The Five Stages Of Seller Grief

by Phil Hoover, Real Estate Broker

I posted this several months ago, but with current market conditions, I thought it appropriate to put it up again

Those of you familiar with the work of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross will recognize the parallels from her extensive research on grieving in the following post.

With great respect (and apologies) for Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, I have taken many liberties to correlate her research with the stages of grief many sellers experience in a declining market:

Kubler-Ross established Five Stages of Grief: (as experienced by sellers)

DENIAL

This can’t be happening ~ the market can’t possibly being going soft when I want to sell.
My home is the nicest home in my subdivision.
I know my home is worth more than the identical home that just sold down the street.
I am not going to give my home away.
I do not have to sell.
Geez ~ that first Realtor^® I spoke with about listing my home sure was negative!

ANGER

What’s wrong with all of those idiot Realtors^®?
What’s wrong with all of those stupid buyers who won’t look at my home?
Why doesn’t my Realtor^® get more people to look at my home?
Why do prospective buyers walk in and out of my home in five minutes?
Why have people pulled 400 flyers from the flyer box, yet no one looks at my home?
Why doesn’t someone just make an offer?
Why doesn’t my Realtor^® hold an open house every day of the week?
Why doesn’t my Realtor^® run a full-page ad of my home with me standing in the driveway?
I need to change Realtors^® and find one who is more “positive”!

BARGAINING

Please ~ just bring me an offer and I will negotiate!
Perhaps I should listen to my Realtor^® and reduce my price?
I promise to be good if someone will just buy my home before it goes into foreclosure.

DEPRESSION

No one is ever going to make an offer on my home.
If I had listened to my first Realtor^®, I could have sold my home for more than I will get now.
Maybe I need to reduce my asking price for the 4^th time.
I may be stuck here forever.

ACCEPTANCE

I am ready to swallow my pride and take a lower offer than the one I refused six months ago.
Please Lord; just bring me an offer so I can get out of here?
My first Realtor^® was right ~ a good price is the best marketing tool there is!