Ever said that to a buyer before? If not, it's a good saying to keep in your pocket when informing buyers about the upcoming inspection.
"If you ask for everything, you may get nothing"
Let's face it, buyers certainly have the upper hand in this market but it doesn't mean they can get away with murder. Sellers still have the product buyers want and can refuse to give it to them should they present themselves unreasonable. In my last blog about sellers being too emotional I mentioned that sellers often get overly attached to their home and feel offended when a buyer asks for the moon. Well, here we talk about the opposite side of that equation and when buyers really DO want the moon, and the stars and the seller to pay for it all.
My mentor once said, "If you ask for everything, you may get nothing." I have always remembered it and used it on every one of my buyers. This is basically telling the buyer that if they ask for every minor detail on a home inspection, they may get more of a ticked off seller than anything.
I would tell buyers on a lengthy inspection to sit down and go over the issues that are a real safety concern. If there are exposed wires, faulty plumbing and mold damage that could cause serious health problems, these are issues definitely to address on the inspection contingency.
But when a buyer wants every nail hole filled, marks on the wall washed or oven cleaned then we are just getting too nit picky for most sellers. Albeit, there are sellers out there right now that will probably do everything on an inspection list just to get the deal closed but would most buyers risk that? Who knows. It all goes back to peaceful negotiations. (Yes, I am sure there is such a thing) Where buyer and seller must come to an agreement and find balance in the terms, price and work agreed upon.
I tell buyers, would a nail hole really kill the deal for you? What could you do on your own once you had the house? Is it really worth fighting over minor repairs? Focus on the larger picture of safety and hazards and keep the small stuff to yourself.
Buying a home can be a stressful time but my associate in Sierra Vista real estate from Arizona helps buyers all the time get into the home of their dreams for less then they ever expected. Feel free to visit his Buying Sierra Vista homes page for more tips.
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