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“I want to sell, but I don’t need the money.” This is a common refrain uttered by people who are contemplating the sale of a piece of real estate. If they do not need the money, then why are they selling? Finding the “Why”, the “What”, the “When”, the “Who” is an essential part of making a real estate deal come together.
Several years ago I helped some seller clients sell about 800 acres of beautiful hardwood and pine timberland that had been in the same family for over 70 years. There were simultaneous offers to purchase the land, one came from a hardwood timber company and the other from a small group of land investors. My clients looked at both offers, and immediately rejected the one that had “timber” in the name of their organization. One of the family members told me, “These other people may cut the timber also, but at least it isn’t in my face.” I believe the timber company would have ultimately paid a higher price than the investors did, but the sellers preferred to deal with individuals instead of the timber company. Their motivation was not only money, but also seeing that the land ended up in good hands.
Here are a few considerations regarding motivation that I have seen influence the decision of buyers and sellers.
Finding the motivations to buy or sell land real estate from the individuals in your real estate transaction will go a long way to helping you get your deal closed. It is important to ask questions of your customers and clients that will give you the answers you need to find out what really matters to them. Money is not the only motivation for many buyers or sellers, and I have seen a seller be offended by a buyer “showing off” with how much money he has. Your odds of a successful real estate transaction increase when the parties are able to each get what they want, and sometimes it takes more than just money to make the deal come together.
About the Author: Jonathan Goode is an Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) with Southeastern Land Group, and is a licensed real estate broker in Alabama and Mississippi. Jonathan is also a co-host of the weekly radio program, The Land Show, and loves to serve people buying and selling land.
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