I am not a mind reader. Are you?
How many people do you know that are mind readers? That's my question of the day or week or whatever....
Why? Well because this past month has been the same situation with a few sellers... we all know it is definetely a tough real estate market out there, but you can be successful if you take the "trying to mind read" part out of it.
Here's the scenario:
A seller receives an offer- it, of course is a "low ball" offer that turns the sellers face red with furry, makes fire come from their eyes,head spin, feet stomp, teeth grit, incoherent language I can't understand as he/she then says to me :
"I will NOT respond to this ridiculous, how dare you @#$%^&*(&*(! offer!!!!!!! Double emphasis - double emphasis - Fists clenched ready to kill me seller.....!!!!!!!"
I know I've got my work cut out for me.
Breathe Valerie - remain calm - let's talk him through this.....Help him take the emotion out of what is obviously going to be a negotiation process... (oh and by the way, I LOVE a good solid negotiation process)....
"Mr./Mrs. Seller," I calmly respond, "I fully understand your furry and fire, but let's respond with what you feel IS acceptable. I am pretty sure neither one of us is a mind reader; come to think of it, the buyer is not either, so let's respond in a professional manner with a price that is acceptable to you, as well as give the buyers the facts of how your price was obtained."
Mr./Mrs. Seller stomps his feet with:"I absolutely refuse to respond to that no-good,no life, $%^&* son of a gun buyer - who thinks he's going to "steal my house....!!!!"
"Mr./Mrs. Seller," I calmly respond, "I can appreciate your anger and again, I fully understand your fury and fire, but lets send this buyer a counteroffer with what is acceptable to you."
Mr./Mrs. Seller say "NO ! This person is not serious and just wants my house for nothing. They can come up to my price or just go away."
"Puuurrfectt Mr./Mrs. Seller. How about you TELL the buyer that with a COUNTEROFFER in WRITING; unless you or the buyer are one of those mind reader people - how is the buyer going to know exactly what is acceptable? If you don't ask the buyer to come up to your price, well, you will never know what he would say."
After another few minutes of mumbling and grumbling, the seller agrees albeit reluctantly.
"Well Okay, but I shouldn't even respond.....@#$%^&*(),"
I stand with pen in hand poised for his autograph on the counteroffer...and reiterate - "Let's not rely on trying to 'mind read' the buyer and possibly lose a good solid honest to goodness approved Buyer."
After presenting the facts of comparable properties for the sellers neighborhood and home, along with the sellers' counteroffer, the buyer and seller have come to a mutual agreement.
Thank goodness I gave up mind reading a long long time ago. You never know where something will end up or go if you don't ask or tell. None of us are mind readers!
Take the mind reading out of the picture and you too can be successful. Utilize the knowledge and experience of a professional real estate broker.
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