Realtor Broken Record

I’m not sure why, but many listing agents (representing Sellers) right now seem to be fielding lots of broken recordverbal overtures from Buyers’ agents.

Whatever the question, the appropriate response is always the same.

See if you detect a pattern in the following exchanges:

Buyer’s agent:  “Would your client entertain a really low offer?”

Listing agent:  “Put it in writing.”

Buyer’s agent:  “Would your Seller consider an offer 30% below their asking price?”

Listing agent:  “Put in writing.”

Buyer’s agent:  “Would your client pay $10,000 in closing costs, replace the (functioning) furnace, and throw in the plasma TV in the den?”

Listing agent: “Put it in writing.”

Probes and Posturing

If the Buyer’s agent and their client won’t even spend an hour putting together an actual, written offer, they’re not very serious (or, they’re simultaneously probing multiple Sellers to sniff out a truly desperate one).

It’s also the case that it’s NEVER a good idea for a Seller to negotiate with themselves.

Which is why the standard response to any question beginning with, “Would your client take  $___ ?” is, “Is your client offering $__?”

Followed by, “I’m sure the Seller would accept a full-price offer.  Anything else, I’ll have to run by them once I’ve got it in writing.”

About the author

Ross Kaplan has 19+ years experience selling real estate all over the Twin Cities. He is also a 12-time consecutive "Super Real Estate Agent," as determined by Mpls. - St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Magazine. Prior to becoming a Realtor, Ross was an attorney (corporate law), CPA, and entrepreneur. He holds an economics degree from Stanford.

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