Tips When Selling a Home and Reviewing Offers on a Future Date

Although I am pretty much against reviewing offers on a future date when selling a home in Sacramento, there are circumstances when it makes sense. Sometimes I see listings that read “we will look at all offers next Friday.” Then Friday comes and goes and there are no offers. Now everybody knows that seller’s angle. They have the seller’s number. Exposed hand dealt. And sellers might pay for that arrogance.

The other drawback to reviewing offers on a future date is the fact sellers will eliminate buyers from trying to buy their home. From the seller’s point of view, if a buyer is interested, it doesn’t matter. But that’s because sellers often try to judge the situation from a seller’s point of view instead of a buyer’s point of view. They say to themselves, “well, if I were a buyer, I wouldn’t care.” But they don’t know that to be fact. They simply wish it to be fact.

Buyers do not like multiple offers. No buyer hopes a million other buyers will bid on the same house. In fact, some buyers openly state if there will be multiple offers, they want no part of those negotiations. The stress is too much. Further, they feel pressured into making decisions they don’t want to make, like paying more for the house. Some feel overpaying is a fool’s job. Even though those that overpay often end up with the house and those who do not, cannot buy a house like that.

On top of which, overpaying is subjective and time sensitive. If other buyers are willing to pay more, it defines market value. If it’s market value, then a buyer is not overpaying. If the value is higher than appraised value, in a year or so, it won’t be. And bottom line, somebody will buy the house, why can’t it be a buyer who doesn’t particularly enjoy multiple offers?

Reviewing offers on a future date makes sense if it’s pretty much iron clad that demand will be high. If the property is gorgeous enough to warrant it. On the other side, it also makes sense when selling fixer homes. Two extremes. Polar opposites. It’s even easier to attract top dollar when pricing a home at that sweet spot. Then a seller can sit back and collect offers without feeling pressured. It leaves no doubt lingering in the seller’s mind that she could have left any money on the table. Investors don’t whine much about reviewing offers on a future date.