Earlier, Audrey June-Forshey posted a Member's Only blog taking listing agents to task for the attitude when presenting offers to their sellers. In essence, her point was that we needed to present those offers in a positive light. I didn't completely agree. There were some very good point, and the comments to her post were quite positive... and then I came along. Here is my comment:
I'm going to step out on the limb here and disagree...
My job isn't to present the offer in a positive manner. If the offer is crap, my job is to tell my seller that the offer is crap. No more, no less. My job is to look out for the best interests of my seller. If it is in their best interests to sell at or near that price, my job is to tell them that. If they shouldn't really concentrate on that offer... I need to be able to buck it up and say so.
I started, and still do most of my business as a buyer's agent. I know what it is like to be on either end of that offer. I have sent trial balloon, and junky offers (great buyers that could write a check and close in days...) and had nothing come back, or had full price counters. I knew when they were offered that they weren't going to fly...
But I didn't expect the listing agent to pump the offer...
I DO expect it to be presented. As a listing agent, I always present the offer (legal requirement) even though I have sellers tell me to not even bother them with anything below $XXX. But, I'm not pumping sunshine. I'm pumping reality. The same reality when I tell them that they are not going to get what they thought their home was worth three years ago is there when I tell them that a certain offer looks pretty bad.
Now, what I will do is present the offer without comment... until I'm asked. But, I'm not going to look for positives when there really aren't many. I don't know the buyers. And, unless they have qualified with one of my mortgage contacts, and elected to have their capacity shared with me, I don't know if they can close. I haven't driven around with them, and I don't know if they are nice people. Oddly, I have NEVER had an agent tell me that their buyer was a shady hood that might not be able to get the deal done. EVERY buyer's agent has told me that their people were golden... and some of them have failed.
Last thing... I ALWAYS counsel my sellers to counter or accept. Never be the one to let it die. Let the buyer decide they can't/won't do any more... never make that decision for them. We might counter with full price or near full price. But, we will counter... even if the offer is ridiculous.
I'd love to get a wider range of comments. As always, feel free to disagree with me. If you are a seller (or have been), I'd really like to hear from you. Do you think that your agent should always present in a positive light?
I'm trying to be balanced in the question... and it is tough.
Anyway... here's the video.
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