You drive up to the house with your prospects in tow. You prepare to put the best face on the property at hand. There's a process you go through to help your clients evaluate this particular choice. Without even thinking about it, you draw attention to the items and features to which you think this couple would want to pay special attention.

But this couple is different. While older couples usually seem excited about what they are about to see in each house, this pair of twenty-somethings seems intent on maintaining a poker face and a deliberate skepticism. With a flair, you open the car door and point out the beautifully manicured lawn. Your comments are met with, "How's the foundation? I hear there are shifting soils in this area."

You open the front door and welcome them to their new home, at least potentially. But the husband is still out on the porch having just answered his cell phone. Once inside, the couple appears skeptical about everything you say. At one point, when you mention the magnificent family room, your enthusiasm is met with complete silence. While this couple is outwardly cordial, you feel yourself backpedaling on most points. But this "disconnect" may not your fault.

There are two types of curb appeal -- the physical appeal and the way features of the property are explained to the prospects. While there is not much you can do about the physical aspects, how you frame a prospect's perception, can have a significant impact on their decision making.

There has been a lot written in the real estate industry about curb appeal. But how each generation responds to this appeal is a somewhat different story. Let's briefly explore the characteristics of each:

Matures - In most cases, those in their fifties and sixties have purchased several houses and have considerable experience with the whole process. You may find many of these individuals using the houses they visit as reference points to memories of previous homes. You might hear the wife say something like, "Our kitchen in Cleveland looked just like this." If she says it warmly, she may be picturing her kids sitting around the breakfast table. If she says it with derision, it may be reminding her of a bad experience. The couple may end up standing in the middle of the basement for 10 minutes telling a story that has come to mind because of the height of the ceiling, the brand of washer and dryer or a variety of other stimuli.

Do you move them on? Maybe, but conventional wisdom says that the longer they spend in the house, the more likely they are to purchase it. The extra 20 minutes you spend in this house may be well worth the effort, even though it appears unlikely at the outset. The key word for Matures is memories.

Baby Boomers - Most Baby Boomers, too, have considerable experience purchasing homes. With this generation presently in its peak house-buying years, they represent an enormous opportunity for any real estate salesperson.

Boomers have always been optimists. They "bet on the come." They are willing to rack up enormous debt for convenience and appearance. Regardless of what has happened, they believe that "the sun will come out tomorrow." (Remember the Broadway show "Annie?")

Boomers want to believe that they are making the right decision. But there can be many factors in this "right" decision. While most Matures are at an age where appearances are not a large factor, many Boomers are still very much in the mode of "keeping up with the Jones." Most are still actively involved with childrearing. The kids come first. "We must have a DSL connection so Johnny can use his computer," a father might say. "We also need a large garage to keep all the soccer and lacrosse equipment."

Boomers, however, are not prone to confrontation. How you preview a house for couples of this generation is largely dependent on the questions you have asked up front. If what you show them and their perceptions don't match, chances are they will smile and nod during the tour but not necessarily confront the fact that you're off base in your perception of their needs. Ask lots of questions up front.

While the majority of Boomers are parents, there are also a considerable number childless couples in this generation who have chosen that lifestyle. The specific needs and desires of these individuals can vary widely from their cohorts. Generally possessing more disposable income, they have the wherewithal to purchase substantial homes in more affluent areas. But their version of curb appeal may be considerably different. While Boomer parents look for areas with kids and lots of activities, these individuals look for a quiet neighborhood with opportunities to network with folks having the same values and desires.

For Baby Boomers, the keywords are convenience and the purchasing experience.

Generation X - This generation can be broken in two subgroups: Experienced homeowners and first-time buyers. While the needs of these two groups may be different, they also share some common characteristics due to the time in which they grew up. As children, Xers grew up with inflation, recession, layoffs, government scandals, divorce and dual career couples. At an early age, millions of them learned to fend for themselves being left alone after school as latch-key kids. The result of this is a generation of resourceful, yet skeptical individuals who will believe a sales pitch only when they see proof of its veracity.

Throughout their lives, they have been inundated with endless commercials and advertisements. This has jaded most about the claims and approaches of sales people. Rather than listening to your explanation of the house, they may be instead analyzing your spiel.

Unlike Baby Boomers, most Xers are comfortable with confrontation. They will ask questions or challenge what they don't understand. A "Just the facts, Ma'am" approach works best with many. They recognize the need for a real estate professional's assistance, but they have no need of hype and cute stories. Xers, more so than older generations, are likely to hold your feet to the fire if they perceive that you are not doing what they asked.

They are also more likely to show up at your office with an organized list of expectations about school, location, pricing, not to mention house features. When touring the houses you've found, they may use this same list as a reference point against which to compare. Generally speaking, they are the least likely of any generation to get swept up in the emotions of home buying.

Preparation is the key to dealing with Xers. They are likely to have been on the World Wide Web in advance of your visit checking out everything from cost of living to homeowners' fees. Be careful with your numbers and claims, so as to avoid misstating housing prices in the area and a host of other variables.

Xers are also in constant communication with friends and associates. In fact, our research indicates that they will check with their peers first, rather than their parents, about major life decisions. But dealing with them can be a double-edged sword. If they feel you have provided them with an excellent quality of service and assistance, they will tell their friends. If, on the other hand, they feel your service was less than adequate, they may also tell their friends.

For Generation X, the keywords are: skepticism, facts and preparation.

While salespeople who consider themselves Boomers and Matures may find the skepticism of Generation X unsettling, those selling real estate in their twenties and thirties may find themselves equally frustrated by older generations' need to deliberate. To Xers, time is short, work is not a calling as it is for many in their forties, fifties and sixties. Work is work. Then you make time for family and leisure. While this can be an admirable trait, it can also undermine the younger salesperson who wants to make the sale and get on with life. More mature buyers want to take their time and savor the experience. Hustling them along one house after another may satisfy the younger salesperson's need to move on. But it will frequently irritate the older buyer. Patience is the keyword here.

As you work with those in the various generations, mentally catalog the patterns you see in their attitudes about purchasing real estate. Integrating these patterns with what you already know will put you a leg up on the next opportunity.

Published: February 5, 2002

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Robert Wendover is the Managing Director of the Center for Generational Studies which conducts research, produces seminars and publishes resources on how the generations relate to one another in American society. For more information about generational trends, please visit Robert's Web site at www.gentrends.com. You can contact him at 1-800-227-5510 or wendover@gentrends.com.