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Sellers Who May not Really Want to Sell

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Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty 2021016812

For sale signHave you ever wondered if your client really wants to sell their home?  Does you client make unreal demands on the marketing of their home?

  • Showings only at extremely limited times.
  • The home is always messy.
  • Not respond on a timely basis to anything.
  • No open houses.

There is also the one who thinks their home is worth a lot more than anything else in the neighborhood.  I had one potential client explain to me that her home was worth $125,000 more than the remodeled home I was selling down the street.  Here reason was she had the original kitchen and appliances.  The home was 45 years old.  I decided not to work with her.  She went one to list with three other agents one after the other who overpriced the home.  No showings, no sale.

Did those agents do her a favor by taking the listing? 

Did they do themselves a favor? 

What did that do for their reputations? 

When interviewing a potential client, you need to determine among other things:

  • How motivated is my seller?
  • Do they have realistic expectations?
  • DO THEY REALLY WANT TO SELL?
Posted by

 

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Randy L. Prothero, REALTOR®

Broker-in-Charge, ABR, AHWD, CRB, CRS, e-PRO, GRI, MRP, SFR

eXp Realty

Team Leader - "The Prothero Group"

Randy Prothero is well established as an expert in working with military / VA clients and first time home buyers.  His home seller's (listing) campaign is one of the most aggressive marketing programs in the area.  His luxury home listings sell faster and for more money.

Based out of Mililani, Hawaii. Randy services the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) Performs mediations and ombudsman services for the Board of Realtors.  To improve overall professionalism in his area Randy also offers classes for real estate agents. 

www.HawaiiRandy.comOahu (Honolulu County) Property Search  Hawaii Military Relocations

Comments(12)

Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI
(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE
I have had clien't not want to listen about market price etc.  but you know what?  At least I have managed to get them to commit to lower their price when it was 50k over.  Right when the market was starting to drop we all didn't know what to price anything at...then it went back up a little, then it stabilized.  So last year I had a home that was priced (I thought 20k above)...we ended up dropping about 70k...but at least they listened...
May 25, 2007 03:39 AM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County
If they don't want to sell, move on. There will always be an agent around who will take the listing. Having a great listing inventory is impressive, right? Not if they will not sell!
May 25, 2007 03:48 AM
Thesa Chambers
West + Main - Bend, OR
Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon
Randy - did you look in the garage?  My guess is they were car buffs where original is always worth more - sadly they do not realize that houses need updating and we spend money on that - where project cars we try to restore to original condition.... sadly until they figure that out or price the home correctly they will continue to have the same results - unless of course an uneducated car buff happens upon the "original kitchen" this made me smile -
May 25, 2007 04:04 AM
Stephanie Edwards-Musa
thredUP.com - The Woodlands, TX
knitwit at thred UP
All the time I wonder this!  I'm picky though.
May 25, 2007 04:05 AM
Lysa Napolitano
Daytona Beach, FL

Amazing. Thesa's explanation makes a sense, if in fact she was a car buff, or watches too much of the Antiques Road Show.

May 25, 2007 04:07 AM
Neal Bloom
Brokered by eXp Realty LLC - Weston, FL
Realtor CRS-Weston FL Real Estate
Welcome to the wonderful world of overpriced Real estate.
May 25, 2007 04:08 AM
Randy L. Prothero
eXp Realty - Hollister, MO
Missouri REALTOR, (808) 384-5645

Sally - Pricing is tough when the client sees the numbers and just don't seem to care or believe them.

Gary - I am with you.  I am in the business of selling homes, not sitting on listings.  I always push for the highest price possible, but have to be real.

Thesa - The one I am talking about finally sold but for less than I recommended a year and a half before.  That was after she had already had the first listing expire.

May 25, 2007 04:42 AM
Randy L. Prothero
eXp Realty - Hollister, MO
Missouri REALTOR, (808) 384-5645

Stephanie - Not all the time for me, but there are times.

Lysa - I am not sure that that seller was a car buff.  She was probably getting her advice from the neighbor who is a mechanic.  LOL

Neal - I guess that ensures there will always be inventory.  Bad inventory, but inventory.

May 25, 2007 04:47 AM
Greg Cremia
Shore Realty of the Outer Banks - Nags Head, NC
One of the first things I do is ask the potential seller what their motivation is. In this market, if their motivation does not meet my expectations then I end the interview.
May 25, 2007 05:47 AM
Bryant Tutas
Tutas Towne Realty, Inc and Garden Views Realty, LLC - Winter Garden, FL
Selling Florida one home at a time
Randy, My rule is simple. If they listen to me I will list their house, if not, I won't. They have to be motivated or it's just a big waste of time and money. They won't "get lucky". At least not in my market at this time.
May 25, 2007 07:13 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert
Randy, lets not forget the shag carpeting.  Now that has to be worth something, you can't just find that anywhere you know. So $125,000 more for her house shouldn't of been a problem :)
May 25, 2007 09:57 AM
Randy L. Prothero
eXp Realty - Hollister, MO
Missouri REALTOR, (808) 384-5645

Greg - Our market is not as tough as your's but even in a little better market, the seller need to be motivated.

Bryant - If they want to get lucky they need to play craps, not sell their house.  :)

George - She did have avocado appliances.  You can not replace them easily.

May 25, 2007 10:09 PM