I don't want to sell, I just want to know what my house is worth

[Logan Vierstra]

I have a direct mail marketing campaign going out to absentee owners of duplexes and SFR's in Sacramento Ca. I've had homeowners call and give me the line "I don't want to sell, but I'm interested in knowing what my unit is worth if I did want to sell", a few times. My suspicion is that most often these people do want to sell, but just don't want to admit it.

I'm wondering if anyone has some good tips for digging a little deeper into these leads to see if they're actually motivated? 

[Jerry Puckett]

Hey @Logan Vierstra,

"Thanks for calling Logan. I'm really curious....Does my letter say that I'm an appraiser or that I want to buy? If you aren't interested in selling, then why did you call me instead of an appraiser?"

Snarky? Maybe. You don't have to use the exact words but you really should encapsulate the attitude. In the beginning I wanted ever call to be a lead and every lead a deal and I spent a lot of wasted time trying to massage a lead like this. If you have the time, by all means massage away and call it practice.

My tip is to make an offer. And just to clarify, the only number I give to a seller in terms of value is what it is worth to me. If they want the ARV or retail price, they can list.

If you make a soft pass at say 80% of value, or better yet give them a range and they are still talking, make an appointment. If not, stop wasting your time and theirs and proceed to the next one. But keep their number and check back in a few months. You'd be surprised how often people's circumstances change.