Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room — some home buyers are just a bit more, shall we say, hard to handle than others.
You might have experienced the buyer who keeps waffling and won’t commit despite showing after showing the buyer who wants to completely renegotiate the sale price after you’ve already accepted their offer, or the buyer who simply wants to nickel and dime you on every single issue, no matter how minor.
No matter what their quirks, difficult home buyers are sure to make your blood pressure soar, adding to the already high-stress levels that can come along with selling a home. Fortunately, there are solutions that can lead to a hassle-free home sale.
Read on for a rundown on the top three different buyer types and, most importantly, how to deal with the different types of demanding home buyers.
1. The Deal Seeker
While this personality type is certainly understandable — who doesn’t want to save a buck? — it’s not ideal when it comes to buyers.
The bargain-hunting house-hunter becomes a problem when they submit multiple low-ball offers on multiple properties in the pursuit of a hot deal.
Not alone do these deal-hunters’ low offers tend to insult the homeowner, but they could also cause you to lose your sale to a seller down the street willing to give in to a low-ball price point.
This type of difficult home buyer may also be likely to try to weasel the price ever-lower with everything they find “wrong” with the house, even if they don’t like the paint color in the second bathroom.
Solution: If you suspect you’re dealing with a bargain hunter, be sure to get all offers in writing and secure deposits. It may also help to provide them with market research and comparable home values in your area.
2. The Jerk
Everyone has a bad day now and then, but certain buyers seem to be having a bad day as the rule, not the exception.
These disrespectful buyers don’t seem to have boundaries, as evidenced by their tendencies to let their children run amok through your open house, by poking through your drawers or making rude comments about your home decor and style.
And let’s face it: Many, maybe even most, homeowners are emotionally attached to their homes. After all, you’ve set up your home in your style.
But the disrespectful type of buyer won’t have any qualms about criticizing your paint colors, your furniture, and your design style, even if you’re right there. That can be hard to hear.
Solution: This type of buyer is legitimately hard to handle; in fact, you may have to confront their behavior and tell them to stop, which is never a comfortable position to be in.
3. The Spoken Word Enthusiast
Some buyers simply don’t want to write anything down and prefer to do all their negotiating verbally. But while a poetic tongue may be pleasant to listen to, it’s not enough when it comes to buying and selling a home.
Why take the risk of relying on discussions and memories, both of which are fluid and non-binding?
Solution: Protect yourself and your interests and insist that all negotiations and offers are written. Written offers contain important details about price, settlements, and terms, and (most importantly) provide you with backup if things fall through.
Avoid Difficult Buyers All Together
Dealing with difficult home buyers is near impossible to avoid when selling your home the traditional way. While these solutions may help mitigate some hassle, there’s one solution that truly allows you to skip the stress of dealing with demanding home buyers altogether: Sell to HomeGo.
When you work with HomeGo, you’ll receive a cash offer with no need for negotiations, staging, home showings, inspections, or open houses. HomeGo buys as-is and deals can close in as few as 7 days. We make the process simple, quick, and clear so you can move out and move on without the stress typically associated with selling a home.
