Two Things You Should Avoid Saying To Potential Buyers
When potential buyers are touring your home, talking to them can help you learn a lot about their motives for buying (making it easier to sell to them) as well as foster a good working relationship. However, many home sellers end up saying or revealing things that scare off buyers or land them in legal trouble. Here are two things you want to avoid saying when interacting with buyers.
There Aren't Any Issues with the Neighbors, Appliances, Et Al
Sellers are often tempted to make their homes and communities seem better than they really are in an attempt to woo buyers, or at least avoid giving them reasons to reject the home. However, telling little white lies to cover up unpleasant realities can result in you being sued later on by unhappy owners who have to live with the consequences of you playing fast and loose with the truth.
You don't have to volunteer information, but you should be as honest as possible when buyers ask you direct questions about the home and surroundings. However, that doesn't mean you can't find ways to put a positive spin on negative aspects of the house. For instance, if the neighbor's dog has a tendency to start barking at 3 o'clock in the morning, you could point out that the windows in the bedroom are solid enough to block out most of the noise.
Thousands of People Have Looked at the Home
A common sales tactic is to make an item seem really popular to instill a sense of urgency in potential buyers. If you make it appear there are other buyers chomping at the bit to purchase the home, it may motivate someone to make an offer to avoid losing out on a deal.
However, this can easily backfire on you if your home has been on the market for a long time. These days, buyers can easily figure out how long you've been trying to sell your house. If it's been a long while since you first put it up for sale, pointing out that lots of people have seen the house can make potential buyers wonder why others have passed it up. No one wants to feel like they're sinking their hard-earned cash into a money pit, and buyers may be scared off instead of being intrigued to know how many people have already toured the home.
There are other ways to motivate buyers into making offers on the home, so it's best to avoid using this scarcity marketing tactic if it will only backfire on you.
For more tips on interacting with buyers or help selling your home, contact a local real estate agent, like Keller Williams Realty River Cities.