• Home
  • About
  • In the Press
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Selling
  • Buying
  • Waterfront
  • Luxury
  • Short Sales
  • Foreclosures
  • St. Petersburg
  • Clearwater
  • Tampa
  • New Construction Homes
  • Market Analysis
  • Buy
  • Sell
  • Clearwater
  • St. Petersburg
  • Tampa
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Call/Text: 727-755-3325

Liane Jamason - Corcoran Dwellings

Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater Luxury & Waterfront Real Estate

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Giving Back
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Listings
    • My Active Listings
    • My Sold Listings
    • Advanced Search
  • In the Press
  • Reviews

727-755-3325

9 Unrealistic Buyer Expectations: A Reality Check

October 22, 2013 by Liane Jamason 1 Comment

As a St. Petersburg Realtor, daily I hear comments like these from Buyers.  It’s okay, I try not to sweat it.  Many times its a matter of educating first time homebuyers or out-of-state relocation buyers who may not have a knowledge of the local St. Petersburg real estate market.  Listen to your Realtor!

1. Buyer: “It’s a Buyer’s market.  The Sellers need me more than I need them.  My sister’s boyfriend’s brother who has his real estate license but works at McDonald’s told me so.”

Realtor:  Not so much in many areas and price points.  The market has flipped the other way, inventory is low, and we are seeing multiple offers out there, often over asking price… i.e. Seller’s market.

pt-realtor
Everyone and their brother has got a real estate license these days…

2. Buyer:  “I can get a mortgage with no problem. Let’s go see these 25 houses first, and then I will get a pre-approval letter once I have found the one.”

Realtor:  We only put pre-approved buyers in our cars, and inside our Seller’s homes.  This way we know for sure what price range you are in and no one gets disappointed.  It’s also gotten tougher these days to get a mortgage if you have some flaws on your credit report or high debt-to-income ratios, so its best to find out what’s on your credit report by doing the mortgage pre-approval up front.  Then you’ll be able to make an offer on the spot if you find “the one”.

3. Buyer: “What do you mean there are closing costs on top of the down payment for my mortgage?!  Can’t the Seller pay that?  I have $1000 saved – that’s enough, right?”

Realtor: Yes, there are closing costs too!  No, $1,000 is not going to cover it!  You’ll want to talk to your mortgage professional about how much you have saved towards closing costs and down payment.  Sometimes the Seller can contribute a portion towards the closing costs, but it depends on what type of loan you are getting, and generally Buyers will up their offer if they expect the Seller to pay closing costs.  The lowest down payment option available is on an FHA loan – 3.5% of the purchase price, plus closing costs can be several thousand additional.

4. Buyer:  “We know the roof checked out fine even though its 8 years old in the inspection but we would like the Sellers to install a new Spanish tile roof for us. We love the way they look.”

Realtor:  Refer back to answer #1.  This is not a buyer’s market, its a Seller’s market so if you love the home, don’t make outrageous requests of the Sellers or you might lose the house!  Asking for things like repairs to a leaking roof are one thing, cosmetic changes are another completely.

Screen Shot 2013-10-21 at 5.43.10 PM

5. Buyer: “I would like to make the Seller an offer 50% of the asking price and don’t plan to go up a whole lot.”  (True Story! I almost died laughing!)

Realtor: The average discount in Tampa Bay hovers around 4 to 6%.  See the latest market statistics above.  This ain’t 2009!  Most Realtors will not waste their time with a buyer who wants to make such lowball offers.

6. Buyer: “I would like a condo on St. Pete Beach for $250,000. Oh, by the way, it needs to have an unobstructed ocean view.”

Realtor:  Still ain’t 2009, my friend.  Prices have risen, but there are still some great deals out there to be had.  But $250,000 for an ocean view isn’t happening.  If it was out there, I would have bought it.

7.  Buyer: “We want a newer home on an at least half an acre lot, with a water view within walking distance of downtown St. Pete for $400,000, max.”

Realtor:  Again, if it was out there, I would have bought it!  St. Pete’s historic Old Northeast is full of mostly older homes (many have been completely gutted and remodeled) which are within walking distance of downtown.  However, the homes here are generally on zero lot lines or close to it.  If you want to be within downtown walking distance of downtown, with a larger than average lot size and a water view, the only place you are going to find something like this is in Coffee Pot Bayou or Snell Isle… and probably at a cost of $1,000,000+.

8. Buyer: “I want to lease option a condo on Clearwater Beach. Preferably on the beach. Can you help me find a Seller that won’t ask me to put much money down?”

Realtor:  Probably not.  Lease options and Rent-To-Own scenarios are, in this Realtor’s opinion, not really beneficial to the tenant and generally require a sizable deposit.  These are risky transactions, and in a Seller’s Market, no ones really doing them much if they can easily sell to a ready and willing buyer with cash or a pre-approved mortgage.

9.  Buyer: “I plan on moving down to Florida in 2 years, but want to look at some property now on vacation. Can we see these 15 homes this weekend?”  

Realtor:  I’ve got buyers who are going to be homeless if I don’t find them something immediately that are #1 priority.  The market will have completely changed in 2 years time as will the properties that are listed.  Go and drive the neighborhoods now.  Find what areas you like.  Then call me in 2 years when you are ready!

This blog was written a bit tongue in cheek. My former grammar teacher mom would be mortified if she knew I was using the word “ain’t” in a blog post for my real estate business!  😉

Image via Dailyecho.co.uk

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
  • Print

Related

Filed Under: Ask a Realtor, Buying, Featured, Tampa Bay Area Statistics, Uncategorized Tagged With: Buyers, Buying, St. Petersburg Real Estate, St. Petersburg Realtor, Top St. Petersburg Realtor

About Liane Jamason

Liane Jamason is the Broker/Owner of Corcoran Dwellings. Her team is in the Top 1% of Tampa Bay real estate agents, and specializes in Waterfront and Luxury Homes in St. Petersburg and Tampa.

Comments

  1. Amy Seeks says

    October 22, 2013 at 11:05 am

    I think #6 and #7 are daily occurrences, aren’t they! Fun to smile at though, Liane!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Brand New Listings That Just Hit the Market!

Recent Posts

  • 6 Things to Know If You’re Considering a Move to St. Pete, FL in 2025
  • Wholesalers Prey on Hurricane Victims: What to Watch Out For
  • I Flooded During Hurricane Helene and I Want Out…Now What?
  • How Do I Prepare My Home for Selling? Pre-Photoshoot Checklist
  • NAR Settlement and Clickbait Headlines: Why It’s Still Important to Use an Experienced Buyer’s Agent
  • Highest Priced Sale on Shore Acres Blvd in History of St. Petersburg neighborhood
  • Biden’s Proposed Changes to 1031 Exchanges May Impact Real Estate Market
  • Why Buying a House is Like Dating: A Humorous Take on Finding Your Perfect Match

Blog Categories

  • Adventures in Real Estate
  • Ask a Realtor
  • Bad MLS Photos
  • Buying
  • Celebrity Real Estate
  • Condos
  • Curb Appeal
  • Featured
  • For Sale By Owner
  • Foreclosure
  • Gated Communities
  • Just Listed/Sold
  • Listings
  • Mortgage News
  • New Construction
  • Real Estate News
  • Remodeling Trends
  • Rentals
  • Selling
  • Short Sales
  • St. Pete News
  • St. Petersburg Restaurants
  • Tampa Bay Area Statistics
  • Things to Do
  • Uncategorized
  • Videos

Rated in the Top 3 St Petersburg Real Estate Agents

Best Real estate agents in St Petersburg

Client Testimonials

I definitely recommend Liane if you are trying to sell your house. We had previously listed our house with another realtor. It sat for a year without selling. While we did like our other realtor, she was just not very proactive in contacting us or suggesting things to get the house sold. After switching to Liane, we had an offer in less than a week and closed 30 days later!
- Vanessa DeMarco
We had a previous realtor before Liane and it was night and day in comparison. I have extremely high expectations on responsiveness and was continually impressed. Her comparisons pulled on our house were dead on.
- Michelle Bartha
I had truly wonderful experience with Liane! My house was sold within a week! She helped me deal with all the issues that arose during the process, which was wonderful since my house was in FL, while I reside in NY! She was always accessible and returned my calls promptly. I would highly recommend her.
- Slavina Gardella
Liane was recommended by 2 close friends I trust very much. My experience with her was beyond what I was expecting. She was extremely knowledgeable and I will recommend her to everyone looking to buy or sell.
- Ed Allen
Read More Testimonials

Liane has been featured in…







About Liane Jamason

lianegravatraLiane Jamason is the broker/owner of Corcoran Dwellings in St. Petersburg, Florida. She is in the Top 1% of local Realtors, and specializes in Waterfront and Luxury Homes in St. Petersburg and Tampa and beyond.

Follow Liane Jamason

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Our Services

  • List Your Home
  • Buyer's Representation
  • Luxury Homes
  • Waterfront Homes
  • Historic Homes
  • Foreclosures & Short Sales

We Help You Find Your Dream Home

Office Location

1405 Dr. MLK Jr St N.
St Petersburg, FL 33704

See Location

Phone: 727-755-3325

  • Home
  • About
  • In the Press
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Selling
  • Buying
  • Waterfront
  • Luxury
  • Short Sales
  • Foreclosures
  • St. Petersburg
  • Clearwater
  • Tampa
  • New Construction Homes
  • Market Analysis

Copyright © 2025 · Liane Jamason, LLC d/b/a/ Jamason Group · Built by Varick Design

Copyright © 2025 · Liane Jamason Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.