This is part of an ongoing series of pitfalls most homeowners make when their house becomes a listing on the open market. So far, we have covered in the last post dealing with clutter, using a lockbox and having curb appeal. In the post before that, we went over pricing, competition and trusting your Realtor®.

As I have said before, it is imperative in this real estate market especially to be extremely careful when putting your home on the market. Studies into human behavior have repeatedly shown that the more options there are for a person to choose from, the less likely the person is to actually pick something. and today, there are so many homes to look at that a potential homebuyer can easily become overwhelmed. So, what can you do to stick out in the home buyer’s mind? Read on!

Not Leaving the Home during a Viewing

This is a pet peeve of mine, so bear with me here. You’ll see why it’s important. There have been times when I have come by as a buyer’s agent to a listing that is not my own with some potential clients and the sellers have killed the sale. Of course you know that Realtors® don’t get paid unless the potential buyers close escrow, so for the sale to be killed during the showing itself is pretty upsetting. But it’s not just that – it’s that the way the sale is usually killed just shows a lack of manners.

Let me explain. From the moment my clients walked into the home until the minute we crossed the threshold out of it, we were constantly scrutinized by an angry old lady who didn’t say a word. Now I don’t know that she was angry but she definitely seemed that way and she never took her eyes off my clients as they walked around the house trying very hard to ignore her.

This is a mistake, sellers! And it will ensure your home never sells. You don’t need to let home buyers run free in your home but putting them under a microscope and making them feel unwelcome will only force them our in less than 30 seconds. And decisions to make offers don’t get made in 30 seconds. Get a business card from the buyer’s agent and leave the home for about 15 minutes. Give the clients room to picture their belongings – and themselves – in that property. And please, please don’t stare at them! They’re not under scrutiny; your home is! There are many REOs out there that are vacant. The last thing you want them to do is go look at those because they don’t want to be made an object of when they’re shopping for a house!

Being Hard Headed when you Receive an Offer

Some homeowners still remember the good not-so-old days when they received a full asking price offer and then could counter asking for more money because the real estate market was headed up. And are chagrined when their home stays on the market much longer than expected and then they receive an offer way below asking price. What’s a seller to do?

For one thing, I would recommend a home seller determine if the offer is serious. If the person making the offer has taken the time to write it down with a Realtor®, has a good faith deposit and a letter of preapproval, chances are the offer is serious regardless of the amount offered. A home buyer who does all of the above definitely has an intent to buy and is not – the bane of home sellers everywhere – a tire-kicker. So, with that being established, the worst thing a home seller could do is get angry, get emotional, feel insulted and not respond to the offer or otherwise reject it outright.

Many home buyers today are confused. The real estate market is at any time made up of inexperienced buyers and sellers anyway. And with all the information coming at first time buyers today it is not surprising that they don’t have a clue what they are doing sometimes. So the fact that they made a lowball offer has nothing to do with your home or you and everything to do with what information they have received. The fact that they made an offer means they liked your home, now the next step is to work with it. Send a counter with your rock bottom price. Better yet, get your Realtor® to call theirs and see if he can guage anything about price. Or give them a verbal counter offer. Sometimes the buyers are just trying to get an idea of exactly what you want, so tell them. Getting offended and not working with an offer only leaves your home longer on the market and lowers the price at which it will eventually sell.

Well, that about sums it up for today’s rant. But I’m hoping the potential home sellers out there are learning something about this very tough market. Remember the old real estate adage: sellers sell in a sellers’ market, but buyers don’t buy in a buyers’ market. It’s true. And I hope these home seller tips help you bring in a buyer and get your home sold for a price you want. As always, we at Elite are here to help! Just give us a call. Happy Home Selling!

Comments are closed.