In a buyer’s market, sellers often need patience, realistic expectations, and a willingness to negotiate. But being flexible does not mean sharing every detail about your circumstances—or offering concessions before a buyer has even submitted an offer.
A casual comment during a showing or an early conversation can reveal your financial limits, timing pressures, or willingness to compromise. That information may influence how a buyer approaches the negotiation.
Here are seven statements to handle carefully when selling your home.
1. “We’ve Already Bought Another Home and Need to Sell Quickly.”
This tells buyers that you are working against a deadline.
They may assume you will become more willing to accept a lower price as your closing date approaches. Some may delay making an offer, hoping your urgency will increase.
You can discuss timing without explaining every detail of your situation:
“We have a preferred closing date, but we’re open to discussing timing as part of the overall offer.”
This gives buyers useful information while preserving room to negotiate.
2. “This Is the Lowest Price We Would Accept.”
Sharing your minimum price may feel like a way to save time. However, buyers may treat that number as the starting point for further negotiation.
They might offer even less in exchange for a closing date that suits you or other favourable terms.
Discuss your price limits privately with your agent. When an offer arrives, evaluate the full package before deciding how to respond.
“We’ll consider the price alongside the conditions and closing arrangements” keeps the conversation open without revealing your bottom line.
3. “We Haven’t Had Many Showings.”
A quiet listing period can be frustrating, but volunteering this information may suggest that buyers face little competition.
They may feel less urgency to act or decide to submit a substantially lower offer.
There is no need to invent interest or imply that competing offers exist. Keep your comments accurate, and avoid unnecessarily volunteering details about your frustration or lack of activity.
Your agent can help respond to questions about market interest and bring the conversation back to whether the property meets the buyer’s needs.
4. “Just Make Any Offer—Everything Is Negotiable.”
You may simply want to encourage a hesitant buyer. However, “everything is negotiable” can suggest that you are prepared to make significant concessions.
A more measured invitation is:
“We welcome a formal offer and will consider the price and terms carefully.”
This communicates openness while making clear that an offer still needs to make sense for you.
5. “We’ll Fix Everything. The Cost Isn’t a Problem.”
After a home inspection, sellers sometimes agree to repairs immediately because they want to keep the transaction moving.
Before committing, understand the specific concern, the requested work, and the potential cost. An open-ended promise can create disagreements about the scope or standard of repairs.
A better response is:
“Please outline the specific issues and your requested resolution so we can review them.”
Depending on the circumstances, the parties might discuss repairs, a price adjustment, or further assessment. Make that decision once you have enough information.
6. “As Long as We Get Our Price, the Other Terms Don’t Matter.”
The headline price is only one part of an offer.
Financing and inspection conditions, the length of the conditional period, the deposit, and the closing date can all affect how well the transaction fits your plans.
A higher offer with substantial uncertainty may be less attractive than a slightly lower offer with terms that better suit your circumstances.
Avoid dismissing those terms before reviewing them. They may also provide opportunities to negotiate: if a buyer requests a price reduction, for example, you may ask for a closing date that works better for your move.
7. “Our Neighbour Sold for That Price, So We Have to Get the Same.”
Nearby sales are useful reference points, but they do not guarantee the same result.
Differences in layout, lot size, condition, renovations, and market timing can affect what buyers are willing to pay.
Insisting on one neighbouring sale can make productive discussions more difficult. Support your expectations with a range of relevant comparable properties, current competition, and feedback from buyers.
A well-supported price gives you a clearer basis for negotiation.
Prepare Your Strategy Before an Offer Arrives
Before listing, discuss your preferred outcome, timing requirements, and acceptable compromises with your agent. Knowing which terms matter most makes it easier to assess offers calmly.
Be accurate about the property and meet your disclosure obligations. Your private negotiating limits—such as your minimum price and how much flexibility you have—can be discussed selectively as negotiations develop.
At The Fisher Group, we help sellers assess pricing, prepare for negotiations, and consider the full offer so they can make informed decisions throughout the selling process.
