LPMAMA is one of the most effective frameworks for real estate agents to build rapport with buyers quickly and efficiently move a lead from initial contact all the way to closing.
This comprehensive guide will provide you with a deep understanding of the LPMAMA methodology and equip you with the skills and scripts to seamlessly guide buyers through the journey of finding their dream home.
What is LPMAMA?
LPMAMA is an acronym that stands for:
- Location
- Price
- Motivation
- Agent
- Mortgage
- Appointment
It is a structured approach to qualifying buyers through a natural, conversational flow that aligns with their decision-making process. LPMAMA establishes trust and demonstrates your expertise by uncovering the buyer’s needs before pushing properties or pricing.
The beauty of LPMAMA is that it works for both buyer’s agents and listing agents. Buyer’s agents can use it to build rapport during initial consultations. Meanwhile, listing agents can employ LPMAMA techniques to engage prospective buyers contacting them about their listings.
Walk through the methodology sequentially and you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of the buyer within minutes. This enables you to provide tailored solutions based on their unique situation.
Let’s explore each component of the LPMAMA process:
Location
Location is always the first priority in any home search. That’s why it is the “L” that kicks off the LPMAMA sequence.
As a buyer’s agent, this is your opportunity to discover:
- Which neighborhoods or areas the buyer is interested in
- What amenities and conveniences are driving their location preference
- How flexible they are on location
Meanwhile, as a listing agent, asking about ideal locations gives you insight into the buyer’s lifestyle, budget, and motivations for moving.
There are several objectives during the location stage:
- Build rapport by demonstrating your local area expertise
- Uncover the buyer’s wish list for neighborhood features
- Determine if your listings match their geographic criteria
Avoid the rookie mistake of immediately promoting your listings in desirable areas. Let the buyer openly share their location preferences first.
Here are some sample questions to explore the location priority:
- Have you narrowed down the area or neighborhood you want to live in?
- What locations are you considering in our city?
- What part of town do you work in? How important is commute time?
- What amenity or convenience would your ideal location have? Restaurants? Schools? Parks?
- What do you like and dislike about your current area?
- How important is walkability to you? Do you prefer living in the suburbs or a more urban setting?
Use active listening techniques to drill down on their responses. Ask follow-up questions to understand the reasoning and priorities driving their location wish list.
Summarize what you heard to demonstrate you were listening. This builds tremendous trust and rapport early in the process.
For example:
“So I understand you’re looking for a neighborhood with top-ranked schools, close proximity to highways, and community parks or trails. Those are great family-friendly amenities. Are there any other major factors that would make a neighborhood appealing to you?”
The buyer will correct any wrong assumptions and feel understood. Now you can better cater to their location-based needs moving forward.
Price
The “P” in LPMAMA represents price or budget. This is often the most sensitive part of the homebuying journey. Buyers may be uncomfortable disclosing their financial resources or limitations.
Your aim in the pricing stage is to:
- Establish a comfortable budget range for the buyer
- Understand factors influencing their spending capacity
- Guide them toward realistic expectations
Avoid asking point blank “What is your budget?” or “How much are you pre-approved for?” These direct questions put buyers in a defensive mindset.
Instead, use a nurturing approach:
“What monthly payment are you hoping to stay within?”
This frames the conversation around affordability rather than an absolute dollar amount.
If they indicate a low price range unlikely to yield many options, respond with:
“Home prices have risen significantly in recent years. There are very few listings in that range right now. I’d be happy to expand your search criteria and look at homes a little above your initial budget. This will give you more choices while keeping the monthly payment difference minimal.”
This demonstrates your market expertise and steers them toward a workable budget.
Other questions to uncover budget influences:
- Will you be getting a mortgage pre-approval?
- How much are you comfortable putting down?
- Has a lender reviewed home loan options with you?
- Are you selling a current home?
- How soon are you hoping to move?
Document their target price range and your guidance. This shows you listened and helps prevent misunderstandings later.
“Great, I’ve noted that your ideal budget is $300,000 to $350,000. I recommend we look at homes up to $375,000 to maximize your options. Does this sound workable for you?”
Gaining price clarity early enables you to spend their time wisely by only showing affordable properties. It also sets you up to counsel them if they fall in love with a home outside their budget.
Motivation
Understanding why someone is buying a home is crucial. Their motivation reveals what will truly make them happy and guides your service approach.
During the motivation discussion, your role is to:
- Discover the emotional and practical motivations behind their home search
- Determine if they want to move or need to move
- Identify frustrations with their current living situation
For example:
A couple wanting to upsize for a growing family has different motivations than someone needing to downsize due to divorce or retirement.
Ask open-ended questions to draw out their story:
- What factors are motivating you to buy a home right now?
- How will this move improve your lifestyle or solve problems?
- Tell me about your current living situation. What frustrations lead you here?
- What features are most important in your new home?
Listen closely for clues about family, pets, hobbies, health issues, or work transitions. Then demonstrate your understanding.
“It sounds like with your son starting high school, proximity to his new campus is the top priority while staying within your current school district. And you’d like a larger yard for his baseball practice. Does that capture it?”
This level of empathy and mirroring establishes remarkable rapport with buyers. They will trust you have their best interests in mind.
Agent
The “A” in LPMAMA represents your opportunity to find out if they are already working with another real estate agent.
Tactfully ask:
- “Have you been assisted by another agent during your home search?”
- “What did you find most helpful about working with that agent?”
- “Have you signed a buyer’s agreement with them or are you still exploring options?”
Avoid interrogating tone and keep the conversation light.
If they indicate dissatisfaction with their current agent, tread carefully and take the high road. You could say:
“I’m sorry to hear that. Every agent has different skills and specialties. I’d be happy to discuss how my services could complement your current agent if you’d like to explore working with both of us.”
Position yourself as willing to collaborate versus compete. This exemplifies your character and integrity.
If appropriate based on their responses, offer your services while respecting existing relationships:
“Since you aren’t currently under contract, I’d love the opportunity to work together. My priority is ensuring your homebuying process is as smooth and stress-free as possible.”
Leave the door open for future contact if the timing isn’t right.
Mortgage
Next is the “M” for mortgage. The mortgage pre-approval process is often the most complex part of buying for first-time homebuyers.
Your role here is to:
- Gauge their familiarity with home loans and the buying process
- Make them feel at ease regarding financing options and requirements
- Offer your guidance and connections with trusted lenders
Many buyers are uncertain how much they can afford, what their monthly payments will be, or how large of a down payment they need.
Rather than overwhelm them with math, ask open questions to determine their baseline understanding:
- “What questions do you have about obtaining financing and qualifying for a mortgage?”
- “Have you met with a lender yet to discuss loan programs and interest rates?”
- “What down payment amount were you hoping to put down?”
Meet them where they are knowledge-wise without assumptions. Educate and inform based on their responses.
If they seem confused, break financing down in simple language:
“The amount of your down payment affects what loan programs you’ll qualify for and how much your monthly mortgage payments will be. Connecting with a lender early on will help you understand your options and budget.”
Offer to introduce them to a loan officer you work with frequently:
“Susan is a fantastic mortgage advisor I’ve partnered with for years. I’d be happy to connect you to discuss pre-approval. She can explain down payments, credit checks, and interest rates in more detail.”
Providing this assistance goes a long way in making buyers feel supported through a complex process.
Appointment
The final “A” in LPMAMA represents setting a follow-up appointment to continue building your partnership.
First, summarize what you’ve uncovered about their needs:
“Based on our conversation, it sounds like you’re looking for a 3-bedroom home in the Costwood neighborhood, with a price range of $425,000-$475,000, to accommodate your growing family. You’re pre-approved for a mortgage but still want to understand your loan options better. Does this accurately capture your goals?”
Then explain how you can be of service moving forward:
“I would love to schedule a follow up meeting to show you a few listings that meet your criteria. I can also connect you with Susan to answer any mortgage questions. What day works well for us to meet next week?”
This demonstrates you were listening and quickly moves the relationship forward.
In your appointment, suggest next steps like:
- Reviewing comparable sales and inventory together
- Narrowing down must-have home features
- Previewing target neighborhoods
- Initiating email or text alerts for new listings
The LPMAMA sequence has now established trust and qualified the buyer. You’ve set the foundation to act as an invaluable advisor throughout their journey.
How to Overcome Buyer Objections During the LPMAMA Process
Even when you master the LPMAMA methodology, buyers may still present objections. Here are some common obstacles and how to overcome them:
Buyer: “I don’t want to provide my budget range. I don’t want to be pressured into overspending.”
You: “I understand your concern. My goal is to find you a home you love within your comfortable range, not push you to exceed it. Knowing your parameters helps me be an effective advocate for you by only selecting options that meet your needs and financial goals. If I show you anything outside your range, I want you to feel empowered to just say the word and we’ll move on. My priority is gaining your trust.”
Buyer: “I don’t want to get pre-approved yet. I’m afraid it will hurt my credit score.”
You: “That’s a common misconception. Meeting with a lender for pre-approval is considered a soft credit check, not a hard inquiry like applying for a loan. It won’t negatively impact your score. Pre-approval simply verifies how much you qualify to borrow, so we don’t waste time looking at homes outside your price range. If you have any doubts, discuss your concerns directly with a lender – they can fully explain the pre-approval process and put your mind at ease.”
Buyer: “I’m already working with an agent I know personally.”
You: “I understand loyalty to your connections. I’d love to meet them and see if we could collaborate to provide you with the greatest benefit from both of our networks and skill sets. Two sets of eyes can be better than one in this competitive market. If you’re fully satisfied with your current representation, I completely respect that and hope we have the chance to work together in the future.”
Meeting objections with empathy, reassurance, and solutions retains the buyer’s trust while advancing the relationship.
LPMAMA for Listing Agents: Qualifying Prospective Buyers
Thus far we’ve covered using LPMAMA as a buyer’s agent during initial consultations. But listing agents can also leverage LPMAMA during buyer inquiries.
When fielding a call or email about your listing, guide the conversation through the LPMAMA sequence:
Location: “What areas are you looking to buy in?“
This reveals if they are serious buyers purposefully reaching out based on location or arbitrary looky-loos responding to a general online post.
Price: “What price range are you hoping to find?“
Qualify that your listing is reasonably within their budget.
Motivation: “What factors are motivating you to buy right now?“
Gauge how urgently they need to purchase and align your listing benefits with their goals.
Agent: “Are you currently working with an agent?“
Determine if you should direct them back to their representative or if you have an opportunity to sign them.
Mortgage: “Have you been pre-approved for a mortgage yet?“
Confirm they have the financing capacity to realistically purchase your listing.
Appointment: “When are you available for a showing?“
Move engaged, qualified prospects swiftly toward an in-person visit.
You’ve efficiently determined if they are a high-probability prospect worth your seller’s time and attention. Following this LPMAMA structure with inbound inquiries maximizes conversion rates for listings.
Advanced LPMAMA Strategies
Now that you understand the essence of LPMAMA, here are some advanced tips and best practices:
Mirror body language: Observe posture, gestures, and mannerisms. Adopting similar body language and energy levels builds subconscious rapport.
Paraphrase frequently: Listen closely and restate information in your own words. This ensures you fully comprehend their needs and perspective.
Establish common ground: Draw out specifics like place of birth, alma maters, prior neighborhoods. Finding commonalities personalizes the experience.
Watch for visual cues: Does their face light up discussing certain home features? What elicits excited hand gestures? Take note of what animates them.
Provide pertinent information: Volunteer relevant details about tax rates, school rankings, community demographics. Demonstrate your command of the local market.
Send preparatory materials: Forward neighborhood guides, cost of living comparisons, market projections. Set informed expectations upfront.
Remain flexible: Adapt your LPMAMA approach based on their responses. Rearrange, expand, or tighten focus as needed.
Discuss deal-breakers: Get clarity on absolute must-haves they won’t compromise on like garage space or water views.
As you advance in your mastery of LPMAMA, the art is blending structure with flexibility. Internalize the core principles, then customize interactions to each buyer’s unique needs with these advanced techniques.
LPMAMA Scripts and Dialogues
For quick reference, here are some sample LPMAMA scripts and dialogues to use when qualifying buyers:
Location Script
Agent: What areas are you looking to buy in?
Buyer: We’re open to Fieldstone and Willow Creek. My office is downtown so commute time matters. But schools are the bigger priority.
Agent: Fieldstone has an excellent school district and is only 15 minutes to downtown. What attracts you to Willow Creek?
Buyer: Mostly the larger homes and yards. We have two big dogs so green space is important.
Agent: Proximity plus space sounds like the perfect combination. What’s your maximum commute time threshold? I have some pocket neighborhoods to suggest that meet your criteria.
Price Dialogue
Agent: Do you have a price range in mind for your search?
Buyer: We were hoping to stay around $350,000 based on what we’ve seen online in our target areas.
Agent: $350,000 can go far outside the city. But with Fieldstone’s prime location, you’d likely have to compromise on size, condition, or yard space at that budget. To maximize options in Fieldstone, I suggest looking up to $425,000. This gets you better proximity to downtown while still getting at least 3 bedrooms and a yard. Does that sound workable? I’m happy to send comparable sales.
Buyer: We assumed $350,000 based on Redfin estimates, but don’t have a firm max budget. If you think we need to increase it for the areas we want, we can definitely be flexible.
Motivation Dialogue
Agent: What factors are motivating you to buy a home right now?
Buyer: Our daughter will be starting kindergarten next year so we want to get settled before she starts school.
Agent: How wonderful! What kind of home features are important to accommodate her needs? Additional bedrooms? Yard space?
Buyer: Definitely an extra bedroom and a yard big enough for a swing set. Good schools are the absolute top priority.
Agent: It sounds like getting into the right school district is driving this move. I’ll prioritize communities ranked high in elementary schools. Are there any other major motivators for making this move now?
Appointment Script
Agent: Based on our conversation, it sounds like you need a 4 bedroom home with a large yard that’s within 15 minutes of downtown. You’re hoping for Fieldstone or surrounding neighborhoods that meet your school priorities. I have several listings that meet your criteria ranging from $400k-$450k. Are you free this weekend for showings? I can also send you options to preview online first.
Buyer: This weekend is tight. But viewing some homes online
Real estate agents can face difficulties in a low inventory market, but there are strategies they can employ to succeed. It’s important to stay up-to-date on the market, prioritize listings, work with buyers, build relationships with other agents, be innovative with financing options and use cutting-edge technologies to stand out during the listing presentation, and focus on cultivating long-term relationships with clients. By implementing these tactics, agents can thrive even in challenging market conditions. Overwhelmed and looking for some help? Listing3D has got you covered. Schedule a demo with us.
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