We have all been told the story about the glass. Some see it as 1/2 full and others 1/2 empty. It all has to do with ones perspective.
Real estate today has the same issue with perspective. A seller will redo floors, paint every surface of the house, redo kitchen and baths, replace furnace and central air, have a new roof and label the property as re-done and in move-in condition. Some sellers go so far as to create a list of all their improvements to impress buyers.
A buyer walks into that same property and does not say much about the improvements. They walk outside and see original windows and some peeling paint. They tell their Realtor the house needs too much work, and they will go on to the next property on the list.
This is where Realtors are important. They need to move buyers and sellers to see the glass 1/2 full. Perhaps the buyers need to be made aware of what the house was like before all the improvements. They need to think about what investment is necessary to complete what they think needs to be done. Sellers need to be congratulated on the steps already taken but need to be told that the buyer still needs to make improvements. A seller cannot be so full of pride that they fail to see what the buyer sees.
The seller might say they are tired, out of money, caught in an unexpected move, it is the wrong season to do the work; and their excuses go on. They want the buyer to appreciate all they have done and cut them some slack.
The buyer fells all or nothing. They don't see meeting half way as reasonable. A Realtor might point out that there is no perfect house. The house is sound and for the most part is redone. It will be easy to live in the house and slowly replace the windows. The Realtor knows a good painter that works at a reasonable price. Slowly a compromise can be reached.
All parties need to keep communication open to reach the point of acceptance. It is not always easy and it can be slow going but a win/win situation can be created.
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