Rover and an Jeep Sahara. Depending on the client, I will decide the car for the day. That said buy used, the LR3 is a 60K car that looks the part that I bought a few years old for 20K. All you people that drive older cars, ever wonder why you nailed a listing presentation then didn't get the listing?

On a related note, where is a good place to park when dropping in on a seller (either for the first time or on a follow up listing appointment)? Would it be considered overconfident and presumptuous to park right in front of their house (not in the drive way, of course) or should we pick a less imposing location across the street, a 1/2 block away, etc??

Don't discount use of the driveway. Blocking it is always helpful in keeping them there until you get their signatures.

I hate it when they try to leave during my Listing Presentation . . . . NO, we won't have any of that!

Of course, if you are the one who wants to make an early exit, having the car right there makes for a quick get-away.

I had one last Fall at a remote LakeFront Cottage, when the estranged Husband and Wife couldn't agree on an Asking Price and started getting physical in their argument, when suddenly, the Husband said maybe "I should go back to my Office while they 'think' about this."

I think the Wife was just using my presence there as a excuse for retrieving some of "her" possessions anyway, and not really to think about establishing an Asking Price. Besides she has a Cousin who's in Real Estate in New Jersey, and she'll know better.

Under those MadHouse circumstances, you won't have to ask me twice . . . . I was outta there in a flash, and really quite pleased that my car was conveniently parked right in the DoorYard. I guess they're still thinking.

I have only lost listings to agents who:

a) got there BEFORE me and ended up getting the seller to sign before he even met me or heard my plan...(that one ticked me off because I was minding my own business, didn't even KNOW the guy or that he wanted to sell his house and he called ME and asked me to come by Friday afternoon...he made the appointment with me, out of the blue. Then he has the nerve to cancel 2 hours before our appt. to say "Never mind, I went with the first agent instead. You could still come out and meet my wife and I though." Nice, thanks but no thanks. The sweet thing was I ended up selling that one...lol)

or

b) agents who promised more than the home was worth.

or

c) agents who cut their commission.

I have had more sellers call me out of the blue and tell me they wanted me to list their house because of my marketing. Not one, not even ONE... asked me a darn thing about my car. Maybe I should start screening them, asking them if they mind if I drive a Honda, or if I should lease a BMW for their benefit.

I've said it before, but It's a Balancing Act . . . . if you look too successful or complacent, you may not appear to be the Go-Getter, or hungry enough to get the business. But if you're starting out and looking poor, dejected, and forlorn . . . . then you must be a failure.

Somewhere in between, there is just the right place (like the Porridge in Goldilocks and the Three Bears), and that point varies from Seller to Seller and Buyer to Buyer. If you can't fill your garage so as to provide for a full service repertoire, then go with the vehicle that matches the expectations of the greatest number of prospects . . . . it's a crap shoot!

And remember, some people need the fulfillment that comes with Participating in your Success. They want to feel that they haelped you climb that ladder.

I really think though it depends on your market, your area.
You need to look like your client so he can identify to you and feel you are equal so you can understand him in this so big decision.

Yes exactly...though I deal with short sellers...I guess watching the aftermath of overconsumption and keeping up with the joneses has left its impression on me...to spend wisely. And for the person who said did you ever wonder why you lost a listing..(maybe it was the car)..I have yet to lose a listing to another agent. I have lost listings where they decided not to sell...so I can't say my 04 Civic is responsible.
Actually I did recently take a 600k listing - I pulled up and he parked behind me in his brand new beamer...I got a few extra questions ( was it the car...maybe...or maybe he was just an educated consumer) - still got that one too. But if I was dealing with the luxury market- I guess I would have to "look" luxury also.

I don't drive a car, I drive a truck and it has been a great help to me and my clients. Everyone one of my clients knows that I am available to help them move and I have personally shown up to help them haul items away.

I'm one to think you can take any vehicle you drive and somehow make it work (well, except maybe an 18 wheeler). We've hauled off personal belongings, brush when they're cleaning the yard, etc. It just works and it further commits them to me as their Realtor.

I would say the best all purpose "Realtor car" is the Honda Element. 4 doors, no carpets, easy to maintain, great on gas, has a distinctive attention grabbing looks (some call that ugly), easy to get in and out of (for those older clients), it has all-time 4x4 and after all it's a Honda.

They look professional and a 2005 with 70-90K can be purchase for around $8,000.00. Being a Honda, one should expect an additional 50-100K reliable miles. A payment on $8000.00 for 48 months is around $185.00 per month and that is if you finance 100%.

Maybe I should go buy one!

It is ugly and I put that in the category with the Smart and Prius. If you live in yuppyville maybe but around here, you're likely to get ridden off the road or ridiculed.

I hate Elements.

I'm driving an Audi A4 02' but am looking to get something newer and nice. Probably a VW CC 2010.