What Are Some Subtle Ways to Get Sellers to Do What You Want?

If you have a seller whose house needs work, there are five tactful ways to get them to do what you want.

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Today I want to talk about five tricks you can use to get a seller to do what you want. Well, they’re not really “tricks” — they’re more like tips. Let’s say you have a seller and you know there are things on their house that need to be changed or fixed. Either you saw them when you first walked in the door, they were brought to your attention as time went by and you looked closer at the property, or a fellow Realtor brought it up to you during an inspection. In any case, should you lay it all on the seller with your bottom line very sternly and risk them getting annoyed with you?

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Help your seller feel that you’re understanding.

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That’s probably not the best way of doing things. There are five ways to be more tactful:

1. Be compassionate. You might not know what the situation is with that particular seller. They may be getting divorced, going through a job transfer, dealing with a death in the family, etc. If you do know, you need to be compassionate, give them a little space, and help them feel that you’re understanding. 

2. Create a to-do list. I had a seller recently whose house wasn’t too bad, but we got a lot of feedback about its patio and yard being unkempt. Instead of just telling them they had to do some repainting and lay some sod down, we sat down with them and made a to-do list. They were on board with it, and they did most of the things on that list. 

3. Involve the seller. Ask them what they think they can do to help with the process. 

4. Suggest some low-cost alternatives. Maybe it’s just a paint job and some power washing. Maybe you know a handyman who can help them. Maybe they need a low-cost storage unit to help them declutter. 

5. Offer options. If there is a seller who is elderly and can’t make the necessary repairs, then you make an alternative solution such as a credit at the closing. This way they won’t have to do a lot of work if they feel as though they don’t have the energy or the monetary wherewithal. 

If you have any questions about this topic, please feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to seeing you at the next episode of “Keeping in Tune With the Market.” Until then, make it a great day!

Keeping in Tune With the Market: How to Get Your Offer Accepted Without Breaking the Bank

If you’re a homebuyer competing against other offers on the same home, here are three strategies you can use to make your offer stand out.

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Today I’m answering a question from Amanda Fabian, who asks, “How do I get my offer accepted when there are four other competing offers on a home?” First of all, congratulations to Amanda, who will receive a $10 Panera gift card for her question being chosen. To get your offer accepted when there are other competing offers on the same home, I have three strategies you can use: 1. Make your offer as competitive as you can without going over your budget. If you’re going with a higher financing amount, you must be competitive against someone who might be putting more cash into the deal. Also, make sure you have your pre-approval letter and that you submit it at the same time you put your offer in. Your offer must be as strong as possible.

2. Find out from the other agent or owner what their hot buttons are. In other words, does the owner want a quick closing or do they need extra time? When you structure your offer, make sure to add that in. Does the owner have a special appliance they want to take with them? Stress that the appliance can go with the owner and you don’t insist on having it stay.

3. Write a personal note from the heart. This one is my secret weapon. When you do this, find out a little bit about the owner and share with them some information about your family and how you will love the home as much as they did. If you have a cute little kid or puppy, include pictures of them in the note.

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Your offer must be as strong as possible.

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If you have a real estate question that’s on your mind, don’t hesitate to email it to me. If I answer it in a future video, you’ll receive a $10 gift card. Until next time, make it a great day!

Keeping in Tune With the Market: Why Sell This Winter?

You may have heard that spring and summer are the best times to sell a house, but today, I’m discussing why this winter is a fantastic time to sell your house.

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Welcome to my new series, ‘Keeping in Tune With the Market.’ We want to use this series to bring valuable and relevant information to home buyers, sellers, and Realtors alike. The question we’re answering today comes from Amy Chen who asks, “I thought it was better to sell my house in the spring, but I’ve been told maybe I should consider selling my house in the winter. What do you recommend?’ There are three points I want you to consider about selling your home in the winter: 1. Prices are at or above what we experienced in 2006. The only difference is that we haven’t experienced a housing bubble like then. In fact, we have a very steady market. That’s because of…

2. Lack of inventory. This means as a seller, you’re going to be able to receive a higher price for your house due to greater competition among buyers, multiple offers, and interest rates.

3. Interest rates are very good right now. Even though rates have ticked up just a bit, buyers are still out there looking. They will continue to be out looking until rates really start to climb. At that point, they’ll have less buying ability due to paying more for a mortgage.

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High prices, low inventory, and low rates make now an optimal time to sell.

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As you can see, due to high prices, low inventory, and low interest rates, putting a home on the market this winter is a great idea because you never know what’s around the corner. An additional bonus point is that you can even gear your moving date to coincide with the timing you originally wanted. For example, let's say you found a buyer in the late winter or early spring. You might be able to time your sale in a way that allows you to move in the spring or early summer.

We’d like to thank Amy for the question by sending her a $10 Panera gift card! 

If you have a question for me and I answer it in one of my videos, you’ll receive a gift card, too. Just give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!