How to handle the 6 most common "now is not a good time to sell" objections
Six word-for-word scripts plus email templates for handling the conversations that make or break a listing.
Six word-for-word scripts plus email templates for handling the conversations that make or break a listing.
Every motivated vendor has a reason to delay. Sometimes it's genuine. Sometimes it's fear dressed up as logic.
Either way, your job is the same: listen to what they're telling you, and then help them think it through clearly.
The six objections below come up constantly right now. Some are reasonable concerns. Some are myths that have been passed around at barbecues for years. All of them have a straightforward, honest response. Use these scripts verbatim, or adapt them to your own voice.
Here are the 6 objections covered:
- "The market is too slow right now. We'll wait for it to pick up."
- "There are too many listings out there. We won't get a good price."
- "It's an election year. We'll wait until after November 7th."
- "Winter is the wrong time to sell."
- "We won't get the price we need if we move now."
- "Interest rates are still high. Buyers aren't active."
I've also written a ready-to-send email version for each - ideal for any unsure vendors in your pipeline.
Objection 1: "The market is too slow right now. We'll wait for it to pick up."
This is the most common objection in a flat market, and it sounds logical on the surface. The problem is that "picking up" is something that happens in hindsight. You can't see it coming, and by the time it's obvious, everyone else is listing too.
The response that works here isn't to challenge their view of the market. It's to reframe what waiting actually costs them.
Try this: "I completely understand that instinct, and you're right that the market isn't as active as it was a couple of years ago. But here's the thing - the owners who tend to do best in a slower market are the ones who list before everyone else decides the market has picked up. Once confidence returns, your competition multiplies overnight. Right now, a well-presented property with a realistic price still attracts the buyers who are active. And there are always buyers who need to move. Would you rather have less competition, or more?"
Email version Subject: Something worth thinking about if you're considering selling...
Hi [First Name],
I wanted to share something I've been seeing a lot lately.
Many owners I speak with are holding off because the market feels quiet. Completely understandable. But here's what's actually happening: the owners who are listing now are facing far less competition than they would if they waited for things to heat up. Buyer activity is still there - it's just a bit more selective.
When the market does pick up, listings multiply fast. Right now, motivated buyers have fewer properties to choose from.
If you've been thinking about making a move, even in the medium term, it might be worth a quick chat about your options. No pressure - just a conversation.
[Your name] [Phone number]
Want the next five scripts?
Objections 2 to 6 are where the conversations get harder - the election timing stall, the winter myth, the price anchor, the 'too many listings' objection and the interest rate worry. These are the ones where most agents either fumble the response or back down entirely.
Agent Vault members get all six scripts in full, plus a ready-to-send email for each objection you can forward directly to fence-sitting vendors in your database.
That's 12 pieces of ready-to-use content from this guide alone - and a new batch of scripts, articles, and playbooks lands every single week.
From NZ$49/month. No lock-in, cancel any time.
Objection 2: "There are too many listings out there. We won't get a good price."
This one is often true in aggregate, but almost never true for a well-prepared, correctly priced individual property. The nuance matters, and you need to help owners see it.
