When a Neighbor Has a Buyer for Your Home [VIDEO]

Question: Libby, what if a neighbor has a buyer for my house before it’s on the market? Answered by Libby Guthrie

Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Libby Guthrie, Keller Williams Realty in Northern California. What happens when your neighbors are curious about when you list your home and what you’ve listed it for? And if they have a possible family member or a friend that may want to buy the home.

So you’ve listed your home with your real estate agent, but you’re not going to actually put it on the multiple listing for a month or so, because there are some things that you need to do to the home. For example, you need to paint the exterior or you need to spruce up, the interior with new carpet and new paint.

So you need a little time to do that, those things, but you’re, you’re looking at the house and you’ve got a goal of putting it on the market. Probably in about 30 days, meaning putting it active on the multiple listing service. So you still have a listing with your real estate agent and the neighbors see you out there, sprucing up the yards and painting the exterior you’re in whatever else you’re going to be doing to the exterior of the home.

And they’re curious if you are going to be selling the home and of course, you tell them, yes, you are. Normally you would tell them that and, they have, first of all, they want to know exactly what you’re going to list it for, or have listed it for. And then they possibly could actually give you the information regarding a buyer that they may know that, is looking to buy the home, buy a home.

So when that happens, you want to make sure that you refer them back to your listing agent, or if that particular buyer has an agent that, that agent contacts, your listing agent. One thing you don’t want to do is, have them come into your home, and let’s just say, you know, you wanted to show them around and everything, but you may say some things that you may regret later.

For example, you may say, hey, I’m going to fix this. I’m going to fix that. And then all of a sudden, it’s time to put the home on the market, on the multiple listing (service) and you don’t have those things fixed yet, but you’ve told this person you’re going to be fixing it.

Also, you quoted them a specific price when you and your agent had talked about relooking at that price right before it goes on the multiple listing, especially in a tight market when inventory is low, you may want to relook at that pricing because you may be able to get a little bit higher price than you originally thought when you, when you originally, signed the listing agreement with your real estate agent.

So work with your real estate agent, refer people back to him or her. That’s what you hired them for. They’re your professional, they’re watching out for you and making sure that things are not said that shouldn’t be said, and you’re not committing to things and a price that you’re not comfortable with later on.

So if you have any real estate needs whatsoever free to contact me, my number is (925) 628-2436. Even if you’re not in the Northern California area or you have friends or family that are not in the Northern California area and they need to buy or sell. I’d be happy to help them out, as I do have referral partners all over the United States.

Again, my number’s (925) 628-2436. Thanks.