A homeowner in Sequim or Port Angeles who wants to sell, has one home to sell, and when a buyer from California or Arizona is shopping for their next home, they have one home to buy. The implications of this simple statement are significant. Each home is unique, unless it is a cracker box in a Vegas subdivision, and we don’t have those here. Each buyer is unique.
The match of a buyer, seller, and a home is unique. Do buyers care how many houses are on the market, or what the state of the economy is, or how many DOM (days on market) a house has been listed? No, except indirectly if it helps them get a better deal. But even when we talk about a better deal, for each buyer there is one house they expect to fall in love with and that is the only house they will buy.
A seller only needs one buyer who is qualified and finds the home to be the ideal home for them. A buyer is looking for that home that has the precise features they really want, in a great location. Of course, it must also be at a price with terms they can afford.
When I represent a buyer in drafting an offer, there is one primary concern: getting the price and terms this buyer can afford. Each transaction is negotiated on its own merits, and sellers will respond according to their needs and desires. A seller who is in financial trouble will be more negotiable on the price than a seller who is secure and doesn’t need to sell. A seller who is down scaling to reduce yard work will not be as motivated to sell as a retiree who must sell to move into an elder care facility or who wants to be closer to grandkids.
If you’re a home seller, it’s not a time to get frustrated or confused. Of course, you have to have a good marketing plan and an experienced Realtor who knows what he is doing, but knowledge, experience, and wisdom can rule the day if reason prevails in one transaction–your transaction.
Last Updated on July 27, 2012 by Chuck Marunde
