Know When To Be Quiet: How To Avoid Talking Yourself Out Of Any Sale

Here are some things that sellers should never let slip to buyers, or the agents representing them. Keep a less is more attitude when it comes to talking with prospective buyers. Below are some things that agents have experienced with their sellers saying that are big no-nos.

“Our house is in perfect condition” In your eyes, your home is perfect—but don’t make claims that aren’t true. The home inspection may reveal otherwise, and, as a seller, you don’t want to wind up putting your foot in your mouth. Perfect condition doesn’t exist. Every house, whether it is brand new or a resale, has something that needs to be fixed, adjusted, replaced, or improved upon. Read this very useful article on Home Sellers Talking to Buyers is Not a Good Idea

How long it’s been on the market

Never, ever discuss how long the home has been on the market with prospective buyers. This info is often listed and available on the home’s information sheet, but bringing it up…especially if the home has been available for eons…can send buyers the wrong message.

We’ve never had a problem with…

If you’re hoping to move quickly, you may be tempted to tell a few little white lies. Realtors agree that even the slightest white lies could come back to you with teeth. You’re setting yourself up for potential liability. You may not even be aware of the problem at first, but it could  translate into an embarrassing moment upon inspection. So come clean with what you know and admit what you don’t.

Oh, we always wanted to fix that, but…

Nobody cares about good intentions. When sellers point out things they might change, this only alerts the buyer of more upcoming costs for them. Watch: Sell Your House Quickly.

We spent a ton of money on…”X”

Just because you love certain things you put into the home and spent a lot of money on, that doesn’t mean prospective buyers will be willing to shell out for it. The buyer doesn’t care whether you spent $10,000 or $100,000 on your kitchen. They are only going to offer what they feel the home is worth in relation to area comparable sales. Don’t sound trying too hard to justify your price.

I’m not taking less than “X” amount for my home

When it comes time to sell, it makes sense that you want top dollar. We get it! But at the same time, it’s important to be realistic and open to offers within a reasonable range. If you send a message that you are inflexible or not open to negotiating, it may not invite buyers to even try to work out acceptable price and terms as they will feel defeated from the start.

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  • As a previous home seller, please be sure to not talk about the things in the home you “meant to get to,” as the article said. The main problem with this is that many of the things you are referring to, the buyer probably didn’t even notice. You likely are mentioning what they call “touchups” which could be replacing a broken doorknob, to a knick in the wall that needed some paint. Point out enough of these, and they’re going to psychologically be calculating the repairs with each “helpful” thing you point out.

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