Ahh, the good old days.  Do you remember when you finished school, got a job, got married, bought a house, had 2 kids and this defined your successful life.  Things sure have changed.  The world is a different place now and we have to adapt and work through the economic changes also.  One of the effects of the economic changes has to do with the value of your home at this time.  Homes are still a great value.  With interest rates so low, you can buy for the same or less than you can rent.  Housing values will increase in the future.  But the reality right now is that housing values are at an all time low.  Great for buyers…not so great for sellers.  The hardest hit homeowners are the ones that bought 2 to 5 years ago and need to sell now. They bought when real estate was at its highest and are now trying to sell in a less than desirable market.  What this means is that some people who are having to sell right now are going to be faced with selling their home at a loss.  This is a very tough conversation to have to have with a potential client.  Most people would never imagine that they could buy a home, keep it for a couple of years and then have to bring money to the closing to sell it.  This is where your preparation comes in handy.  You explain the comps and you explain the seller’s net worth worksheet.  These are facts, and while they may not be desirable, they are the facts.  I look forward to the time in the future when there are fewer of these conversations, until then, we will continue to present the most accurate information that we can to help the seller to make the most informed decision that they can. How do you handle these situations?