Hey Brad,

We finally put a property up for sale we bought for low $, 15 years ago.

We had one previous offer several months ago, we countered on but never heard back on that offer in October.

We recently got a low ball offer which is 20k below asking PLUS there are 16k of costs associated after that. It's really disappointing and the property has cost us about 4K in lost rent so far.

At this point I don't even think we want to counter on this.

My question is, I used AI to get a net after having it read the offer and it showed us how bad this offer really is with estimating costs.

I asked the realtor, can you give us something to show what we'd make. She was like "OH yeah, I can send you a Net Proceeds sheet. She never offered such a thing on the first offer and this time only after I asked for it. I am disappointed that she is "supposed" to be working for me and doesn't even offer this up until I make this inquiry. (I didn't know there was such a sheet).

I read your last post on your realtor at 1% and honestly some of the rest of what you wrote about I didn't 100% understand.

It's a bit overwhelming with the possible sale and then trying to figure out the 1031 exchange stuff. I think I'm afraid of how much I'll be uh shooting us in the foot.

One question is, is my realtor trying to help me, or just help herself?

Should I ride this contract out and try again with a different realtor? (Maybe yours?)

2. I'm wondering if we have it priced where a FHA loan would cover it. So if it's priced too high and FHA won't allow a loan on it..Is there a way to find out before hand?

3. Any advice of counter offering? My realtor insists I will pay both sides of the realtor fees but my contract does not read that way. btw the last deal was made by a realtor in her office. not sure if that matters.

On this Net Proceeds sheet, she has Property taxes at probably 20% higher than last years tax. If we overpay it, do we get back what the overpayment was or where does it go?

thanks for your advice. I "Loves A Bargain" no spaces at the G mailservice if you want to write me back there.

Why would you pay both sides?

I think you can choose to but don't have to. The new rules, I think, are the buyer has to pay their realtor now unless another agreement is reached. This should be in your contract. I think it would be in a sales agreement if you had an offer.

Also, you could contact a title company to get a general idea of your net. Taxes will be prorated at a closing date. They will also be calculated in proportion to buyer and seller.

Yeah I don't agree with it 6x6 but she said they expect it. I'm not for it. I didn't even want to counter..but my better half suggested raising the counter to almost full price. So we'll see I guess.

Hiya Lucy!

Quick thoughts...

It will take one person to make this better -you.

Cancel this listing. It's been too long without results. The listing agent should be embarrassed. They should have been coaching you all along to make changes to get some action.

Relist with my guy for 1%. Drew 812-764-0170. He sold 128 homes in 2025, 100+ in 2024. He's an expert at getting eyeballs on the listing and getting it DONE.

Everything will sell "at a price". It's obvious you are priced too high and or something is very wrong with the prop. Make sure it's listed in the correct price brackets. $199K buyers do not look in the the $200K+ bracket.

Dig in and STUDY the comps to "get realistic" about price. You bought it cheap, go for the DOLLARS and stop stressing over the pennies.

If you do a 1031 you will save a mountain in taxes. I consider that as justification to accept a lower price.

1031 into a DST if you don't want more props.

What problems does the property have?

Post the address here and we'll look for the flaws which are holding it back.

Paint? Outdated? Junky neighbors? Retail buyers have no imagination and demand MODERN. No more grey. Black fixtures, faucets, hardware, white-ish cream walls.

Do you have FANTASTIC photos? Online makes or breaks your listing. You have 4 seconds to get their attention.

Pricing: buyers shop online at the advertised price. But the agents are more than happy to write in all kinds of discounts and concessions. They keep the selling price high for their commission calculation, but beat down your profit with concessions. We LLs are the ones who look at ads and think

"What could I buy this for?" Buyers don't think like that. They just see the list price.

It's a new world - 6% is gone! They call it a Buyers' Fee and the buyer has to sign a contract to that, but people are broke and the seller ALWAYS pays it.

Offer buyers' agents 2%. Firm. They too are broke and want ANY deal. New rules will not allow this 2% to be posted in the listing. Bad law. But you CAN say "Seller will assist with commissions" to help stir interest.

This will save you THOUSAND$$$ on the deal, making it easier to offer/accept a reduced price.

Call the Treasurer and ask them to calculate the tax amount for an estimated closing date.

Plan on giving a SELLER CONCESSION for 3.5% of the purchase price to cover their closing costs. It's just the way of RE now. People are flat broke.

Hiya Lucy!

Quick thoughts...

It will take one person to make this better -you.

Cancel this listing. It's been too long without results. The listing agent should be embarrassed. They should have been coaching you all along to make changes to get some action.

Relist with my guy for 1%. Drew 812-764-0170. He sold 128 homes in 2025, 100+ in 2024. He's an expert at getting eyeballs on the listing and getting it DONE.

Everything will sell "at a price". It's obvious you are priced too high and or something is very wrong with the prop. Make sure it's listed in the correct price brackets. $199K buyers do not look in the the $200K+ bracket.

Dig in and STUDY the comps to "get realistic" about price. You bought it cheap, go for the DOLLARS and stop stressing over the pennies.

If you do a 1031 you will save a mountain in taxes. I consider that as justification to accept a lower price.

1031 into a DST if you don't want more props.

What problems does the property have?

Post the address here and we'll look for the flaws which are holding it back.

Paint? Outdated? Junky neighbors? Retail buyers have no imagination and demand MODERN. No more grey. Black fixtures, faucets, hardware, white-ish cream walls.

Do you have FANTASTIC photos? Online makes or breaks your listing. You have 4 seconds to get their attention.

Pricing: buyers shop online at the advertised price. But the agents are more than happy to write in all kinds of discounts and concessions. They keep the selling price high for their commission calculation, but beat down your profit with concessions. We LLs are the ones who look at ads and think

"What could I buy this for?" Buyers don't think like that. They just see the list price.

It's a new world - 6% is gone! They call it a Buyers' Fee and the buyer has to sign a contract to that, but people are broke and the seller ALWAYS pays it.

Offer buyers' agents 2%. Firm. They too are broke and want ANY deal. New rules will not allow this 2% to be posted in the listing. Bad law. But you CAN say "Seller will assist with commissions" to help stir interest.

This will save you THOUSAND$$$ on the deal, making it easier to offer/accept a reduced price.

Call the Treasurer and ask them to calculate the tax amount for an estimated closing date.

Plan on giving a SELLER CONCESSION for 3.5% of the purchase price to cover their closing costs. It's just the way of RE now. People are flat broke.

Hey Brad

Thanks for the info. 705 E third 46928. It does have an abandoned house next door and the wrong side of the tracks. Nice place tho. Quiet street. 3 car garage and double lot. It is a modular.

We did counter but I doubt it gets accepted.

There are consequences I assume with canceling this contract? It may say.

I think we put it up wrong time of year.

"Just a thought. All humans will think of themselves first by nature regardless of any perceived fiduciary duty. "

I would pick that place up all day long.

Lucy,

The listing looks nice. But needs virtual staging! The big empty rooms don't look inviting or comfortable.

Again, Buyers have no imagination. YOU have to show them how to use the rooms.

Virtual staging is $5 per room.

Pump up the ad for a guy who works on cars or motorcycles. I'd be playing up that beautiful garage! The garage will sell the house. And the ability to park a boat or camper if OK with the city zoning.

Nov and Dec were very quiet here. But Jan has had lots of showings and accepted offers on each of our listings.

Drew thinks it's cabin fever - people wanting to get going.

Manufactured homes require special buyers and special financing, limiting your buyer pool. Get info on that from some mortgage brokers.

There is a IHDC program to pay up to $8000 as a GRANT with no payments until the buyers sell the home down the road. That $8000 plus my $7000 Seller's Concession is what helped the buyers buy my $250K home.

Find a mortgage broker who knows that program.

Me? 90 days is plenty of time for an agent to get some action. Time to make a change.

Zillow aggravates me and agents!! Your listing TELLS them the house is only worth $166K.

$169K is a good price for first time homebuyers.

Small tip: replace the stove and fridge with clean used stainless steel. Momma picks the house and white is for Grandmas.

I've been to Fairmount! Did James Dean sleep in the house? :)

What happened in July with the listing?

And what did you counter?

Good Tips Brad.

We can't just drop the contract with this realtor can we if this last offer goes south can we?

Yeah that garage is really nice.

And honestly one of our best properties in my opinion. if you don't mind modular.

haha nope Jimmy Dean didn't sleep in this house.

We countered 167k, with $3k down instead of the $500 they offered. We left the expenses/deductions the same.

Virtual staging would help. No need to change perfectly acceptable white appliances as long as they work.

The price is too high.

The market is speaking to you.

Sell it and move on.

DnP ( and other reaers),

I appreciate your comment and glad to hear your point of view.

I used to believe the same but have had to adjust and here's why...

In 2026, white appliances are OK for renting middle to low homes. But SELLING in 2026 is a different animal.

I base my comments on my experience selling 6 homes like Lucy's in the last few months,

and hours of training on YouTube by 2 super sharp realtors Audra lambert and Katie Spaniak. (Highly recommend for every LL!)

"Good enough" is a term used by overly thrifty LLs and "guys".

Today's buyers are a different breed than years past.

They have been ingrained by HGTV for modern stainless, spent HOURS on Zillow looking at professionally staged homes, toured the builder open houses, and looked at new appliances at Home Depot where Momma opens a new fridge and declares "Now THAT's what I want!"

They only accept if it's PERFECT and UP TO DATE.

Momma does not dream of used white appliances.

Buyers are trying to "move up" from their current home.

Sellers MUST make their homes attractive to compete.

Renters are less picky.

Exception: an 80 year old buys the house.

I put NEW stainless fridge and stove, with the blue tape still stuck on, to get Momma's interest in buying.

I often hear from the buyer's agents at closing that the buyers did not have enough money to buy appliances so my appliances "Saved the day".

DnP ( and other reaers),

I appreciate your comment and glad to hear your point of view.

I used to believe the same but have had to adjust and here's why...

In 2026, white appliances are OK for renting middle to low homes. But SELLING in 2026 is a different animal.

I base my comments on my experience selling 6 homes like Lucy's in the last few months,

and hours of training on YouTube by 2 super sharp realtors Audra lambert and Katie Spaniak. (Highly recommend for every LL!)

"Good enough" is a term used by overly thrifty LLs and "guys".

Today's buyers are a different breed than years past.

They have been ingrained by HGTV for modern stainless, spent HOURS on Zillow looking at professionally staged homes, toured the builder open houses, and looked at new appliances at Home Depot where Momma opens a new fridge and declares "Now THAT's what I want!"

They only accept if it's PERFECT and UP TO DATE.

Momma does not dream of used white appliances.

Buyers are trying to "move up" from their current home.

Sellers MUST make their homes attractive to compete.

Renters are less picky.

Exception: an 80 year old buys the house.

I put NEW stainless fridge and stove, with the blue tape still stuck on, to get Momma's interest in buying.

I often hear from the buyer's agents at closing that the buyers did not have enough money to buy appliances so my appliances "Saved the day".

Lucy, howdy!

I would not bump the earnest money to 3k. If someone asked that of me I would walk. I thought our area was all 1k on earnest?

Not sure who you used to list, I will look it up later, but most listings have a page in there that says you will not use another agent for XX period of time. Find out what that period of time is. I think I have given you my agent's name before, if you decide to switch.

But my opinion is it doesn't matter who lists the place. It is more on the buyer's agent as they are the ones out there stomping the weeds down.

Ok, I checked the listing.

Street view is killing you. The neighbor's yard is not what someone wants to spend that kind of money on and live next to. Also the aerial shot that shows all the trailers might hurt as well. I know a lot of people that do not want to be close to a trailer park.

I have never virtually staged a place. I know Brad does it. He was going to stage one room for me at a rental. I know that Jason has used AI to virtually stage a place. The pics looked good. Personally I would show it staged and un-staged, so they know what it could be and what it is.

I will see if I can find contact info for a guy I know that has holdings in that town. He might be interested in it for STR and he doesn't even realize it yet.

The weather will break in a few weeks hopefully and maybe more people will start looking. It looks like it would be a great rental. Too steep for me to buy and make anything on it. Maybe you can look into selling it with owner financing? That could help someone on the line to get in there. Of course then you don't get the lump sum of cash in hand and they could trash the place then bail.

Best of luck on it. Chat with you soon!