I’ve been working this old lady that owns several very desirable properties to sell for the last year to no avail. She lives in the shittiest old house while the 2 other properties just sit empty. She says she doesn’t want to sell and doesn’t mind paying taxes on them but has no future plans(shes almost 100!) I’ve tried every angle and stop by to visit her every couple weeks but just can’t seem to get her to sell. anyone have any ideas ??
I don’t understand your motivation to buy Grandma’s properties, unless you believe you can buy these at bargain prices…?
Never mind, Grandma’s either demented, and/or too emotionally-attached to sell these houses. Either way, you’re not likely to change her mind.
Evidently, she doesn’t need the money?
If you’re determined to buy these house (for some reason), why not offer her an option to sell to you, after she’s dead?
You might frame the offer this way…
Assumption:
No kids to inherit the property.
No will and testament.
YOU: Grandma, you’re eventually gonna take a dirt nap. And right now your property is going to go to the state. And the state is gonna sell your property after taking it’s share in probate. Do you want the state the have your houses when you die?
Answer 1)
GRANDMA: I don’t care.
Okay, conversation over.
Answer 2)
GRANDMA: No, I don’t.
YOU: Well, right now Grandma, the state IS gonna take your houses and sell them for the money and blow it on illegals. So, unless you designate a buyer in writing, that’s what’s gonna happen.
I understand you don’t want to sell while you’re alive, because you know these houses, and Grandpa would roll over in his grave knowing you sold them, especially after he worked so hard to maintain them, and they mean so much to you. All the more reason to keep them out of the hands of the state after you become a rotting corpse.
So, in order to help you keep Grandpa’s dream alive, why not let me have an option to buy, in order to keep the state’s cold, bony fingers out of your business?
In fact, I’ll offer to pay all your burial costs, up front, and we can go shopping for the best casket you could imagine lying in for the rest of eternity, plus some spending money, in return for the right to buy your houses, after you’re lying next to Grandpa at Happy Dreams Cemetery. How’s that sound?
GRANDMA: You mean, if I give you an option to buy my houses after I become worm food, you’ll pay to put me in the ground?
YOU: You got it, Nana. Deal?
GRANDMA: Deal. I’ve had my eye on the most beautiful, bronze casket…
==========================
So, that’s one solution. Of course, the price you agree to pay is up to you. Grandma probably doesn’t care what the price is, as long as the money doesn’t go to the state to pay for welfare cheats… ???
First thing is to offer a good price. Keep going up till they look interested and while doing so make sure to demonstrate that you will love that house as they did.
I’ve only been marketing to my own properties for about 6 months but I did sales for years prior. Lately I have really learned that:
A. People must be motivated in some form or fashion and situations that most (rational!) people would find to be reason to sell just don’t work for others. Foreclosure, repairs, loss of equity, etc just make some people obstinate or defiant. It’s weird but…
B. Some people have extremely strong (maybe irrational!) attachments to houses and will let them rot in to the ground or get taken away before they will sell them. Mostly this seems to be when it was a home owned by or shared with a loved one but can be for other, similar reasons.
That doesn’t really help you I know, but all you can do is follow up in the best way you can and stay on the radar. Keep trying to find a motivation and maybe you will. Maybe she likes the attention and if she sells you won’t keep visiting her?!
Your focusing on the wrong thing…if you are looking to buy houses from motivated sellers…what are you really selling? You are NOT selling your ability to buy a house from someone you ARE selling your ability to solve someone’s problem. What is her problem? I have not heard any info regarding this so to me your focus is in the wrong place. If you are not customer focused in this business you will lose to guys like me who ARE customer focused and know how to “find the pain” from potential sellers. Find the motivation, problem, the pain THEN the houses will fall in your lap.
Adam - We Buy Houses Fast in Dallas
Right on the MONEY!!!
If she’s not motivated enough, why buy them?
If she does sell, she’ll probably ask for more than you are willing to pay for them anyway. Otherwise just continue checking with her, maybe she’ll change her mind!
If you have an unmotivated Grandma, your only tool in your box is charming her and getting her to like you. Otherwise, find someone needing to sell. There are some great responses above, but maybe just be nice to her and get her to like you more too.
Definitely need to dig a little deeper and find what her motivation would be if there is any. Would she prefer to have the money now to pass onto her kids? She can deal with all that now so her kids don’t have to. Maybe she doesn’t want to move out of the house so perhaps offer to let her stay in the property for a low rent. In this case you would have to sell her on getting the money upfront. Is there something she could do with the proceeds that would entice her?
I could not have said it better
You can’t make someone want to sell. This game is about sorting not selling. Put this one on a follow up until they are ready to sell and keep sorting other leads.
Exactly, in this business (and most businesses) the key is finding motivated sellers! If they aren’t motivated, then you’ll expend effort for no gain.
have you asked if she has a will? if she has everything planned for her succession then she will avoid probate.
Don’t focus too much on this one person. There are many, many other deals that are out there to get.
All you can do is follow up every so often and hope to call at the right time. If they really don’t want to sell to you, they won’t.