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KELLEY’S MARKET TRENDS 35 FLOOR SPACE 35 Real Estate
Choose Your Words Carefully IBY LIZ ALTERMAN
open a can of worms.
“Never ask the sellers why they are
selling,” explains realtor Klara Madlin of Klara Madlin Real Estate. “There may be personal reasons like divorce or job relocation or something worse – none of it your business.” Opening up a possi- bly uncomfortable situation will not help you down the road should a bidding war emerge.
“What’s it really like to live here?”
Sure, you want the inside scoop, but that doesn’t mean you get to interrogate the townsfolk.
“Don’t ask the neighbors intrusive questions. By all means, talk to them and give them a chance to open up, but don’t push if they’re not talkative,” Shah says. If you do wind up moving into the neigh- borhood, do you really want your rst impression to be that of a pest or a spy?
“You’ll never get that price!”
Though you might be thinking “I wouldn’t give them X amount for that house,” as a buyer it’s best for you to keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself, notes Cara Ameer, a realtor with Coldwell Banker. Even if a buyer thinks a home is priced on the high side, it could very well be within range of comparables in the neigh- borhood. Which leads to our next point...
“I’ll give you [an extremely lowball o er] for this house, whaddaya say?” “Don’t ask your agent to submit multi-
ple lowball o ers,” says Shah. “Take your agent’s advice when it comes to pricing”– because it’s never wise to insult the per- son whose home you’re trying to buy and you don’t want to appear as a not-so-seri- ous buyer. Please, don’t insult the seller.
f you’re in the throes of house hunt- ing, chances are you’re excited – whether it’s your rst home or your fth. It’s an emotional roll-
er-coaster ride!
Seeing something you love (or hate)
can often cause you to blurt all kinds of things, some of which you might regret. Because while you can (and should) always be upfront with your realtor, you might not want to be quite so candid around the sellers (or the listing agent working for them). The reason? Just like in “Law & Order,” what you say can – and will – be used against you.
So before you step into a home and stick your foot in your mouth, heed these top things never to say to sellers or their agents when you’re shopping for new digs.
“This is my dream house!”
You ever play poker? Well then you should know that if you want to main- tain a strong negotiating position, never tip your hand, advises Ryan Gibbons. Interested parties who express their unbridled passion for a home are shoot- ing themselves.
“These are the kind of things that can help the sellers snag more money out of the buyers, because they really know how much this house means to them,” he notes. “All discussions about the house and any negotiating strategies are best left in private.” Not that you shouldn’t say a few nice things—just don’t gush. Gush- ing = bad.
“That couch is hideous”
“Don’t tell the sellers – or any agent present – that they have poor taste in decor or furniture,” says Naveed Shah,
FOTOLIA.COM
a realtor with Keller Williams. “Their style might not suit yours, but that’s no reason to insult them. If they hear you bad-mouthing their rug or curtains, then they might just pick another buyer.”
“I can a ord to spend X”
While it’s certainly a good idea for prospective buyers to nd out just how much they can a ord, they should keep that intel strictly between them and their realtor.
“A prospective home buyer should never address with a seller or seller’s agent anything concerning their nanc- ing or ability to pay a full-price o er,” says Maryjo Shockley, a realtor with Keller Williams. “This hampers the ability to negotiate the fairest price for the prop- erty.” If asked, just say, “Finding a fairly priced home is what matters to us more than the amount we can a ord.” It works!
“I can’t wait to get rid of that”
Even if you’re thinking, “This place will be perfect once I get my hands on it,” don’t let on, notes Betsy Bingle an asso- ciate broker with LintonBingle Associate Brokers.
“If the new buyers are going to reno- vate a home in which someone raised a family and has truckloads of memories, a buyer should never say ‘I can’t wait to rip that swingset out’ or ‘That wall color is horrible – can’t wait to repaint this place,’” she says.
“The seller can easily reject their o er or come back asking for more money upon hearing that someone wants to totally remake the place where they made life- long memories,” she adds.
“Why are you selling?”
Yes, you may very well be curious to nd out why sellers have put their home on the market. Keep it to yourself! It’s considered poor taste to ask, and it may
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JANUARY 13, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM