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Sellers: Top Ten Signs You Need To Lower Your Price

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Lockwood Real Estate
OK, you've "tested the market" and "you're not really in a hurry to sell."  But here are the top ten signs it may finally be time to lower your price.

  1. The last time you had a showing, Start Trek the Next Generation was in its first season.

  2. Days on Market is showing 12 in the MLS, because 12 days ago you rolled the number over for the second time.

  3. You've been through six agents, all of whom were lazy and shiftless and didn't do enough to get your home sold.  Two of the six died of natural causes during the listing period.  A third had a suicide note reading, "Try to renew it now..."

  4. Flyers to your home are printed on papyrus.

  5. Three Superbowl Sunday ads have failed to bring in a buyer.

  6. You're featured on Floyd Wickman expired listing video. (First edition).

  7. Mapquest directions to the street next to yours say "Turn left at the 'For Sale' sign".

  8. Your current listing agent is your first listing agent's grandson.

  9. Printers ran out of ink on the four inch capital letters "SELLER IS MOTIVATED".

  10. Price is expressed in Roman Numerals.


Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Great post.  I love it John.

Actually, in my area, agents can't "roll over" a Days On Market.

We have two DOM, one for DOML and DOMP.  The first one shows the current listing and the second shows Days On Market for all listing.  To get a fresh listing number, the house has to be off market for 60 days. 

Agents around here "gamed" the system by relisting. 

Jul 09, 2007 12:54 PM
John Lockwood
Lockwood Real Estate - Sacramento, CA
Thanks Lenn.  I made that up about rolling stuff over.  Actually the number is probably stored as an integer, so it would roll over in about six million years or so. :)
Jul 09, 2007 12:57 PM
Lania DeMers
Rocky Mountain Realty Co. - Colorado Springs, CO
Broker, Rocky Mountain Realty Co.
That was cute!
Jul 09, 2007 01:05 PM
Chrissy Harrison
Referral Only Realty - Longmont, CO
LOL!! That was a good one, thanks for the laugh!
Jul 09, 2007 01:12 PM
Jennifer Walker-Derby
Re/Max Westside - Marietta, GA
Real Estate Extraordinaire
thats pretty funny, I especially liked your lead in "not in a hurry to sell".  You aren't?  Then why are you calling me 3x a week about lack of showings??
Jul 09, 2007 01:15 PM
John Lockwood
Lockwood Real Estate - Sacramento, CA
Thanks!  Yes, we do get that other thing, don't we, Jennifer.
Jul 09, 2007 01:44 PM
Laurie Mindnich
Centennial, CO
A laugh out loud- thank you!
Jul 09, 2007 02:01 PM
Rick Spackman
Rick Spackman REMAX of Wildwoods - Wildwood, NJ
Funny post.
Jul 10, 2007 03:16 AM
Fran Gatti
RE/MAX Integrity - Medford, OR
Managing Principal Broker - RE/MAX Integrity

John,

There's got to be a market for you as a stand-up comedian doing real estate jokes with one out of every to people in the U.S. having a real estate license.

I've subscribed.

Fran

Jul 10, 2007 03:38 PM
John Lockwood
Lockwood Real Estate - Sacramento, CA

True, Fran, but 5 out of 10 people have houses, and they cost more.  :)

Wow, a subscriber -- thank you, that's an honor.

Jul 10, 2007 05:09 PM
Kevin Tomlinson
One Sotheby's International Realty- Miami Beach Real Estate - Miami Beach, FL
Miami Beach Real Estate
Wow, Hi-la-rious!
Jul 14, 2007 12:16 PM
Chris Molina
Cooper & Associates Real Estate - Elk Grove, CA
Realtor, Elk Grove CA
Too funny..."Price is expressed in Roman Numerals"  HAHAHA!  That was great!
Jul 16, 2007 06:13 AM
John Lockwood
Lockwood Real Estate - Sacramento, CA
Thanks, Kevin and Chris
Jul 16, 2007 06:29 AM
Rosemary Brooks
BMC Real Estate - 209-910-3706 - Stockton, CA
The Mother & Daughter Realty Team
You forgot one:  DOM = four digits when you do a true add of all the days on market. This is a cute post.
Jul 19, 2007 04:18 PM