"What do you (Mr/s. Seller) think your house is worth?"

[Bob C.]

I was listening to Podcast Show 81 the other day and one of the things Michael Quarles said really surprised me.  He said that when someone calls him to sell them their house, he does not (ever) make an offer. He (essentially) starts the price conversation with "what do you think your house is worth?"

Reasons for doing this are

-He (Michael) doesn't want to be the one to tell them that their house is (probably) way over valued.  He doesn't want to be the bad guy.  (We've all been there, right?)

-If they don't have a value, then he asks them to find out what the value is AND THEN CALL HIM BACK. (WOW!)

He lists a buncha of good/rational reasons he does this.  And they all sound good... but wow. 

I'm inclined to try it, but I'd be scared to let the people off the phone and take the chance of them never calling me back again.

Does anyone else use this strategy?