One thing I've noticed over the years is that most investors walk into a seller appointment and immediately start looking at the house. They check the condition of the property, look for repairs, and start calculating numbers in their head.

I get it. That's what we're there to do, right?

But I've found that doing that too soon can actually hurt the conversation.

Think about it from the seller's perspective. You just met someone, and within a few minutes they're pointing out everything that's wrong with your house. Even if they don't say it out loud, that's often how it feels.

The seller starts to get defensive. They become more guarded. And now the appointment feels more like an inspection than a conversation.

One thing I like to do when I first arrive is find a place to sit down, usually in the living room. Before I worry about the house, I want to learn about the person.

Why are they selling? What's going on in their life? What outcome are they hoping for?

I've found that when you slow down and have a real conversation first, sellers open up a lot more.

And here's the interesting part: many times, the information that helps me solve their problem has nothing to do with the condition of the property. It's something they tell me during that conversation.

It could be a timeline issue, a family situation, a financial challenge, or another problem they need solved. Those are the things that often lead to deals.

If I could give one tip, it would be this: the next time you walk into a seller appointment, don't make the house your first priority. Make the seller your first priority.

Spend a few minutes building rapport before you start evaluating the property. You can always walk the house later.

What I've found is that when the seller trusts you first, everything else becomes easier. The conversation is better, the appointment is smoother, and you're much more likely to uncover what's really motivating them to sell.

Sometimes the biggest improvements in your business don't come from better marketing or more leads.

Sometimes they come from a simple shift in how you approach a conversation.