These are the five steps I use to get price reductions without pressure, pushback, or panic.
1. Set the emotional tone (empathy first)
“I completely understand this isn’t what you were hoping to hear…”
Acknowledge their emotional attachment & frustration. Youare not just discussing numbers, you are discussing expectations..
“This is your home. It holds value to you that can not be measured in £££ & pence. I respect that.”
Tell stories of others who have been in their position
Get emotional buy in 1st - this point will take most of the time. Only once you have buy in - move to point 2
2. Present the data without drama
Use facts, not, I repeat, NOT opinions.
Side by side comparisons of similar homes. Days on mkt. Price drops of competing listings. Lack of viewings.
“Since we launched, you’ve had X views on Rightmove, Y actual viewings, and no offers. The [insert name of town] property market is speaking. And it’s telling us we have missed the mark.
Use phrases like:
“We are not getting the right level of engagement”
“The market is rejecting the price”
“Buyers are seeing better value elsewhere”
3. Shift focus from price to outcome
Remind them of their goal: moving. Not listing. Not waiting.
“The question isn’t what the home is worth in theory. The question is: what will someone pay today to get you where you want to be?”
Anchor it in their life, not the market:
“If the home sold in the next 4 wks, what would that mean for you?”
“How long are you comfortable waiting before this starts affecting your next move?”
4. Reclaim control with options
Never say: “We need to drop the price.”
Instead, give two or three options, always letting the seller/vendor feel in charge.
“We can do one of three things:
A. Stay at this price and see if anything changes.
B. Refresh the marketing & reposition slightly, a tactical drop to reignite interest.
C. Take a bolder step, reduce decisively, and aim to capture buyers who’ve already dismissed us.
5. Frame the drop as a strategy, not a weakness
This is critical. You are not reducing because you are failing. You are adapting because you are smart.
“Price reductions don’t devalue your home. They reposition it to the right buyer who will pay full value and move quickly.”
Or
“It’s like fishing. If youare not getting bites, it’s not about the lake. Its about the bait. And in this market, the asking price is the bait.”
Final line to seal it:
“We only get one chance to be the fresh, exciting new listing. Every day we sit at the wrong price, we slowly become stale stock. Lets not let that happen.”
Christopher
1. Set the emotional tone (empathy first)
“I completely understand this isn’t what you were hoping to hear…”
Acknowledge their emotional attachment & frustration. Youare not just discussing numbers, you are discussing expectations..
“This is your home. It holds value to you that can not be measured in £££ & pence. I respect that.”
Tell stories of others who have been in their position
Get emotional buy in 1st - this point will take most of the time. Only once you have buy in - move to point 2
2. Present the data without drama
Use facts, not, I repeat, NOT opinions.
Side by side comparisons of similar homes. Days on mkt. Price drops of competing listings. Lack of viewings.
“Since we launched, you’ve had X views on Rightmove, Y actual viewings, and no offers. The [insert name of town] property market is speaking. And it’s telling us we have missed the mark.
Use phrases like:
“We are not getting the right level of engagement”
“The market is rejecting the price”
“Buyers are seeing better value elsewhere”
3. Shift focus from price to outcome
Remind them of their goal: moving. Not listing. Not waiting.
“The question isn’t what the home is worth in theory. The question is: what will someone pay today to get you where you want to be?”
Anchor it in their life, not the market:
“If the home sold in the next 4 wks, what would that mean for you?”
“How long are you comfortable waiting before this starts affecting your next move?”
4. Reclaim control with options
Never say: “We need to drop the price.”
Instead, give two or three options, always letting the seller/vendor feel in charge.
“We can do one of three things:
A. Stay at this price and see if anything changes.
B. Refresh the marketing & reposition slightly, a tactical drop to reignite interest.
C. Take a bolder step, reduce decisively, and aim to capture buyers who’ve already dismissed us.
5. Frame the drop as a strategy, not a weakness
This is critical. You are not reducing because you are failing. You are adapting because you are smart.
“Price reductions don’t devalue your home. They reposition it to the right buyer who will pay full value and move quickly.”
Or
“It’s like fishing. If youare not getting bites, it’s not about the lake. Its about the bait. And in this market, the asking price is the bait.”
Final line to seal it:
“We only get one chance to be the fresh, exciting new listing. Every day we sit at the wrong price, we slowly become stale stock. Lets not let that happen.”
Christopher
