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With many property seekers buying as a couple, agents must manage their communication style to ensure neither partner is left behind, or risk losing the sale.
With over four decades of experience, Raine & Horne Double Bay and Bondi Beach principal Ric Serrao has sold his fair share of properties to couples, whether they were buyers or sellers.
According to Serrao, over the years, the set gender roles in buying properties have shifted, making it essential for agents to involve both partners during the process. He advised agents to always refine their communication skills and learn about body language.
“Communication is something that we all need to constantly work on. I had to learn the hard way myself, having been divorced a couple of times and remarried again 15 years ago,” Serrao told REB.
Serrao said that as men have become overly time-poor, women have taken centre stage, often doing much of the groundwork and research.
"I personally feel now that 80 per cent of the communication is more to the female, which in a way is better for agents as they often give more details about what they are looking for, while men tend to jump into negotiations all the time.”
He said that from an agent’s perspective, understanding what the woman wants and needs in their future home, whether an apartment, semi, or house, by asking about family structure and what they expect from the property, will help them find the perfect dwelling.
“By talking to the women, we get a true understanding of what they really want, as they tend to be more open to sharing and not as guarded, giving us a lot more micro information relevant to try and help them make a decision on the right property.”
“‘Happy wife, happy life’ also works in property, we see it often in open homes.”
Serrao said that women have also been much more detail-oriented, asking deeper questions while focused on the practical, “nesting” aspects of a home, whereas male buyers were often more concerned with material features like garages or entertainment rooms.
“I did an inspection the other day with a couple, and the wife basically was quizzing the builder and actually wanted to meet the female owner of the property, and just asked her some very specific questions.”
“Whereas the male was really interested, was there a games room for himself, and did he have a big enough garage for his two cars?”
Serrao said the rise of women making the bulk of the property decisions has also shifted his agency’s marketing and social media strategy.
He said the business has invested heavily in property styling, increased female representation on the team, and prioritised personalities that better connect with female buyers.
“We’ve seen more women using social media to reach out, with enquiries increasingly coming through these platforms rather than texts or emails, and the majority of these messages are from female buyers.”
While women tend to be more communicative, Serrao said it was still important to include both partners in the conversation, whether they are sellers or buyers.
“We simply ask for both email addresses and mobile numbers, and ensure both partners are CC’d on everything from contracts to building inspections.”
“It’s about consistently communicating with both parties through phone calls, group texts, emails, and social media, but most importantly, picking up the phone and making the call.”
Despite including both parties, Serrao said agents need to read the room and be strategic in their communication, especially during negotiations.
“If it’s about their initial thoughts on the property, I would call the woman first. If it’s about price and they’ve started the negotiation, I’ll ring the mail first, more often than not.”
“Also, if you hit a plateau where you can’t get the price up with a husband or the male partner, I would go back to the female as a last resort to try and improve pricing and see how emotionally invested she is.”
For young agents learning the ropes, Serrao said they can improve their communication skills by studying as much as possible about body language, psychology and negotiations.
“The other point is also that buyers might give negative feedback about the property, and agents should remember not to take it personally. It’s not their property at the end of the day, just constructive feedback.”
“So I think trying to learn a little bit about psychology, trying to understand how the male and the female brain work, because both genders negotiate differently,” Serrao concluded.
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