The longer a house is on the market, the more willing the seller will be to negotiate. Not necessarily.
A long time on the market could be a sign that the seller has dug his heels in. He could be hardheaded about the price, unwilling to come down and unwilling to bargain. Perhaps it means the seller is unmotivated. Or it could be an indication that the seller is just tired of the long, drawn-out process.
After some point, most sellers become exhausted. Among the frustrations that can sap a seller’s spirit and stamina are:
1) The need to keep the house in showroom condition for months
2) Having to put the house back on the market after one issue or another sinks a deal that looked so promising
3) Having to put more money into the place to improve its marketability, or
4) Having to cut the asking price to the bone in a series of unsuccessful attempts to entice a buyer to step forward
Any of these can extract a heavy toll. And they can become overwhelming when two or more of them come into play.
Add into the equation that moving is stressful, or that the seller is starting a new job or a new life, and it’s possible that the seller will act irrationally. Maybe he’ll balk over a minor issue the buyer wants fixed. Or if he feels slighted, perhaps he’ll break off negotiations altogether.
The bottom line: There is no way of knowing how a seller will react to an offer, so assume nothing. All buyers can do is make an offer that makes sense to them at the time and see how the seller responds.
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