Top 3 Common Myths About Motivated Sellers

By JP Fluellen

JP became a licensed real estate agent in 2010 after being a real estate investor for 2 years. He’s been a top real estate agent at Coldwell Banker The Property Exchange and has recently started the Titan Real Estate Team at eXp Realty.

You spot the words “motivated seller” in a listing, and your first thought might be, “Great, this could be a steal!” But not so fast. Motivation doesn’t always equal markdown. In real estate, motivation means urgency, not necessarily discount. Behind that label, there’s usually a story that’s pushing the seller to act fast.

Why do some sellers need to move fast? When someone is called a motivated seller, it means life circumstances are pushing them to sell fast, maybe a divorce, job transfer, inheritance, or financial strain like high holding costs or two mortgages. But motivation isn’t always a crisis. Sometimes it’s just timing, needing to close before buying another home, relocating, or avoiding foreclosure. It’s not desperation; it’s problem-solving through a sale.

Here are three common myths about motivated sellers that both buyers and agents need to clear up.

1. Motivated means cheap. A motivated seller doesn’t automatically mean a bargain. Just because someone wants to sell quickly doesn’t mean the property is undervalued or that they’ll accept any offer. The best way to test true motivation is simple: make an offer below asking, maybe $20,000 to $30,000 less, and see how they respond. That’s when you’ll find out how serious they are about selling.

2. Motivated means easy. Some of the most motivated sellers are also the most challenging to work with. Stress, legal issues, financial problems, or emotional strain can make the process tougher than usual. Their urgency can translate into tension, so buyers and agents should expect to navigate complex emotions and logistics.

3. Motivated sellers don’t make it obvious. There’s no neon sign flashing “Lowball me!” Sellers rarely advertise how motivated they truly are. That’s why asking the right questions is key. You have to dig beneath the surface to find out what their motivation really is, what problem they’re trying to solve, and what peace of mind looks like for them.

The real opportunity for buyers and agents. For investors, the real opportunity isn’t in offering the lowest price; it’s in solving problems. If you can close quickly, take the property as-is, or handle the repairs, you instantly become valuable to a seller who needs relief more than top dollar. That’s what makes you, as the saying goes, the white knight in steel-toed boots.

For real estate agents, motivation doesn’t mean cutting commission or rushing a sale. It means guiding clients through complexity, helping with pricing, staging, creative marketing, or connecting them with short-sale or probate attorneys when needed. That kind of expertise can make the difference between chaos and a clean closing.

In the end, a motivated seller is someone who values certainty and speed over price. They’re trading equity for peace of mind. That peace of mind might look like cash in hand, a fast closing, no repairs, a flexible move-out date, or privacy during the process. Once you identify what that peace of mind means to them, that’s when the real deal comes together.

If you’re buying or selling and want to make the most of a motivated situation, call or text me at (307) 772-1184 or email jp@titanreteam.com. I’ll help you spot the real opportunities and handle the tricky parts so things go smoothly.