I met with a couple whom owned their house for 30+ years. They need to sell first in order to buy. They want to sell due to fact that the need a home without stairs. The are 60+ years old. They will not list their home till they find the perfect replacement home. Of course inventory changes, I told them. I suggested over and over to list first, find a buyer than negoiate a closing date to give them time to find the new home. They are indescisive and will not list to sell. They fear they will not find that perfect replacement home. What do I do to get them to list? I know once they list they will be motivated and get serious about looking and choosing a replacemnt home. How do I get them to proceed?

Hmmm. I am new, and I dont know for sure.
Maybe you could find them a home that will fill their needs. If they purchase, then list their home maybe. They might have to have 2 mortgage payments if thats the way they want to do this. Not a 100% sure. Or maybe they can make an offer contigent on sale of their current home.
I am curious as to what other agents answers will be. I think about this stuff as well.

You need to explain to them that few sellers are going to "wait" for them to sell their home unles your market is very, very slow. That means that they could find the right home and be unable to buy it.

If they are properly motivated (they MUST have a mortgage pre-approval letter before I put them in my car) you might consider showing them a couple of candidate homes that appear to meet their needs. In some cases, actually finding what they are looking for may put a bomb under them to list.

A word of warning....These people may well be big-time time wasters. You used the word "perfect" twice. Did they use that word or did you? If they did - you may be wasting a lot of valuable time. If they are looking for the "perfect" replacement they won't ever find it. No home is perfect. By taking them to a few candidate homes, you will find out just how picky they are. If they are wildly fussy AND won't list until they have found something "perfect" move on. Stay in touch, but don't push the situation. If they are very fussy, they won't move until they HAVE TO. When they finally have to, you'll be there if you kept in touch with them.

They can look for a new home then when then find the right home make their contract contingent on the sale of their home. They'll have to have their home on the market in 3 days but that might be a better option for them.

This is typical behavior of older people who have "lived in their home for 30+ years." It's frustrating to us, but understandable. Obviously, the whole process of selling one home, buying another one and MOVING is going to be overwhelming to them - the last time they did it, they were in their 30's! Try to remember that they aren't being "indecisive," they're just very nervous and unsure.

You aren't likely to talk them out of their preference and the more you try, the more they will dig in their heels. Are they a waste of time? Frankly... probably. But as a new agent, it's good practice for you to work with different kinds of people who have needs that should be respected.

I agree with Siberian Winter... do your best, stay in touch with them, but don't make them your top priority and certainly don't lose any sleep over it. At some point, they will make the decision that they must move and if they like you and trust you, you'll get the sale.

Bottom line here is they are going about it all wrong.Sellers absolutely hate contingencies on offers to buy there home,plus it takes away any negotiating position and power from the buyers.

Ask the buyers if price is important to them hwn purchasing and do they want to pay full price for the home?Tell them that is exactly what is going ot happen if they do not sell first and buy second.


You could do a reverse contingency with them,have them list it for sale with you then tell them you can put in a contingency that gives them 3 to 4 months ot whatever from the time there house goes under contract to find a suitable replacement property,if they can't find one they do not have to sell the house.This way if they do not find the home they can get out of the contract to sell there house.