Selling your home means coming face-to-face with would-be buyers looking to make their next move in the Central Florida real estate market. But what does that mean and what can you expect from the future owner of your home?

Over the course of working in the real estate industry, we’ve noticed trends in the way people behave on both sides of the fence. It is important as a realtor to know what we’re up against in the market to prepare our clients and get them the best possible result—that means understanding the people who will be placing offers and negotiating to buy our clients homes.

Here are the seven types of homebuyers we run into when helping our clients sell their home:

 1. The Emotional Plea

This type of buyer is most common if you’re selling in a super hot seller’s market or you’re receiving an offer way below your asking price. Typically, the buyer writes a letter to the seller to attach to their offer explaining in grave detail the significance that being able to buy the home would have to them and their future plans.

They pull on your heartstrings and let you get to know the person, or people, who will be moving into the home you’re selling and making it their own.

2. Window Shopper

Despite booking four or five showings on your property, taking their extended family through to get opinions, and asking your realtor a million questions—it’s uncommon that the Window Shopper will ever place an offer on your listing. They are looking for the perfect fit and want to make sure there isn’t a single thing on their need and want list that isn’t perfectly suited to their desires.

This type of buyer is often very nervous and more likely to walk away during contingencies if they ever get to the point of actually placing an offer on your home.

However, when they find the right home (though they may view a hundred), they’re smitten. 

3. The Bargain Hunter

The bargain hunter looks for everything that is wrong with a property in efforts to gain negotiation leverage. This type of buyer will make a big deal about things that either have no impact on the quality of your home or would cost less than $5 and 5 minutes to fix.

 

Initial negotiations with a bargain hunter are difficult as they seek out trouble to justify their excessively low offers and excessive expectations. Further, if you accept their offer, they will use contingencies like the inspection and appraisal to negotiate a lower price while consistently threatening to walk away from the sale if they don’t get what they want.

Your realtor will know how to protect you from this type of buyer and negotiation tactic, and can provide you guidance in dealing with their increasing list of demands.

4. The Showoff

Full-price cash offer with no contingencies? What could possibly go wrong. The showoff is ready to put in an offer to get what they want and whether or not they have the means, will make sure that it comes across like buying a home means nothing to them (or their wallet).

These buyers will present you with strong offers, but make sure your realtor does their due diligence in making sure they can back up their offer and have enough money in the bank so your sale goes off without a hitch.

 

5. The Flexible Underdog

 Some buyers don’t have the best hand to negotiate in a highly competitive market, and that’s ok. These buyers are often flexible and excited to buy your home and will work with you to make sure everything in their offer is favorable.

Some loan types need more contingencies, time, or digging to make sure the property fits the financing requirements but because of the buyer’s good intentions and willingness to accommodate your needs, they’re some of the most dedicated buyers on the market.

 

6. The Excited Buyer

 The best buyers are the ones who are excited and accommodable. They are thrilled at the prospect of buying your home, have a great verified pre-approval, and aren’t worried about the little things because they can’t wait to call your listing their new home.

These buyers are often in the midst of positive life change and need a new home to suit their changing lifestyles. They can’t wait to turn the page on their new chapter and are easy to negotiate with as a result. 

7. Bait and Switch

Bait and switch buyers are similar to bargain hunters. They come in strong with a great offer and wiggle their way through discounts with the threat of walking away. The price they initially offered was never really the price they were willing to pay.

 Their first offer is amazing. Great value and only a few conditions to meet. But then comes the inspection. They will request huge sums of money taken off the sale price and threaten to walk away from the deal.  

Selling your home is no easy feat and there’s no way to know what type of buyer is putting an offer on your property. Your real estate agent should have the experience and knowledge to help you through the transaction and make sure your best interests are looked after.

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