January, 2007: I brought a seller an offer of $ 175,000 on his condo. In spite of my best efforts, he turned down the offer. The condo is now marked down to $ 139,900, and it is still lingering on the market with no offers, in spite of my best marketing efforts. He missed the boat...
September, 2007: Past clients of mine who had their condo listed with a family friend for $ 279,900 for six months, came back to me and asked what I could sell it for. I told them I could get them $ 210,000. They said they needed a drink, but signed the listing anyway. I got the job done within a few weeks. Their neighbors, who had an identical unit on the market for $ 259,900 at the time, have now reduced to $ 189,900 and they still can't sell it.
There is a lesson to be learnt here: Discount now and sell, or sell later for a lot less... I am now on a major price reduction campaign that goes like this: take the lowest priced unit in that development and price your listing 3-5% lower and advertise, advertise, advertise!
Whenever I present a low offer, I caution my sellers to give it a great deal of consideration. Don't look at it as an insulting offer! The fact that we even have an offer is actually a big compliment! This may be the best offer we'll get in years! I ask my sellers: "If you don't accept this offer today, how long can you afford to carry your property for? What happens if you don't have another offer like this for the next few years? Can you financially handle that?" If the answer is no, they better take this one and bring money to closing!
Your Myrtle Beach Real Estate Connection Mirela Monte
There is another bit of advice you can give them. I gave it a lot the last time our market was in the toilet, and my clients adored me for it.
Don't sell now unless you absolutely have to. Real estate is a wonderful long term investment. Many folks trying to sell now could rent the place out for a couple of years and sell later - but much later for a whole lot more than they could get now.
Your right! The only people getting things done are the ones that see where to price. I recently sold a home $30k under market and we got it done in 90 days, everything else on the market is sitting for 200 days.
Take care!
RJH
Great advice, Patricia! I tell my clients the same thing, and we have ventured into the property management field in order to serve them if they choose to go that route.
Thanks for your input! Great point!
I think good agents are better at infusing a good dosage of reality and getting the job done. That's what I'm working on this year...
Thanks for the comment, Jeffrey!
We are going to have to embrace staging for what it is: A most valuable tool indeed!
You need a Realtor, a stager and an attorney.
Right on the money, Chris!
Thanks for the comment!
Patricia Kennedy not only has the correct advice, but the correct reason for giving that advice.
Those who have to sell right at this very moment (in any market) are defecting to a fire sale mentality. I'm not envious of agents who are serving those people in those markets.
Billycherry