Let Your Agent Shine (the Way)

I have been asked numerous times over the years if I had access to off-market listings. Such buyers assume, almost always, that there is a secret stash of apartments that you could buy at a fat discount if only you had the right connection.

And sure, there are cases in which owners sell their apartments and houses off-market to avoid publicity. Or just to avoid the hassle and intrusion. However, the reality is that well-informed sellers will almost always opt to put their units on the open market because this approach tends to lead to the highest possible price.

In the current market, still arguably a buyer's market, there are somewhat fewer listings given the time of year despite the fact that (as noted above) seasonality has largely returned to the NYC market. So prices are down, but there's nothing really wow on the market, eh? Enter your agent. A few well-placed phone calls – to sellers who never sold, or to agents whose listings expired without selling – could get you access to see apartments that no one else is seeing right now.

The catch? You must keep in mind that your offer will need to be a fair one in order to tempt the reluctant seller off the fence. If you low-ball, never a good idea in any event, they may turn a deaf ear if you return to the table to offer more down the road. So discuss pricing closely with your agent to make sure you get this right the first time – it may be your one chance to claim that perfect place that you might otherwise have had to wait to fight over in the open market!