Sorry. The house went under contract late last evening. It's gone.

Sorry.  The house went under contract late last evening.  It's gone.

It's tough for a buyer's agent to have to tell their buyer/client "Sorry, the listing agent just called and they accepted an offer late last evening.  The house is gone."

The prospective buyer's first instinct is to want to blame someone.

"Why didn't they call when the other offer came in?"  they asked.

"They don't have to."  I responded.

It's over.  The house is gone.  Not mentioned by this courteous buyer's agent is the fact that they were warned by their knowledgeable agent that, "this home will not last long." 

Those are not words that I say routinely.  I don't SELL homes, I help home buyers find and buy homes. 

However, when I see a home in a high demand area, with top ranked public schools that is clearly priced low, those are the words I use.  Buyers can take it for what it's worth. 

Sure, the home has been on the market for only 2 days.  No matter.  The good homes will always sell.  Was this a "good home"??  In terms of condition, it needed quite a lot.  However, these particular home buyers had clearly said that they would love to find a "fixer upper".  Well, we found one.  

The house needed paint, new heat/cooling systems, appliances, flooring.  However, with those upgrades done, the house would still be seriously under priced.  A fact that this experienced agent recognized and TOLD the buyers. 

"We just want to think about it overnight."  Well, I don't argue with buyers.  It's easier to present the facts and let them live with their decisions, even bad ones.

The story is simple.  The owner passed away almost a year ago and the family was just getting together on selling the remaining asset.  Since there was no mortgage, they simply didn't want to pay another year's real estate tax and were ready to let the house go.

It was opportunity time for a smart buyer.

Fence sitters often lose.

                                                                       

                                    Thinking, thinking, thinking.

Yes, I did sell them a home.  Not a fixer-upper but a lovely home in the same area.  It was the public school rankings that limited the search area.  Not a problem.  Sure, they paid almost 35% more than their original choice.  However, the house was pristine.  The important thing is that they're happy.  As is their buyer's agent.

Funny thing.  I called them about the new listing, showed them the home about 5:00 p.m. and the contract offer was completed and sent to the listing agent an hour later.  The loan officer sent an updated letter to the listing agent.  Not a thought about "thinking about it overnight".  HA!

What's the lesson??  You don't have to SELL real estate.  It's so much more fun to find good homes and help folks buy.

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988.  Serving home buyers in Loudoun County VA.

 

 

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________


Want to learn more about Loudoun County, VA? Join Loudoun County, VA on Facebook!