Should an Offer on a Post Falls Home Ever be Considered an Insult?

Some Post Falls home sellers have been known to reject an offer without the courtesy of a response when they felt the offer was so low as to be insulting.

That’s an unfortunate mistake. Rather than feel insulted, those homeowners should realize that someone took the time and effort to say “I’d like to own this house,” and give it a fair consideration.

What they aren’t understanding is that if they keep their feelings out of the mix, an offer is nothing more than a starting point to negotiations. Perhaps they won’t be able to reach a compromise with the buyers, but they’ll never know if they don’t try.

Post Falls home sellers do need to realize that very few people will pay more than fair market value, so if multiple offers are coming in low they need to take a hard look at their price and see if it is reasonable. They should ask their agent for a comprehensive market analysis – and instruct the agent to be brutally honest.

Unfortunately, some homeowners tell their agents what they expect to get for their houses. Afraid to lose the listing, some agents go along with them, altering their analysis to support the homeowner’s wishes. The end result is a home that goes unsold.

But what about those buyers who make low offers just to see if they can get a bargain?

If the home is listed at market value, the sellers should counter back at or near the list price, just to see if the buyers might say “OK, I tried – but I want the house even if I do have to pay full price.”

An offer is a complement, not an insult.

In today’s real estate climate, an offer is an involved document, consisting of at least 13 pages with questions to be answered and blanks to be filled in. Any time someone takes the time and trouble to complete that document, it’s a complement, not an insult.

So make the effort. Ask your agent for advice on making a counter offer and at least give those buyers the courtesy of a reply.