1. FSBO
Objection – We don’t want to pay commission
This is the objection that real estate professionals dread, but it doesn’t have to be.“Don’t think of commission as a cost, but as an investment. If we can sell your home quickly and hassle free, without taking up hours of your time, how much is that worth? Take into account how much easier and less stressful selling is with professional help, and the commission looks like a minimal cost to maintain your quality of life.
As professionals with a list of active buyers, we can often get a better price for your property too, meaning even after commission, you may end up with more cash in your pocket than by selling yourself.”
2. Expired Listings
We’re going to relist with the same agent.
You don’t want to just criticize another agent openly, so here your job is to make it clear your offer is better, without directly comparing your service to their last one.
“I understand, but what if I could get you an offer this week, would you be interested? I have buyers waiting for homes just like yours, and I know one of them will fall in love with it when they see it.
I would do anything to make sure you get a great offer before the listing expires. “
3. Buyer Objections
I’m not sure that this is a property I can comfortably afford/down payment to high/More than we wanted to spend.
The key here is to be positive about affordability, while it’s the most common objection, it is also one of the most persuasive arguments for buying.
“It’s probably not as expensive as you think, after all, there are several tax benefits you gain because of mortgage payments, and other benefits of home ownership can cut your costs too. I can go through the numbers with you to see what we can do with the payments, you’ll be surprised at how affordable it really is.”
4. Bring me a Buyer
Bring me a buyer today and we can talk.
This is a challenge, they don’t really want to hear your pitch, it’s a defensive approach. Your job is to convince them that they can gain by working with you and explain why there approach won’t be productive.
“OK, has any agent actually brought you a buyer on day one before they have even marketed your property?”
The answer is always no.
“I can help with that. Obviously we need to market your property to bring in buyers, but I have people actively looking for properties like this, and I’m confident I can find you a buyer quickly.”
5. Commission Objection Handling
Other agents said they would charge a lower commission than you.
There are a few ways you can counter this, some suggest talking about discount agency services and similar, but this can have a negative affect and make the client feel like you’re belittling them, so avoid any approach that tries to laugh off price concerns.
Instead, try to explain why you offer the best value, even if your commission rate appears higher, so something like this
“In my experience, agents who are selling well and getting great prices for their clients don’t need to discount. While it is your choice, agents who are struggling for business tend to accept lower bids for your home in negotiations too, whereas I will always stand up for you and get the best possible price for your home.
You may even find that after commission, you still have more cash in your pocket when I sell your home than someone who seems to offer a cheaper service.”