6.25 Seller: It is the principle. We met them halfway with our counter. They need to be fair and come up.

[Elaine Stucy]

You have a condo for sale. The offer came in $30,000 below asking and the seller countered $15,000 higher than the offer. Now the buyer has come back with another counter that leaves the parties $9,000 apart.

The seller wants to say "no"-- because they are offended. How do you respond?

[Michael Jacobs]

Offended? If you should be offended at all, it's to all the buyers who have been through your home and have not made an offer.

How will you feel if you don't respond(or respond at a higher price) and this buyer walks away?

What if this is the best price you will see in the next 12 - 18 months?

[Kerin Cantwell]

A low offer is not personal, it is a question-- how motivated are you? And by our written counter we answer the question.
So the question for you is how motivated are you? Do you want to sell this condo and move on with your plan?

-- I want to sell, but not for that price.

Are you willing to let this buyer walk away? If you accept their counter, how will you feel?

-- Unhappy and like I should have waited for a better offer.

What if we counter back somewhere in the middle and the buyer accepts your counter, how would you feel then?

-- I still would not be happy, I think they should come up and split the difference -- its not fair.

Fairness has nothing to do with it -- they are buyers in a buyers' market, so they are testing you to see how low they can get it; all buyers are doing that now. If you lose this buyer and we stay on the market a few more months and don't get anything better, then how will you feel?

--Like I should have tried harder with this offer.

Then shall we write up a counter splitting the remaining $9000 difference and see what happens?

--OK

[Melody Rogers-Kelley]

Do you really want to sell your condo?

If so, how will you feel if they walk away?

Is $9,000.00 worth losing this sale?

This is our first offer, and usually it is the best offer we will get...how will you feel if we let them walk away and then don't get an offer for a while or get one that is lower?

[Michelle Nissani]

Putting your emotions aside, are you prepared to sell your condo at this price?

[john steiner]

Excuse me! What has principle got to do with this? Do you want to sell your condo?

[Susan Smeltzer]

If you say "no" and the buyer walks away, and you don't get another offer for 30 days, how will you feel about this offer then?

We're in a declining market. What if the next offer we get is not as good as this one? What will you do?

Do you really want to sell this home?

[Donald McVicar]

Remember, as we spoke, a low offer is not personal. It's just a question, how motivated are you, and by replying, we answer the question.
So, how motivated are you to move forward with your plans ? Let's reply accordingly.

Also, if this buyer walks away, and you don't receive another offer for a month or two, how will you feel ?

There is also the inconvenience of keeping the house in top condition, to show, and have open houses. How will you feel if you have to maintain the home if the buyer walks away ?

[Gary Price]

Are you truly wanting to sell your condo?

What is more important to you, getting your condo sold and closed in 30 days, or you making an additional $9000 on the sale?

Do you want to risk having the buyer walk away from the property?

If the property remains on the market for another 60,90,120 days what will you have gained?

Is it worth the risk?

[Gene Bush]

Their counter offer is not to offend you, but to see how motivated you are.

If we stop the process now, you can never guarantee when the next offer will come in.

Lets keep the process going and see if we can have a meeting of the minds.

You told me your top priority is getting this condo sold right?

Where would you like to counter them at to keep them in the game?

[David Griffith]

Agent: What if this is the best offer you ever get and you turn it down, how will you feel in two months time if it hasnt sold?

[John Wild / Sharon Schammel]

hello all !!!!!

this is all very good dialogue - the only distinction i might want to draw is .... not saying .."low" offer - how about .... an "offer" is only asking .... "how motivated are you?". i think the word "low" makes a judgement and reinforces the sellers attitude that this is a low offer.

in probability & abundance,

john (sharon & victoria)

[Betty Comegys]

Let me play devil's advocate. What are you going to do, in this declining market, if the next offer is $50,000 under your asking price?

Could that happen?

Who knows, but what if it does?

This offer is going to look like gold and we could be out of here moving on with our lives.

Is it worth $9000 to you to risk a lower offer?

Probably not.

Do you want to go through the "woulda, shoulda, coulda's" because you didn't think it was fair for the buyer not to split the difference with you?

Probably not.

How much is a buyer in the hand worth to you as opposed to the ones who "might" be in the bush going to write an offer?

Aren't there more buyers out there?

Yes, but they are not quick to put pen to paper. Do you want to deal with this buyer and sell your property now?

Yes, but we want him to split the difference.

So, you are willing to lose this sale over $4500?

Is that all it is?

That is all. Is this about being fair or about business?

It is about business.

Are you ready to go forward or do you want to risk countering and losing this buyer to someone else who is more motivated to sell than you are?

I suppose we should sign this and move on.

Right answer. Would you like to sign now?

Okay, let's do it.

Congratulations on being very astute sellers. Let's do it and move on.