Fingerspitzengefühl
The Personal Seattle Real Estate News

Fingerspitzengefühl

“Fingerspitzengefühl” is one of those German compound words.  Literally, it means “Finger-Tip-Feeling” but the word describes more than a tactile sense. It means being sensitive and having empathy. Wikipedia describes it aptly as “situational awareness.”

It’s instructive to experience real estate from both sides, the seller’s and the buyer’s sides.   Understanding both points of view is essential for a good real estate agent who wants to do the very best for one or the other. I emphasize “or” because representing both seller and buyer in a transaction – called “dual agency” – is typically a disservice to both parties with the only winner being the agent.

Fingerspitzengefühl on the Buyer’s Side

On a rainy Seattle Sunday afternoon, my buying client and I met at yet another promising short sale. The home was in a planned urban development (PUD) with street parking at a premium. More than ten cars were parked in sections clearly marked ” fire lane” and, once inside, it became obvious that the listing agent had been pressed into an impromptu open house.  The small entryway of the 1700 square foot home was littered with shoes, some of the prospective buyers rushing to the back door for a glimpse of the tiny backyard, others jostling for space on the stairway leading up to the three bedrooms. [Read more…]