Keller WIlliams Luxury Logo
Home » The Spreadsheet Guy

Have you ever heard of the spreadsheet guy? It is today’s modern buyer. He is highly educated, highly motivated, and beyond analytical. This is the guy that goes out to look at homes with his laptop or iPad in hand. On it is a spreadsheet that could choke a horse. This type of person would have already broken down every home for sale in the neighborhood he is interested in and then the nearby neighborhoods as well. He’ll know every home address for sale, the beds, the baths, the square foot, lot size, age, what it previously sold for, and the most important stat of all…price per square foot. Most of the time, he will be able to quote sales trends like a chapter and verse of the Bible for the last 6 and 12 months. Once the time comes to make an offer on a house, he will pin down the sales price right down to the penny. So what’s wrong with that… right?

There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, I love an educated buyer. It makes my job so much easier. The only issue we run into is that very rarely does that sale pan out just like the spreadsheet guy planned. All the home work, studying and analyzing is great, but at the end of the day, the sale boils down to one thing, “What is a seller willing to sell for and what is a buyer willing to pay?” I see the spreadsheet guys submitting offer after offer on properties. Usually, after the third or fourth offer and there is and still no deal, they start to get frustrated. They wonder why the sellers can’t see or understand the data. They wonder what their agents are doing wrong and they wonder why they can’t get the house they want at the price they want to pay.

Just about this time, their better half steps up and says, “Ok, enough of the low offers. I want a house and I want this process to be over. I am tired of looking at homes.” They make a more reasonable offer on the next house. There is some dialogue between the buyer and seller and then there is a compromise. The house is under contract, it closes and then they move in.

The key to remember for the spreadsheet buyer is not who won, lost, or who got the best deal. It’s simply this: Did you get the house you really like, will really enjoy, be very happy in, and did you get it for a fair price?  The deal always comes down to what a seller is willing to sell for and what is a buyer willing to pay. Make the compromise.

 

Recent Posts

June Market Statistics for the Kohala Coast

June Market Statistics for the Kohala Coast

Real estate activity along the Kona-Kohala Coast was quiet in June, with only a few condominium sales and no single-family home sales within the resort areas. The exception was Mauna Lani Resort, which was the bright spot with six condominium closings. Mauna Kea...

read more
Featured Big Island Restaurant & Activity for August

Featured Big Island Restaurant & Activity for August

Featured Activity: A Day Trip to the East Side – Explore ʻImiloa Astronomy Center Located on the University of Hawaiʻi-Hilo campus, ʻImiloa Astronomy Center is a must-visit destination for anyone curious about the stars, Hawaiian culture, and the art ofnavigation....

read more
May Sales Statistics for the Big Island Resort Areas

May Sales Statistics for the Big Island Resort Areas

Apart from condominium sales in Mauna Lani and Waikoloa Beach resorts, real estate activity along the Kona-Kohala Coast was light. Mauna Lani Resort led the market with six condominium sales, followed by three in Waikoloa Beach Resort and one in Mauna Kea Resort....

read more
The Leverage Is Yours, For Now.

The Leverage Is Yours, For Now.

By Dan Polimino The slow season in Hawai`i is May 1 through November 1. There is usually is a little bit of an uptick in activity in the summer months of June, July and August based on summer vacation travel. But, for the most part tourism is down, sales transactions...

read more

Recent Listings

Call Now