When you receive a very low offer on one of your listings that is priced right, what’s your strategy? In many cases, the sellers may become angry with you for bringing them a low offer. The question is, how will you handle it?

If your sellers become angry over a low offer that you or another agent has written, here’s a tried-and-true script that works like charm:

Mr. and Mrs. Seller, I would have liked nothing better than to bring you a full price offer. However, the buyers have elected to write an offer that is substantially under your asking price. My experience has been that about half the time we can put these together if you will write a counteroffer and continue the negotiation.

This approach almost always works, but what do you do when it doesn’t?

If your sellers are really angry and they never want to hear from the buyers again, you can always suggest that they counter the buyer over asking price. I’ve had two occasions where the sellers did exactly that. My clients were actually gleeful about giving the buyers a taste of their own medicine. Keep in mind, however, the best course of action is to keep them at the negotiation table.