That is an echo that many of us will hear this spring.... The comment to "the other agent" by the seller should be...let me see the rationale using recent comparable sales to verify the difference in the price.
Would one agent give you a price 10-20-30 or more percent lower to make less money ? Probably not.
We would like to think that all the agents from the days of old...have disappeared into the expired category....we know there may be fewer...but they are not completely extinct. Like dinosaurs, at some point, we can all hope that they disappear and no longer give sellers false hope of inflated prices for which their homes will never appraise...buyers will never offer cash without an appraisal...the listing will age...not gracefully and not sell. While the sellers may get tired of waiting and may change agents...that's it...it must be the agent....certainly it isn't the condition, location...the house that they have lovingly cared for...updated, painted, remodeled and called "home" cannot possibly be worth less than the price that they have in their mind. It's the price "they need" to buy the next house, retire and move, divorce and move on...whatever the situation, the seller doesn't decide...the market does.
Sellers know this....if you choose a realtor based upon the one who gave you the highest price they believe your home will sell for.....make sure the realtor has not given you the price you want...and really "bought your listing." As difficult as it may be, be sure that your home compares well with the homes sold recently that are comparable. It is not likely that yours will sell for tens of thousands of dollars more. You want a good marketing plan...an agent that stays in touch with the market...that watches the new listings, the ones that have sold and the ones that have expired. The agent that knows how to position and promote your listing in the marketplace.
You want to hire the agent who WANTS the LISTING not the agent who NEEDS the LISTING. Successful agents will have the time and resources to put your listing first and foremost in the minds of potential buyers and selling agents. Part time agents and agents who do not have the financial resources or the technology to support a marketing program will not be able to get Home sellers the greatest return for their real estate investment. Sellers...ask for the marketing plan, ask for references, know their sales record...not what they SAY it is...but what it REALLY is....and then hire the agent who can deliver the highest number of qualified buyers based upon your evaluation of these criteria. Have a successful sales experience with a qualified professional, you will be glad you did.
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