Money objections
Never justify. Reframe to net proceeds and market exposure.
- "Your commission is too high"
- It might be, if it doesn't produce a bigger number at the closing table. Compare us on net, not on rate — that's the only comparison that spends.
- "Another agent will do it for less"
- They probably will. Ask them what they do in the first ten days and what happens if it doesn't sell. If those answers are thin, you found out exactly what the discount removed.
- "Will you cut your fee?"
- Here's my honest answer: an agent who drops their own fee in thirty seconds under mild pressure is the same agent negotiating for you against a buyer next month. I'd rather show you why the fee earns itself.
- "What about the flat-fee sites?"
- They're a real option and they work for some people. What you're buying there is a listing entry. What you're not buying is somebody negotiating your inspection response at 9pm on a Friday.
Price objections
The agent who quotes the highest number usually loses the seller money.
- "Another agent said it's worth more"
- They may know something I don't — I'd genuinely like to see their comps. What I'd watch for is whether the number came with three closed sales attached or just came with enthusiasm.
- "Let's start high, we can always come down"
- We can, and here's the cost: the first two weeks bring the most qualified traffic of the entire listing. Starting high spends those weeks on the wrong audience and buys us a longer days-on-market number.
- "We put $60,000 into the kitchen"
- And it will absolutely help you sell faster. Buyers just don't pay back improvements dollar for dollar — they pay for the house being the best of the three they're comparing.
- "We need this number to buy the next house"
- I understand and I want you to get there. Let's look at whether the next purchase works at the number this house will actually bring — I'd rather find that out today than in sixty days.
Studying alone is the hard way. Sit in on a live Deal Clinic — free.
Every Wednesday at 10:00 AM Central, Sarah Richards — a principal broker with 23 years in Tennessee real estate — walks through real deals, real contracts, and the exam questions students miss most. No card, no course purchase. Just show up.
Reserve with your email and we'll send the link each week. Unsubscribe anytime.
Stalls and relationships
A stall is an unanswered question. Find the question.
- "We want to think about it"
- Absolutely — this shouldn't be a same-day decision. Just so I don't leave you with a gap: is it the price, the plan, or me? Whichever it is, I'd rather answer it now than have you wonder.
- "We're interviewing two more agents"
- Smart. Here's a question to ask all three of us: what do you do in week three if it hasn't sold? Most agents have no answer to that one, and week three is when it matters.
- "My brother-in-law has a license"
- Family should get the business if they're doing the work. Only thing I'd ask — is he full time, and is he selling in this neighborhood? If yes, hire him. If it's a part-time license, that gets awkward for everybody at inspection time.
- "Can we do a 90-day listing instead of six months?"
- Sure. I'd suggest you keep the right to fire me at any time in writing instead. If I earn it, term length never comes up. If I don't, thirty days is already too long.
Studying alone is the hard way. Sit in on a live Deal Clinic — free.
Every Wednesday at 10:00 AM Central, Sarah Richards — a principal broker with 23 years in Tennessee real estate — walks through real deals, real contracts, and the exam questions students miss most. No card, no course purchase. Just show up.
Reserve with your email and we'll send the link each week. Unsubscribe anytime.
More playbooks
Commission is always negotiable and never set by any association or firm. Follow your state's advertising, disclosure, and compensation rules in every conversation.
© 2026 East Tennessee School of Real Estate · etnschoolofrealestate.com