Event Coverage
Full House at 'Doing Business with Indian Clients'
SILVAR members packed the training room yesterday to learn more about working with Indian clients. Indians are a close second to Chinese as top foreign buyers of Silicon Valley property. Their cultural nuances, traditions and spiritual beliefs, were discussed by panelists at "Doing Business with Indian Clients," a program hosted by SILVAR's Global Business Council.
Sharing the information with members were REALTORS® Sue Bose with Referral Realty – Cupertino, Nomita Shahani with Alain Pinel REALTORS® – Saratoga, Umang Sanchorawala with Alain Pinel REALTORS® – Palo Alto, and supervising loan officer with PNC Mortgage Jimmy Kang. Mark Wong, chair of SILVAR's Global Business Council, served as moderator.
The REALTORS® presented important information about vastu, the ancient Indian science of architecture. Vastu, which is the counterpart of the Chinese feng shui, can influence Indian buyers in their purchase of a home. According to Bose, the principles of vastu take into account the sun's rays, earth movement and geomagnetic forces, with fire, water, earth and sky as important elements. Design and construction of buildings are based on vastu so that harmony is created where people who live and work.
Many homes in India are built in the shape of a rectangle or square with a courtyard in the middle, open to the sky, said Bose. Kitchens face southeast with the belief that the gods rule in the east. Winds come from the northeast, so doors and windows should be structured accordingly. Shahani added a pie-shaped lot with the front yard at the tip and the backyard at the larger portion of the lot would be attractive to an Indian buyer because the lot is likened to the shape of a cow, with the tip as its head. The cow is sacred to Indians.
Most Indian buyers "have it all mapped out," said Bose. They have already done their homework about the home, the neighborhood and the school they want their children to attend. They can also be very aggressive in negotiation, and when their offer is accepted, they think they have overpaid and want to counter or want something more in return.
"It's just their nature to negotiate," explained Sanchorawala. "They feel better if they get something more in return." He said paying for the cleaning or extra work that needs to be done can often appease the buyer.
Be patient with Indian buyers because it is hard to connect with them for the first time. They are not good at returning phone calls. The agent will need to follow up with them multiple times. Sanchorawala said many Indians feel they are important to their job, so they will not interrupt their work day by returning an agent's phone call.
Indians can appear rude, blunt and abrupt with the agent. "They don't always say thank you because they feel it is your duty to serve them and they are doing you the favor," said Shahani.
Indian clients like to work with someone with whom they can socially connect. Sanchorawala has taken his clients on trips, even camping, and to parties. When driving around with her client, Shahani stocks her car with food, snacks and games to entertain the client's children.
"When you show that you care about them you will win their trust," said Shahani.
You don't have to be Indian to work with Indian clients, but you do need to know and respect their culture, said Bose. "Treat them with respect and treat them ethically. Help them with the numbers and their budget. Be mindful of putting your client first," advised Bose.
Indians also seek out the best financing and will not hesitate on going somewhere else if they feel they are not getting the best deal. Kang said younger couples will come with their parents, who are often the decision-makers. "Don't ignore them," said Kang. "Once you have their trust they are very loyal."
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The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
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