Presented offers... - Posted by LeBaron (KS)

Posted by Ben on April 26, 1999 at 15:30:38:

I disagree, sometimes an “insulting” offer is just what it takes to get the seller off his high horse. A property that I own was priced so high that it intimidated any buyers from making a realistic offer. I came along and offered $200,000 below listing price. Of course the seller was insulted, rejected my offer, refused to speak to me, etc. Then 3 months went by with no other offers at all and guess who came crawling back with his tail between his legs? Later, other potential buyers said “I would have paid that in a minute but I was too chicken to ask”.

Ben

Presented offers… - Posted by LeBaron (KS)

Posted by LeBaron (KS) on April 26, 1999 at 13:23:38:

Last week I went out and looked at about 12 properties and had my real estate agent submit offers on those for me. Well today she called me back and said she submitted those offers. She then says, “They laughed at me!”. For a moment I didn’t know what to say because I couldn’t tell if she was saying it in a way as she was embarrassed or it was just an off the cuff remark. I told her that that didn’t surprise me. I really believe she was embarrassed about the situation. I didn’t really know what to say at that point. She then broke in and said that one of her partners told her to be careful because she didn’t want to get lableled as a low baller. I tried to tell her to inform them that her offers were from an investor.

I am at a crossroads with this situation. I don’t know how to communicate to my realtor that this reaction is normal while easing her mind about the situaion.

Any suggestions or comments are always welcomed!

LeBaron (KS)

Re: Presented offers… - Posted by Millie I.

Posted by Millie I. on April 28, 1999 at 01:00:29:

LeBaron,

  1. If your realtor can’t handle a lowball offer, he/she is not the right realtor for you. Call some brokers, ask specifically for realtors that work with investors all the time. Such realtors will have no problem with low ball offers. They could even give you tips on how other investors make offers that work.

2)Be practical, if the realtors laugh at you, chances are your offer may be unreasonably low. If your offer is too low, the seller may not even look at it. You have to find out how low he/she will go. An experienced realtor that knows the market may be able to offer input to help you make an acceptable offer you can afford.

3)There are good realtors out there that will work as a team with you if you are a serious investor that always come through for them. My realtor has worked for me for 8 years. She has sold me over a dozen houses
/ multi-units, they were all reasonably low ball offers, mostly REOs. I let her know my criteria, and she searches for me. I often tie up the property she brings me before another buyer/competitor has a chance to look at the property. We move quickly as a team. If you find a realtor that you work well with, remember to treat him/her fairly. The realtor has to make a living too. You are the one making the big profit, the realtor just collect a small fee compare to you. Treat them right, and they will work for you.

Oh, don’t say I am lucky, there is no such thing as luck, you make things happen for yourself. I taught my realtor everything she needs to know to work for me.

Millie I.

Re: Presented offers… - Posted by becky

Posted by becky on April 26, 1999 at 22:11:39:

lebaron , i just finished legrands course and he stresses that you will have alot of problems with realtors and sellers if your prospects are not priced right , by this he means , the properties that you make offers on ( rehab or flips ) must be priced well below mkt value to begin with ex: mkt value $50k asking 35k instead of mkt value 50k and asking 45K.
hope this helps… p.s legrand has a book out called fast cash real estate ( very good ) it has a lot of great information and this eliminated the slak from realtors. good luck

Re: Presented LOWBALL offers… - Posted by Joe Kaiser

Posted by Joe Kaiser on April 26, 1999 at 15:09:44:

There IS a way to present lowball offers that doesn’t make anyone upset, embarass the agent or get you pigeon holed as a lowballer . . . you just ask.

I occassionally run into listed property when I’m working foreclosures, and that means I have to actually put an offer together and submit it through an agent. I usually know about what’s owed, and since foreclosure is looming, lowball is pretty much the way it goes. Still, I don’t just write it up and demand the agent submit it because he’s/she’s legally obligated. That’s NOT the way to do it (and you just end up being the butt end of lots of investor jokes - trust me on this one).

Instead, call the agent directly and let him know that you’re looking for a bargain and ASK THE AGENT TO ASK THE SELLER if it’s okay to submit an “Investor” type offer.

Sometimes the agent just says, sure, go ahead, at which point I say, “No, please contact the seller first and make sure they won’t be offended by that sort of offer. If they it’s no problem, please call me back, let me know it’s okay, and I’ll put an offer together immediately.”

Now, what have I done here?

They are so set up to be lowballed that no matter how low I go, they are rarely offended because they themselves asked for the offer (they know I’m an investor and as such, it’s now just business) and in case you haven’t figured it out yet, angry sellers rarely sign purchase agreements.

Joe

Re: Presented offers… - Posted by PBoone

Posted by PBoone on April 26, 1999 at 14:26:53:

Now you have experience with A realtor now you can wait a month and resubmit the same offer to the seller on the same house see if thier situation has changed. Persistence is one of the keys to success.
BTW how is your “I buy houses” add response going? There are many ways to achieve the goal.
Pat

Re: Presented LOWBALL offers… - Posted by Rosie(CA)

Posted by Rosie(CA) on April 26, 1999 at 16:00:13:

Funny, that’s how my realtor SHOWED ME how she submits my low offers. She asks if the seller would entertain an investor-type offer…

Now if I could just get her to surf this site to learn about no/low earnest money deposits…

Rosie

Re: Presented offers… - Posted by Joe Kaiser

Posted by Joe Kaiser on April 26, 1999 at 15:12:15:

I would never intentionally put my agent in a position that would likely result in him getting laughed at, and if I somehow did so inadvertantly, I certainly wouldn’t repeat the process 30 days later.

You a glutton for pain or what?

Joe

Re: Presented offers… - Posted by PBoone

Posted by PBoone on April 26, 1999 at 16:18:35:

Joe,
I look at offers only one way. Get it at my price and terms or not. Black and white works for me. The thousands of agents in the area who know me only come to me when its a real deal. Any other way is only a waste of everyones time.
Pat