Special offer

Please - don't list. Please - take your home off the market.

By
Real Estate Agent with Coastal Properties Group International - Christie's International

We met this week with homeowners who called us saying that they were tired of trying to sell their house on their own, and would we please come list it.

We met them, and they have a lovely, updated, comfortable waterfront home. We talked about what has been selling in the neighborhood and they said, "Well, we really don't NEED to sell."

Then, PLEASE, don't sell. We advised them that today's market would not support what they wanted/needed to get in order to sell, and since they didn't NEED to sell, to wait until the market reached their "need" level.

Should they keep their FSBO sign out? No - that's lengthening the time it will take to start the rebound. The number of homes on the market is part of the media's and the buyer's acknowledgement of how bad things are.

So, PLEASE - take your home off the market, if you don't need to sell, and aren't willing or able to meet the market prices, and wait until the market rises to your expectations.

Posted by

Sharon Simms
CIPS CRS CLHMS CRB RSPS
Coastal Properties Group
CHRISTIE'S International Real Estate
238 Beach Drive NE
St Petersburg, FL 33701
www.ssimms.com    www.coastalpgi.com   www.christiesrealestate.com
(727) 898-2582    Sharon@SimmsTeam.com

 

Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate

If they would only listen. :)

Apr 25, 2009 12:34 PM
William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired

Yeahhhh!!!!!!!!!!! That's the way to say it. Simple sweet, honest and right on the mark!

Apr 25, 2009 04:16 PM
Todd Clark - Retired
eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR
Principle Broker Oregon

AWESOME ADVICE! I have turned down more listing this year from sellers who didn't need to sell than I actually took listings in some years of my career. Why sell if you don't have too, even my parents have a home that is sitting vacant, but they don't have to sell, it is paid for, so they are going to rent it out, wait a year or two then sell! Homes that don't need to be sold are rarely sold anyway!

 

Apr 25, 2009 07:31 PM
Jim Palmer
Chipola Realty - Chipley Office (850) 638-2777 - Sunny Hills, FL
Washington County, Florida

Excellent advice!! I deal primarily with vacant land and have been preaching the same advice for some time now. In my target area we are showing 15 years of inventory for vacant lots at the current absorption rate. Why add to that if you are not motivated to sell at the current market value. I firmly believe that it will be next year before we see any real growth in our area, so waiting on the market makes better sense to me.

Apr 26, 2009 12:15 AM
Russell Lewis
Realty Austin, Austin Texas Real Estate - Austin, TX
Broker,CLHMS,GRI

"Well, we really don't NEED to sell."  are the words that say, DON"T LIST! You provided excellent advice. It's good to see you posting again. We have been so busy in Austin that I have barely been able to comment and I hope your business is picking up too!

Apr 26, 2009 01:22 AM
Thom Abbott
MyMidtownMojo.com |770.713.1505 | Intown Atlanta GA Condo Living - Atlanta, GA
Midtown Atlanta GA Condos For Sale

AMEN!  We need to have more sellers understand this....I have one that just told me today to drop the price $20K. The do want to sell, but wish they could of waited....hope this price drop will bring the buyer we need!

I told a Seller this a couple weeks ago and now they won't return my call. Either they did not like what I told them, or the did and just don't feel the need to talk to me anymore!

 

Apr 26, 2009 12:58 PM
1~Judi Barrett
Integrity Real Estate Services 116 SE AVE N, Idabel, OK 74745 - Idabel, OK
BS Ed, Integrity Real Estate Services -IDABEL OK

Sharon, I like the phrase,"and since they didn't NEED to sell, to wait until the market reached their "need" level." Mind if I borrow that one?

Apr 26, 2009 02:45 PM
Kathy Toth
Ann Arbor Market Center Keller Williams - Ann Arbor, MI
Ann Arbor Real Estate Experts - Kathy Toth Team

I think it always sounds great to sell your home if you don't really need it any more or for whatever reason.  But reality is that this isn't the perfect market to be assured that you'll get exactly what you want/need out of the sell.  So I completely agree with you that they should always wait if it isn't absolutely necessary to sell!

Kathy

Apr 27, 2009 06:57 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Sahron - that's certainly good advice for many who are considering selling, adn for those who are trying but shouldn't. If a home (not a short sale) can sit on the market for months and months, or a year or more, the owner must not really want to sell, or need to sell. I have done market analyses for 3 different parties in teh last few months where the market would not justify putting the home out there for sale. Thus far the sellers have listened.

Jeff

Apr 28, 2009 01:51 AM