The Biggest Problems Sellers Have with Buyers

Buying or selling a home can be a stressful time. For sellers, they often have to figure out how to buy and sell at the same time or out-do the competition down the street to get the best selling price. Buyers worry that they may not find the homes they want or the sellers won’t accept their offers.

Here is a list of things buyers need to be aware of to avoid irritating the seller and to have a better chance of getting their offers accepted.

Be Courteous at Showings and Open Houses

Often the seller isn’t present when a home is shown, but that doesn’t mean the buyer can act anyway he or she wants to. Treat the house like you are a guest – after all, it’s not your home yet. Take off your shoes if they are muddy or the seller has asked for this in the showing instructions. Close doors carefully and don’t mess up or rearrange items. Keep your kids under control and don’t let them bounce on the furniture or do other things they might at home.

Cancel an Appointment If You Can’t Attend

One of the biggest pet peeves of a seller or his agent is when buyers make an appointment to see the house and then don’t show up. Sure, they understand that things come up, but a phone call is expected. The seller takes a lot of time to clean up and get out of the way, so be considerate of their time and inconvenience you cause by missing an appointment.

Don’t Pick Apart a House

Sure, there’s bound to be some things wrong with a place, but if you plan to put in an offer, don’t start listing them. Skip the complaints about wall colors or carpet; those are easy to change out. Instead, focus on big issues if you find any and explain why you still want the house if you are requesting them to be fixed.

Be Reasonable with the Contract

Buyers may try to take charge of the negotiations and start asking for a bunch of concessions or changes. This annoys a seller, especially if the requests are troublesome or unnecessary. For example, pushing the closing date. Buyers must understand that the seller has to move out and find a new place to live and be flexible.

When buyers are considerate, reasonable and put themselves in the seller’s shoes, it makes the entire process go smoother for everyone.