Strategies for Overpriced Offers

Moreover, there is an enormous experience gap (in the case of the broker), because the broker is continuously selling various properties – whereas I am buying one for the first time in my life.

Oh, how much longer will I continue to write unsuccessfully against this misconception "the broker just can’t not have more expertise than me, after all, that’s his profession"? – stupid stays stupid, not even practice helps!

Do brokers agree if you offer them that a price reduction they achieve for me does not reduce their commission? [...] What other goals could a broker have in the sales process, besides "as fast as possible" and "as high a commission as possible"?

A good broker understands his business even without you, and you won’t teach that to the “other” 98% either – not even with angelic tongues AND donkey patience. The approach "the asking price remains the basis for your commission, even if the final price is below it" is good. Going further ("you get more if you secure the property for me cheaper") would be incitement to breach of duty to a party and in my view at least unfair.

How do the "brokers" from the real estate departments of banks generally tick? It is noticeable that their broker offices write particularly careless, brief, and sloppy listings, but of course always with the maximum allowable commission. Do they perhaps have different interests? Are they selling properties from their "non-performing" loans?

I hardly believe that the carelessness and sloppiness of most brokers could be increased any further. The interest of the "real estate specialists" is simply personal: to stand above the colleagues from the counter service in the in-house cafeteria and parking lot hierarchy, so at least a small step closer to the golden boys from the securities department. They simply want to sit closer to the stocks than the savings books at the Christmas party. Intellectual poverty thrives best on the floor of financial wealth. Banks are strictly organized in segmented areas: realizing collateral from non-performing engagements is the task of another department.

I suspect that many brokers do not respect the equality (due to equal pay) of both client sides and advocate much more strongly for the seller than for the buyer.

That is more than a suspicion. Charging the second party equally with the fee should not be confused with a joint mandate. A broker is not a mediator.

One must nowadays, even as a buyer, always sign a brokerage contract before the viewing. Thus, the broker has contracts with both parties.

No, that is not a brokerage contract. One agrees to a revocation instruction. However, you are still not a principal. Just imagine: 100 interested parties who want a brochure and now all see themselves as principals – but for what purpose?

But regardless of that, in business life the saying should always apply: "Whose bread I eat, his song I sing." And the broker does indeed eat bread from both sides in exactly equal parts.

So, 101 contractual parties to one property? And therefore: the loyal broker is the partner of the principal, usually the seller here.

Our target property belongs to the local Sparkasse. The asking price is realistically appropriate for the market and not a fantasy price, and the commission is 2.98%, below the usual 3.57%. No idea why that is. All three properties we viewed through the Sparkasse were reasonably priced.

Our target property is from the local Sparkasse. The asking price is realistically appropriate for the market and not a fantasy price, and the commission is 2.98% below the usual 3.57%. No idea why that is. All three properties we looked at through the Sparkasse were reasonably priced.

Thank you for the little report! Were you able to find out by any chance why this property is being offered by Sparkasse (and not by a traditional real estate agent)? Is it a fire sale? Or did the seller choose Sparkasse as the agent for other reasons?

So with two of the three offers, the owners received a caretaker due to a care case. And once it was a community of heirs.

I still think that it is an individual story every time

The joke is that you create and follow through with your own story. Having equality and taking active steps. Those who only react to the market or others will find it increasingly difficult.