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Thoughts About Counter Offers in Sacramento Real Estate
The question for a Sacramento listing agent when working with offer negotiations is often whether sellers should sign purchase offers coupled with counter offers or should sellers sign strictly the counter offers and deal with the rest if and when it comes to fruition? Part of this rests on the urgency of the matter and the situation at hand. For example, if the seller and I might believe the buyer will not accept the counter offer, then it seems sort of pointless to sign all of the other paperwork. Or, if the seller is in a rush and doesn’t have time to sign a bunch of documents, we might just deal with the one-page document in the heat of the moment.
You might read this and wonder why would a listing agent and her seller send a counter offer if they don’t believe the buyer will accept? Many reasons for this. First and foremost, it is almost never a good idea to ignore a purchase offer because it’s an attempt, even if it’s a feeble or ridiculous attempt, to buy a home. My policy is a counter offer is probably a wise idea. Because you never know.
People are freaky weird. I realize this but not everybody does. Every time you think you know exactly what a person will do you are probably proven wrong half the time. You can’t always predict future actions. People will respond however they want, and it could be very different under certain circumstances, and since you don’t possess first-hand information (unless you listen to this person snore at night and, even then, there is no guarantee), you can’t really know how somebody will react until you hand over the ammunition.
Second, the buyers might decide to counter back with different terms but same end result or they might counter with a completely opposite issue. Sending a counter offer shows the seller is willing to negotiate and work with the buyer to sell the home in some manner. It could even be a full-price counter offer, and that’s perfectly acceptable.
Sometimes, it’s a negotiating tactic to send the entire purchase contract signed by the seller, along with a counter offer signed by the seller. That signifies to the buyer that the seller is motivated to move forward and that the seller fully expects the buyer to accept the counter offer. I generally advise my sellers to sign all of the paperwork because it’s a more positive statement to send to the buyer. Especially since it’s a bit subliminal.
Why Selling Sacramento Real Estate Isn’t a Job
Here is why selling Sacramento real estate isn’t a job. Business happens night and day, 7 days a week. There are no set work schedules for a successful Sacramento Realtor. Many of our clients, though, typically work an 8 – 5 schedule. This means meetings and telephone conversations with clients often happen on weekends and evenings.
There are daily tasks that do happen throughout the 8 – 5 time frame. Agents deal with bankers, title companies, appraisers, and inspectors communicating with us and scheduling appointments during typical workdays. Further, showings of listings are happening 7 days a week, 10+ hours a day.
Working in a real estate career for as many decades as me, well, I long ago determined that selling Sacramento real estate isn’t a job, it is a lifestyle. When I am going to the grocery store, or the bank, I’m still on call. If the phone rings, I take the call.
During holidays, family events, weddings, and birthdays, I’m checking email, and returning phone calls during restroom breaks. As I sit in my doctor’s office waiting for her to come in, I’m emailing clients or responding to inquiries. While I’m meeting with my accountant I am scanning my email the entire time. I always have my laptop or tablet with me. I may need to respond to an offer on a moment’s notice.
Working as a Sacramento listing agent, I fully commit to market and sell a client’s home. Being available is a responsibility we take very seriously at Weintraub & Wallace. If we are busy during the day with appointments and we have work that needs to be completed, we burn the midnight oil. I work many nights until midnight, and I’m happy to do it. Our clients know how hard we work and that’s why we have hundreds of 5-Star reviews.
Our clients know if I’m not out in the field on appointments, I’m at my command center working. When I power down my computer at night and all my tasks are completed, this official end to my day gives me a great sense of accomplishment. I love the real estate lifestyle. I’m passion about it and I can’t imagine doing anything else for a living.
I once sold a listing on Christmas day. Who looks at a home on Christmas? A serious buyer looks at all times of the year, because buying a home is her # 1 priority, so yes, even on Christmas! Those sellers were amazing. They left the home with a ham in the oven and went across the street while the buyers looked at their home in Folsom. The buyers wrote an offer that day and we had it sold that night.
Buyers who are looking for a home are not thinking, ” Ok, well, we won’t look today as it is a holiday.” They are looking for a home day and night. They drive neighborhoods and search on all the websites, they want to be first to respond. That’s the buyer I want to make an offer on one of my listings as they are serious!
I can’t say all Realtors believe selling Sacramento real estate isn’t a job, it is a lifestyle. I can’t even get some of them to call me back. It is sad, but true. Today, I have been waiting all day for a counter offer. Triple phone calls and three texts to this agent and I still do not have it. Who practices real estate sales like this? Well, someone who has another job. There are dual career part-time Realtors, they make up a huge part of our industry.
Something has to give when your primary focus is not selling homes. More than not the part-time real estate sales take a back seat to the primary full time 8 – 5 job. Many Realtors consider selling Sacramento real estate as a means for extra income, not because their livelihood depends on it. There are no shortcuts to success.
If you are looking for a full-time real estate practitioner who responds to inquiries, and answers the phone night and day, call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors today at 916-233-6957 Our team is committed to providing top shelf service to our clients 7 days a week!
— JaCi Wallace
