By:David Kucic RA, GRI, ABR, AHWD, e-PRO
First Sergeant, USA (Retired)
Tropic Lightning Real Estate, Oahu, Hawaii

The title to my post says it all.  If you want a listing and you want to be successful with that listing, tell the seller the truth rather than giving them some crap just to get the listing.  This is not only true with Hawaii Real Estate but no matter what part of the nation you go to, you must be honest with your clients.

My Military clients demand honesty and that is all they will recieve.  They know that the truth hurts but they would much rather have the truth than be mis-led.

In case you have not noticed, the market is changing and the buyers are getting the upper hand on many listings.  If you want to stay in this business longer than a year or two, you need to be honest and truthful to your sellers that you are representing.

Too many times, I see homes in Hawaii on our MLS that are overpriced from the very start of the listing.  Why would you do that to the Sellers and yourself as a real estate agent?  Why take a listing that is grossly overpriced when you know it wont sell?  If you think you are doing well and making a name for yourself it might just backfire on you. Taking a listing that is grossly overpriced makes you look like a knucklehead.  What you need to do is be honest with the Seller, give them the truth about what their house is worth and if they argue about your assessment and the value then you need to either turn around and walk the other way or make an agreement with them about their price.  Maybe you can list it at X dollars for X weeks but if it has not had much interest then lower the price at a predetermined time.

I can tell you first hand that being honest is what my current sellers are looking for especially in this market.  I am honest with all of my Sellers.  I turn down twice as many listings as I take.  

"Honesty is the best policy".  Something we all learned when we were children.

David Kucic
www.davidkucic.com
mailto:david@davidkucic.com