It’s no secret this is a bad selling market and that we are in a buyer’s market right now. Buyers are few and far between and the market is glutted with listings. If a house is not quite perfect for that buyer’s needs, they simply go to the next house.

Buyers know they have the upper hand so when they find a house they like; we are seeing low offers, maybe $10K, $15K or $20K off the list price. When these low offers come in, we as REALTORs® always hear things from the sellers like: “We aren’t going to give it away”, or “We’re offended by that offer”, or “We are not even going to respond to that offer”.

Selling your house is a business transaction. Getting emotional will hurt the process every time. You have had it on the market for months and you really need to sell so that you can move on with your life. Finally someone has liked your house enough to make an offer. Never let emotions keep you from responding with a counter-offer?

Sellers should look at any buyer that has liked their house enough to make an offer, as someone who is willing to take a burden off of their shoulders allowing them to move on with their lives. Sellers should make every effort to work with the buyers to make it happen.

I’m not saying that sellers should take every low offer that comes in, but they should at least make a counter-offer and show a willingness to work together to try to come to terms.

As a listing agent I try to explain to the sellers that these buyers may just be testing the waters. An offer, no matter how low is not something intended to offend. They have gone to the trouble to go see the house (maybe more than once) and to have an offer written up by their REALTOR®. A lot of times they just want to see where the seller stands. Even if the offer is $25K below the list price; always give a non-emotional response, even if that response is full price.

Responding with a counter-offer shows good faith and a willingness to work together even if the parties don’t eventually come to agreeable terms. Making the decision to not respond is based on emotions and serves no one.

There’s nothing wrong with not being able to come to agreeable terms. That’s business and it happens in all kinds of business transactions every day. Do yourself a favor and try your best not to let emotions enter into the equation when responding to an offer. Even if the offer is low, respond with something and see where it goes.

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