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Evelyn Johnston, The People You Know, Like and Trust! (Friends & Neighbors Real Estate)

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Susan Emo
Sotheby's International Realty Canada - Brokerage - Kingston, ON
Kingston and the 1000 Islands Area

Today's money is worth more than tomorrow's money!

Nov 10, 2015 08:22 AM
Rainmaker
7,836,425
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Home sellers sometime think that the property is underpriced when they receive an immediate offer. In out market, you need to move quickly or the parties move on to another opportunity.

Nov 10, 2015 07:29 AM
Rainmaker
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Rob Thomas
Prestige Homes of The Tri Cities, Inc. CALL....423-341-6954 - Bristol, TN
Bristol TN-VA & Tri Cities Agent, ABR, GRI, e-Pro

I think 90% of the time it's your best ....It doesn't mean you take it ....it just means you work it till there's nothing left! I've had sellers take a lot less months after that first offer that they did not work.

Nov 13, 2015 06:50 AM
Rainmaker
900,128
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

Later the home is more "stale". The rule is not always true, a higher price can come later; have seen it happen, but it could be a slippery road for the seller. Waiting could be costly in terms of ongoing expenses e.g. taxes and mortgage and possibility of some serious maintenance issue arising e.g. pipes freezing or flood or even market changing due to bigger economic issues, driving all home prices lower.

Nov 11, 2015 05:04 AM
Rainmaker
617,935
David Gibson CNE, 719-304-4684 ~ Colorado Springs Relocation
Colorado Real Estate Advisers LLC - Colorado Springs, CO
Relocation, Luxury & Lifestyle residential

Evelyn,
I have not found the first offer to always be the best offer, typically it isn’t. At least in this market, it is often a low offer or one wanting a large seller concession. They are hoping the seller will bite. We hold off for a better offer and it has always come through.

Nov 11, 2015 03:09 AM
Rainmaker
5,868,565
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

After a period of time on the market, buyers feel there is room to offer less.    In the early days on the market is when you get the most buyers through, and the better chance to get a full price (or over) offer.

Nov 11, 2015 02:18 AM
Rainmaker
1,466,207
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Evelyn Johnston It all boils down to "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".

Nov 11, 2015 01:44 AM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

There are differents examples. if a home is vacant , the seller  may have to pay mortgage  for several more months before he gets the next offer. 

If another home comes on the market where the seller is motivated and has listed for less, the seller may have to later reduce the price.

I also believe in the superstition. I have seen examples where it has happened. Last year my clients got an offer of $295k in a month  and rejected and it expired. They listed with another agnet. It took the other agent 6 months and it sold for $275k.

Nov 10, 2015 09:36 PM
Rainmaker
911,338
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

I don't know, but if it meets the expections of the sellers, then ratify it. If it doesn't, counter it. It could be the only offer, or it could be 30+ days before sellers receive a second offer. During that time they will have to pay another mortgage payment, another month of utility bills and hoa dues, more taxes, more insurance, etc.

Nov 10, 2015 09:24 PM
Rainmaker
628,914
Buzz Mackintosh
Mackintosh REALTORS - Frederick, MD
“Experience, reliable, leadership”

Rule of thumb is ; if the property is priced correctly the first offer will come in during the "window of opportunity" the first 2 to 3 weeks on the market, this is when the hottest buyers are looking who are willing to make the best offer in a normal real estate cycle.

Nov 10, 2015 08:31 PM
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John McCormack, CRS
Albuquerque Homes Realty - Albuquerque, NM
Honesty, Integrity, Results, Experienced. HIRE Me!

This is the first time I've heard this saying.  Never too old to learn something new. 

Nov 10, 2015 08:23 PM
Rainmaker
2,759,812
TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

 Good Wednesday morning Evelyn.  I like Susan's answer.

Nov 10, 2015 05:59 PM
Rainmaker
2,538,633
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning Evelyn. I am a seller very often, I can speak from experience, the property gets sold quickly and I can then move on to another transaction. How would I know if a better offer will happen or when?

Nov 10, 2015 04:42 PM
Rainmaker
1,622,432
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

Not at these days. Every property receives on average 4 offers. So, I would not suggest my client/seller to get the first offer. We usually try to gather few offers and choose the best one. 

Nov 10, 2015 03:55 PM
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Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

It probably is not the best offer but most agents look at it as a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush.

Nov 10, 2015 03:38 PM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Evelyn Johnston they say it for a reason! Even I have seen it happening in many cases with my own listings.

Though I had an exception where the buyers of the first offer backed out - and we got a better one!

Nov 10, 2015 11:46 AM
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Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

The house selling Gods who are looking down on our marketplace!  And it's been my experience that the first is usually, though not always, the best one.

Nov 10, 2015 10:59 AM
Rainmaker
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Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Just because you should work all offers and not assume there will be any more. 

Nov 10, 2015 09:23 AM
Rainmaker
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Larry Johnston
Broker, Friends & Neighbors Real Estate and Elkhart County Subdivisions, LLC - Elkhart, IN
Broker,Friends & Neighbors Real Estate, Elkhart,IN

The longer the home is on the market, the more a buyer thinks is wrong with it because it hasn't sold.

Nov 10, 2015 09:20 AM
Rainmaker
634,482
Kathleen Luiten
Resort and Second-Home Specialist - Princeville, HI
Kauai Luxury Ocean Home Sales

It can be, but it isn't always the best. First offers are sometimes lowball offers and Buyers will come back with a higher offer if refused.

Nov 10, 2015 08:26 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

The longer a home stays on the market the less value it has in the buyer's mind. Ever had a buyer ask how long a home has been on the market and then follow up, What is wrong with it?

Nov 10, 2015 08:06 AM
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

probably because the longer it takes to sell, the less the amount of the offer.... days equate to money, especially in a seller's market when the inventory is slim....

Nov 10, 2015 07:58 AM
Rainmaker
979,496
Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807
HomeSmart - Chandler, AZ
Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

Evelyn - I think typically the first offer one gets on a home is the best offer they will get. If that offer is not accepted, and the seller waits for another offer, it will usually be a while, and will be for less than the first offer.

However, this is very dependent on what type of market we are in. In a sellers market, the seller should be getting multiple offers that will run up the sales price.

Nov 10, 2015 07:55 AM
Rainmaker
846,475
Marco Giancola
Beachfront Realty - Miami Beach, FL
Realtor (305)608-1922, Miami Beach Florida

Personally I think they say the first is your best because there were no others previous to it. 

Now if the sellers refuse it and the house hangs on the market people start to smell "blood" and the lowballs come in making the first offer the best. That has been my experience anyway.

Nov 10, 2015 07:31 AM
Rainmaker
3,986,258
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

I always say that it should be your best offer if you really want the home

Nov 10, 2015 07:31 AM
Rainmaker
1,712,676
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

It is the best offer if it meets the requirements of the seller. Too often sellers will get greedy when a quick offer comes in and unless it is an exteemely hot market rejecting it or not being fair can cause a long wait until another one comes in. I also get frustrated when they say, we didn't price it high enough.

Nov 10, 2015 07:13 AM