Social media works! After 2 years of starting a business instagram feed, we got our first message from an old high school friend that I hadn't communicated with in over 10 years. He reached out because he was having a hard time trying to buy a particular house. He had been working with his previous agent for over 4 months trying to get this one house but the Seller would not budge on her price.
After giving his agent notice that their relationship was terminated, I started working on the file. I did research on the house, neighbourhood market and starting building rapport with the listing agent. After speaking at length with the listing agent, he was very stuck with this Seller because she was soooo stubborn and not willing to take any less than $1000 OVER HER ASKING PRICE. Which is bizarre in this market. I convinced the Seller's agent to schedule a meeting with him, the Seller and I to speak about her house and go over an offer in person.
I prepared an offer significantly below the asking price and mentally prepared for a verbal lashing I was going to get from the Seller and the agent. I took a brief tour of her home and asked her many questions about her family especially her grandsons and how long she lived in the home and we started on very friendly terms. We moved to the kitchen table and spoke at length about her experience at the home for the last 52 years raising her family, her late husband and life in the hood. I gave an impassioned speech about my clients and their wishes to raise their own family in the home and tell the same stories she just told me with their own family.
Once I presented the offer, she was very upset and strongly opposed to anything below her asking price. It was a pretty awful scene as she was very emotional and I always responded with kindness and a solution, then she would be dismissive or rash and I would again respond with kindness and a solution. After over an hour of negotiations we came to an agreement that was VERY FAVOURABLE for my client. After 4 months of wanting this house with another agent, we got the house within a few days! Yay us!
LESSONS LEARNED:
- Life is how we react to negative/positive/neutral stimulus. If we react with kindness and solutions things typically work out
- Jill, Angus, Brig and Kels have been patiently and consistently updating our social media and it finally paid off. PATIENCE IS KEY
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