Hi folks,

Many experts say that the best selling price is often achieved in the first few weeks of marketing, when the listing is fresh and exciting and all the unsatisfied purchasers converge eagerly on a new possibility. Often vendors think they have little impact on the sales outcome but their input can be crucial and the quality of the relationship between agent and client can make all the difference.

The first two weeks of marketing can set the scene for a positive relationship and sale or its opposite and vendors can contribute to keeping an open line of communication with their agent from the outset. If the relationship breaks down, the sale outcome is usually affected and at this stage vendors often blame agents for a host of small things that could have been remedied early in the relationship. Some people find it hard to speak frankly, especially if issues that arise seem at the time too small to mention (for example, the signboard is in the wrong spot or is crooked, the agent keeps bringing purchasers in through the side balcony door instead of the front door, or perhaps s/he turns up with a purchaser with only sixty minutes’ notice instead of several hours.) These issues may not seem worth worrying about when they arise, but often add up to a general dissatisfaction with the quality of the agent’s service, especially if the market is quiet and there aren’t many inspections.

Many people prefer to grumble amongst themselves rather than quibble over small things, but professional agents will want to get it right and will appreciate vendor input, knowing that a good rapport will make the negotiation process more successful too. They understand that although they sell houses every day, most of their clients will do it only a few times in a lifetime and that they find it very stressful. Many people find it hard to be critical until something happens that is serious enough to make them lose their temper – and by then the relationship is hard to salvage. While it’s up to the agent to check whether the vendor is happy with the way the inspections are progressing, vendors can help by speaking frankly from the outset, giving the agent a chance to get it right in the long term interests of a successful sale.