One of the most offensive clichés in real estate is “Buyers are liars, and Sellers are storytellers.” It stems how many times you have heard Buyers and Sellers say: “I have to have” when referring to some key amenity or point?  For example:

• I only want to look at oceanfront
• Find me a home in the community of PGA
• I can’t sell for any less than $500,000
• I have to sell before the end of season

The problem with absolutes in any statement is that it only applies based on the conditions that exist at that moment in time.  When new information is introduced, or a personal situation changes, the person making the statement can completely reverse their decision. Consider the following change in conditions for the examples we’ve introduced above:

• I only want to look at the waterfront- When the buyer realizes that the price for oceanfront is not in their budget, it’s suddenly okay for the property to be located close to the ocean instead of on it, or on the river.
• Find me a home in the community of PGA- When the buyer realizes his best friend is moving to the community adjacent to PGA, it’s now okay to consider homes in that neighborhood too.
• I can’t sell for any less than $500,000- Until the Seller finds the perfect home they want to buy at a great price. Then they’ll let it go for $450,000
• I have to sell before the end of the season- When the Seller finds out that his transfer has been delayed by a year, and then the selling window is increased by 12 months.

   In each of the examples above, something changed that required a change in your clients’ strategy. As a Trusted Real Estate Advisor, you’re responsible for:

• Making sure your client doesn’t end up painting themselves into a corner, by committing to a position that is untenable. You can do this by tempering absolute statement.
• Presenting perspectives that your buyer or seller may not have thought about. Knowledge is power, so you should seek out all facts that could impact the decision

The best approach to use when a client has convinced themselves that they will never change their mind is to remind them that their requirement applies based on where they are at, today. And, that the situation could change.