Past Experiences- Past experiences, positive or negative, can play a significant role in the outcome of a real estate deal. I have seen sellers refuse to sell to an adjoining land owner because of some long-running family feud. I have seen buyers refuse to make an offer on a listed property because they had a bad experience with the listing agent in the past. Those little details can mean all the difference between getting your deal done or not.
Time is of the Essence- Timing can be the most crucial part of a real estate transaction. A buyer may need to identify and make an offer on a replacement property because they are doing a 1031 exchange. On day 45 of their identification period, a 1031 buyer may be extremely motivated to try to work something out to avoid paying 15% to 20% in capital gains tax. Sellers may be faced with an immediate expense for a home repair or the loss of a job. If you wait a month to make a decision, they may find alternate sources of funding, and no longer be highly motivated to sale. I learned a long time ago, “The time to do business is when someone is ready to do business.” The whole world can change for someone in a day, so don’t miss out on an opportunity because you dragged your feet.
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)- If you’ve ever seen the look in a buyer’s eye when they missed out on a property they really wanted, you know what I am talking about. They missed one, but By George, they will not let that happen again. In 2015, I watched a professional athlete miss out on buying a property that would have been an ideal tract for him. Instead of paying the asking price and buying a tract he would have enjoyed for decades, he tried to make a lower offer and he missed out on the deal. He was trying to save about $150/acre and did not offer full-price. Another buyer came in one hour after the ball player made his offer, he offered full price, and bought the property. 2 years later the athlete found another property, across the river from the tract I sold, for about $750/acre MORE than the one he had the opportunity to buy before. He overpaid for a property of lesser quality because he did not want to miss out again.
Feel Goods- Emotions play a big part in many real estate deals. About 2/3 of the properties I sell are related to estate transition, and these farms and land have often been owned by the same family for generations. When it comes time to sell a property, they want to know that it is going to someone who will be a good steward of the property that their family has enjoyed for so long. I saw this exact thing happen several years ago when a family hired me to help them sell a property to a board member of The Nature Conservancy. They were convinced that this beautiful hardwood property along a pristine river would be protected in perpetuity if they sold to this type of buyer. Often older farmers will offer owner financing or will sell at a reduced rate to help a younger farmer get started on their land.
