Well, I had one who turned down six offers, including cash offers at over ask. I removed my sign, my lockbox, and mailed him back his key suggesting he wasn't a serious seller and that he have a nice life.

I had another one who did not listen to me and two months later said I had been right and that she should have.

Last year a Seller stood his ground.  The offer was not full price, but it was good.

That Seller was from out of town, the city he lives in is a hot market with multiple offers.  The Tallahassee house was a leftover from when his children attended the university here.

  I showed him the stats that Tallahassee is a Buyer's Market, he may not see another offer anytime soon.  He refused to accept it.  Several months later, as we parted ways, he admitted that he should have taken that offer.  He re-listed with Keller, but after a few more months it went off market; he got a tenant and it is a rental.

I remind myself that it is not my house, not my money and not my decision.  If they can live with themselves and their choice and, as long as I am not affected professionally or spiritually, I'm happy for them to own their decision.

In my observation, there are some human beings (a surprising number, actually, but most of them will never be wealthy enough to own a house) who have a deep streak of self harm.  If you tell them this is what is good for them, then by golly, that is what they won't do.  Then there are others who can't abide being told what to do, and will always choose the opposite of what you recommend.  This type is not so common.  Both of these are not good news for you, because the fix is to tell them that the wrong choice is the right choice for them, which will go absolutely against all professional conduct standards.  Mind you, I am not telling you to try this!

Your choices, as far as I can see are as follows:  1) notice early and stop playing a losing game, as did Nina Hollander  when she sent back the key; 2) try being firmer with them to convince them of right action, 3) feel bad and think you have done something wrong when you have reviewed your work and it was every bit as professional as your other work, regardless of the client's possible blaming of you (I don't recommend this option, ever);  3) for future clients, be highly observant, and if you get the idea that perhaps they won't do what is good for them (because you recommended, say, an excellent coffee while in a coffee shop or to advertise in a certain way and they wouldn't), you might try a second minor recommendation to test the waters again.  This should tip you off on whether to keep silent about accepting an offer or at least acting very indifferent about it.  

As for the second type of person I mentioned, I once had a boss who was actually so contrary about being told what to do that one day I recommended against what clearly ought to be done, just so he would choose to do the right thing, and he did.  This wasn't deep self-harm so much as rigid refusal to be controlled under all circumstances.

These should give you some interesting perspective to help you choose your best way forward.  There is a song you'll have heard:  "You have to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and, know when to run."  Some people do need really straight talk and firmness about accepting an offer.  If you have the backbone to do that (and I think you do, Debbie Reynolds), then this is "holding 'em".  But some battles aren't worth fighting, and walking away can be a very smart thing.  Choose your limits while you maintain high self respect, and then make savvy choices from there.

Yes.  Ultimately I canceled the listing.  Property re-listed and after a month plus seller accepted an offer as the one he previously refused to accept ... and I will add ... it was from the same buyer!  

Same experience as Nina Hollander and Fred Griffin 

Sometimes no matter what we say the clients just won't listen.  Oh, well.

Debbie came very close to that this past couple of month. Stubborn seller who just didn't understand the offer on the table was the best he was going to get. I told him to sleep on it and if he turned it down we needed to take the home off the market.  He decided to take the offer....which honestly shocked the heck out of me as he was one of the stubbornest seller I've run into.  I was prepared to just let it go and move on as I was not going to get sucked into his negativity one more time! And I was totally ok with that!

Yes, and it usually is not a good outcome for the seller. In one instance it cost the seller $300,000! The market turned!

if your gut , and facts as well, tell you something. i think you must follow it. then you may turn out to be right, wrong, hero or dog.. but either way you said your peace. you dont have to live with being wrong. IF THOU you say nothing, and that was the offer that they reject and they could have sold , then you may blame yourself

With our Timber Sales we advise our clients on the bids that should be accepted or rejected and they generally follow our advice.

One strong difference in our situation is that we get paid whether the sale goes through or not, so there is never any doubt about our impartiality in the situation.  We can be free to advise waiting without sustaining a financial hardship as Real Estate agents do.

Yes. The usual story - good offer but not what seller really wanted. Seller said no. I later canceled the listing because I could not deliver what was desired. 2 agents later, and several months, the home sold, for the price of that first offfer

Don't know my percentage on that but you win some and you lose some. Most importantly, they hired you to be the expert and not expressing action would be worng for me.

State your case & then hope they take your advice. If they don't, you have to keep going forward & never return to the subject again. You can lead that horse to water ....

Happened last year. Now it's on the market for a chunk less than the cash offer I had for him. And it's still not selling.

We were only $1,000 apart and the homeowner refused to negotiate. The following day the sellers wife said "take it" but by that time the buyer had an accepted offer on another house. The listing stayed on the market another 2 months and they finally setttled on less than what was offered!

Debbie Reynolds - happened to me - yes! And finally, we never came close to the first offer!

Oh, there is a listing agent across town, and I'm hoping she is doing exactly that right now!

I have found when someone makes up their mind, there is no changing it.

The client makes and owns the decision.

No Debbie Reynolds mine are all obedient and follow my advice exactly

A couple of times. One we parted ways. The other the place never sold(3 years ago) and they are still in the home.

It has been my view point that I am there as a consultant. I work for the seller. I give them my input. However, it is their final decision.

Some of them don't believe me and they are still waiting for that great offer

Debbie,

Those who are realistic and can be objective listen.  Those who cannot do not.  It is that way with every industry and every walk of life.  A

Yes! We sat down with a bunch of recent comps, had a good discussion and the offer from good, qualified buyers was accepted; deal closed.

I have had to be pretty emphatic that it was my "professional opinion" that they should counter the offer and be happy to sell it.  They finally agreed after the husband giving me the "I'm not going to give my house away" speech.  It sold and closed!

Yes. Just last month. The seller said he will not sell below such price because Redfin says it is worth that price. Only 1 offer was rec'd after 25 days.  He reluctantly accepted it. He bought it 16 months earlier wanting 40% mark up. If this is not greed what is it?

I have to admit I'm in sync with Susan Emo on her answer!

I am one of those guys that doesn't just placate my clients. It is just my style and how I am as a person. I'm nice, I'm fun, I'm professional, but boy will I tell you how it is and what's on my mind. Everytime I have been stern like this they appreicate my candor and honesty. If someone gets offended or upset, then they know they are wrong and they're having a little temper tantrum. In the end who cares if they get upset ... you have an exclusive listing contarct they can't get out of. Do what is right for them and if your advice is sound then it is the right thing to do.

Before I take on a buyer, I counsel them about the reality of the real estate market.  That includes explaining my fiduciary duties and telling them what my job is...

I let them know that part of my job is to manage their expectations, so if they are unreasonable, I will say so.  

The few times I have had to tell a buyer they were unreasonable, they listened.

Eve

Not about taking an offer but about finishing the work they promised to have done,

Debbie,

 I am builder's rep so I have to say no but it is interesting to read the answers!

Debbie - I have told sellers that they should seriously consider an offer, but would never tell them they were wrong. I always let them know that in the end it is their decision. If they lose out on a sale, and eventually have to sell for less, at least I tried to let them know that they should have gone with the first offer, but then again it is not my house.

I always say I am the message and do have a opinion.

A difficult client overpriced his home - luxury home with every upgrade imagineable.  But overpriced.

First showing on the house resulted in an almost-full price offer.  They were the perfect buyers - they would not come around again.  They understood and valued the upgrades.  The seller demanded full price and the buyers agreed!

Not over yet.  Now the seller thinks he . . . underpriced.  He wants me to tell the buyers that he needs 3-4 days to "think it over."  He thought he would get many more offers.

I earned every penny of that commission - and ruined the relationship - by insisting that he accept this offer.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime deal and he almost lost it.  I knew that nobody would pay that price again.

I am still asked (almost a year later) by other agents how I ever sold that house for so much.  It broke all the records - and still he wasn't happy.

I have.  Sometimes they listen, sometimes not.  In the end it is their choice and all we can do is advise.  They regretted not taking my advice.

absolutely....especially one builder who I worked with for ONE SUBDIVISION.... had enough after that one was finished.... I made him take the offer.... it was not a pretty sight....I won and he was happy he took it after he was "revived"..... 

Real sellers sell(and real buyers buy).   It's not my house.  It's not my money. If there is a difference of opinion that cannot be resolved, sometimes it's best to move on while feelings(and your bank account are not hurt).   

I go back over the reason why they are selling in the first place. Review stats on sales, etc.   I normally will go over different offer prices, etc before I list the home and ask the seller what would they do if an offer like that came in.  I want to know before I agree to do business with them how they are going to respond.  

I'm running into the opposite problem, right now.  I have a seller who's ready to go on the market.  I've recommended a listing price of $600,000-$625,000.  The seller, who's been in the home for 20-30 years... thinks that's an outrageous amount of money for her home.  I've shown her the comps, but she's insistent that the home be listed for significantly less than $600,000.  I rarely find myself trying to push sellers upward in price.

My husband did that with his first listing - my husband no longer works with residential real estate LOL

No. NEVER!

I am not attached to the outcome.

That action will set a benchmark from with any subsequent offers can be evaluated. Sometimes the seller asks the question, "Do you think they bought a house yet?" a few weeks later.

I never have, because we are not always privy to all the  motivations or dynamics.

Yes and the seller refused it thinking it was too soon, only to not ever get an offer that high again. He took the condo off the market to fix the laminate floors that every buyer commented they were installed wrong, spent $8000 and listed with a big company selling it $10,000 less then the offers i brought him a month before and he spent 8kon new floors???

Candor has worked well for me...and we cover this prior to the Listing Agreement being signed.  Only list with us if you are serious about selling...

This is as good as it is going to get. We will always end up back to this point. They signed, sold & delivered

No.

Most of my clients would take my advice in this kind of situation.

Yes, he didn't like the numbers  and has agreed to relist later this season.