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!
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!
