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The Courting Continues

By
Real Estate Agent with Home Smart Realty Group

Kathy and I went out Saturday with a potential client we are "courting".  They are neighbors of Kathy's living just two doors away and they're considering moving to a ranch style home.  We've visited the home they're interested in once before, and they've driven by it several times.  It is a bank owned property and needs work, so that is a tough decision for them.  They brought an expert, their son-in-law's father, and he gave his opinion - solid foundation, needs about $20,000 - $30,000 work to make it liveable more to dress it up.

So while we were there we talked about listing their home.  Kathy had completed an indepth study of solds, including the neighbor in between her house and theirs that we sold in eight days this past November, and had recommendations for a listing price.  The price we were recommending did hinge on one factor, new carpet.  They've updated the kitchen with granite and stainless appliances which is fantastic, but the home still has the original dark green carpet they chose when their home was built.  We recommended they change the carpet and that the listing price would reflect this change, in other words we believe they can sell their home for more and more quickly with this change.  If not we would recommending they list at a lower price feeling the value of the home is diminished by this.

Here is where the courting comes in - we are trying to sign a listing contract, showing our value, giving them the benefit of our expertise and as soon as we make this recommendation the husband balks.  "Can't we just give a carpet allowance?  I don't want to do the work (move furniture, et all), let them pick the color and have it installed after we move out and before they move in."  Sure it's a pain, we agreed, but think of the value you're adding to your home.  And remember the buyer doesn't want to do the work any more than you do.  He wasn't buying it.  That was Saturday, now it's Tuesday and we haven't heard a peep from them.

Did we scare them off by telling the truth?  I posted a blog about pink counters recently and all you lovely professionals reminded us how important it is to make those changes.  How do you convenience your client of this?  And if you're a home buyer, tell me about how important it would be for you when making the decision to buy if the green carpet was there vs. new carpet being installed.

Thanks for the help!!

Carrie

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Highlands Ranch Colorado Realtors Carrie and Kathy SampronTeam Sampron
Carrie & Kathy Sampron
Team Sampron of Home Smart Realty Group
carrie@sampronsisters.com
(303) 931-3629

Visit our website www.realestaterebatedenver.com

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Comments (2)

LYDIA LAMOREUX
ZipRealty - Volente, TX

I think as real estate professionals, you've done the right thing regarding the carpet. I think the husband of the couple who are listing the property really needs to understand that even though with carpet allowance, most buyers would be turned off by outdated/worn carpet as soon as they walk in and not even look at the rest of the house carefully.

Feb 17, 2009 10:07 AM
Claudia Efthimos
Signature Homes & Estates - Morgan Hill, CA
GRI,SFR,ASP,SRES

I agree with your advice. There will always be another agent that will "Tell them what they want to hear". They could have still listed with you with a carpet allowance. But your advice was definitely in their best interest for the best selling price. But if they want their cake & eat it too, then that would probably be prohibitive to you selling the house. I have also been the bearer of bad news with listing price vs needs & wants & have lost the listing. But I would rather have a viable sale than pipe dreams, & disappointment.

Feb 17, 2009 10:52 AM