The Customer Is Not Always Right, But Always Heard

A seller can be completely wrong about the price of their house and still deserve a full hearing about why they believe it. Those two things sit together more often than people expect.

Say a seller wants a figure well above anything the street has sold for. The easy response is to agree, take the mandate and hope the market sorts it out. The market does sort it out, but badly. The house sits for months, buyers start asking what is wrong with it, and when an offer finally comes in, the bank's valuation comes back below the price, so the buyer's bond is approved for less than they need. Now the deal is in trouble and the seller feels misled.

Listening first changes that conversation. Often the number has a reason behind it. Maybe the seller spent heavily on a new kitchen, or needs a certain amount to settle their own bond and afford the next place. Once that reason is out in the open, the recent registered sales on the street can be put on the table without it feeling like an attack. The seller may still not like the answer. But people can tell the difference between someone who heard them out and someone who simply flattered them, and the flatterer tends to go missing when the valuation comes in.