Annoying buyers..

S

Starbucks

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My mum is trying to sell her 15 yo horse. He's lovely and doesn't look/act in anyway old.

Some people came to see him, really liked him, said they were going to come back with their trainer blah blah... then called back and said he was older than what they were looking for.

Why the hell did they come to see him then?????
 
Selling horses is literally the biggest pain in the ass ever - so I feel your pain!
 
I feel your pain... I'm trying to sell the car and had someone call the other day. Spent half an hour on the phone telling him all about it, and he came across really enthust, and asked to view it. I told him when I was around, and he said he'd call that morning... no call!! I tried to call him... no answer.
Later found out he was looking for a newer model... THEN WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU SAY WHEN I TOLD YOU THE YEAR OF THE CAR!!!!!

Good luck with your sale!!
 
I suspect that they were initially happy to buy a 15 year old which is why they came to view, but then subsequently their trainer (who perhaps has something to sell them:p) put them off the idea with a load of horror stories about keeping older horses sound.
 
Someone came to see my pony advertised for £5000, loved him said he was worth the money but that they couldn't afford that. they didn't even make an offer so they obviously had no intention of paying anywhere near the asking price, i felt so sorry for the kid. We have now sold the pony to sensible peole so just stick in there and i'm sure the right person will come along. I get the feeling these annoying buyers are people who have never tried to sell horses themselves
 
Yep I had the same when selling mine - one woman was all enthusiastic and really keen....then phoned me the next day to say he was too big... he hadnt grown overnight!!
 
I don't really understand why people are like this it's totoally not like what I'm like when I buy horses!! I always try to really sus them out on the phone and if it's not going to be the right thing on paper then I don't bother going to look! Then I either like it and buy it or tend not to even like the look of it so am not keen (as to misslead the sellers)..

It does annoy me though people are all picky and still end up with ****.

Grrr!
 
Yup! You've been stung by Timewasters I'm afraid: please feel free to view my post in New Lounge on this very subject, in connection with prospective liveries.

It seems there are people out there who are attention-deficient, in that they seem to want people to drop everything for them and give them your undivided attention. I just don't get it. This is such an exasperating thing, everyone who's sold anything will always get a plague of them; plus YO's it seems!!!!!

Good luck, hope your horse sells well soon.
 
I feel your pain. I have never sold only brought but from my perspective I have exactly the same problems.

I also hate it when on paper the horse sounds perfect, you get there and try it and its all ok but you just don't click with the horse or get on with it. For me I am not going to buy something I just don't get on with and then have to keep it for the next 30 odd years. I would end up rensenting it. Nothing wrong with the horse but just not a suitable match in personality. I have (I confess) often made up stupid excuses because there actually isn't anything wrong with the horse and when I have been honest in the past to sellers face to face I have had some really nasty experiances. Better (easier) to have them think your a time waster when you make the call than to have them screaching at you because you don't like their horse despite it being on paper exactly what you are looking for.

Finding the right horse or the right home for your horse I think is harder than finding a boyfriend... But then I keep my horses a heck of a lot longer than my lovers!!! ;)
 
Starbucks said:
Hmm I suppose maybe they just didn't like him.. their loss!
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Could be.

But I would think that some of the other suggestions may be more to the point. If they were coming back with theri instructor and then after speaking to the instructor all of a sudden they back off... Sounds to me that they may also be getting "advised" not to.

Try to look at it this way. If they can be put off so easily then actually would you want such "wishy washy" people to buy your Mums horse? Far better for your horse to have the right home where (s)he will be loved just the way they are.
 
TGM said:
I suspect that they were initially happy to buy a 15 year old which is why they came to view, but then subsequently their trainer (who perhaps has something to sell them:p) put them off the idea with a load of horror stories about keeping older horses sound.
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That's just what I was thinking.
 
I would think your viewers did like your horse but the instructor has put them off.

It is difficult being a buyer too though, I was labelled a timewaster and the people after me too, who were travelling miles to see a horsebox that was described as mint condition etc etc. Got there and it was terrible, shiny new respray but a very rotten floor, hole in the roof, nearly got knocked out by the ramp that was 'as light as a feather!!. Box has now been readvertised due to timewasters??
It is hard saying to someone, sorry its a load of rubbish but I certainly wouldnt have said oh I like it then rang later to say sorry its too old when I knew the age before I went.
 
Louby said:
It is hard saying to someone, sorry its a load of rubbish but I certainly wouldnt have said oh I like it then rang later to say sorry its too old when I knew the age before I went.
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I don't do that - the phrase I use is "I need to have a think about it" - If I say that then you just know that I will be ringing later to say I am sorry but no. If I do not like it then I do not say I do not like it, but will find something nice to say if the seller is getting stressy. I like peace and quiet!

If I say my niggles are xyz and I need to think about it then I will probably be back to buy after working out what I can do about xyz!
 
It is hard saying to someone, sorry its a load of rubbish but I certainly wouldnt have said oh I like it then rang later to say sorry its too old when I knew the age before I went.[/QUOTE]

:eek::eek::eek:, whoops just re read what I typed, it reads wrong :). Was trying to say, I wouldnt list its faults and wouldnt spend much time there or test drive or ride and I would make my excuses and leave. I wouldnt view something that I concidered too old just for the sake of it. I have viewed a wagon for sale on behalf of someone else and in that case I just said, sorry its not what Im looking for.
 
I sympathise but there also annoying sellers out there.

I contacted someone two days ago from an on line ad that had mobile and email contact details. It was gone midnight when I noticed so I thought I'd best email. Yesterday I get an email not answering the two perfectly straightforward questions but saying ' I don't want to deal through email' :confused: Then don't put your email address in ad!!
 
Ehmm, to go back to the horse selling issue/timewasters: I've only ever sold a horse once in my life, and that was just because he was a little Section D who was, at that time, a bit too sharp for me, and because (1) I'd never sold a horse before and (2) couldn't stand the thought of the timewasters, I used an agent.

The difference between an agent and a dealer is manifold, but one thing about it is that you can choose where your horse goes, whereas a dealer you can't. Also you can get to talk to the prospective owners; and the yard will do a good job of fending off timewasters!!!

Its just a thought. It might not be as expensive as you think either ...... I just offer this as a possible solution.

How do you find an agent? Well, I asked around, horsey friends, local tack shop etc., and the same name kept coming up, so I went to see this lady at her yard and she spent a great deal of time finding out about the horse (issues and all!) so that she'd have a good idea of the sort of rider I was, and the sort of prospective owner he'd suit. My little Welsh D found a lovely home, just what I would have wanted, and I was so pleased. She also searched for another horse for me; and again, because she was thorough and knew how I rode/lifestyle etc., she didn't have to waste a lot of time trawling through adverts etc as she had a good idea who to go to.

Anyway, just a suggestion. It worked for me, but others on this forum might urge caution. Buy it might save you a lot of headaches!
 
Both myself and a friend have sold horses this summer (albeit slower than normal years!!) and both of us have had buyers that tried the horse and then came up with a reason why they "daren't commit to buying, but could they take it on loan for six months and then decide.." (Yeah, sure - take it over the summer and send it back in winter...!!)They all got a resounding No, and we found decent honest buyers in the end!! I can't decide if they're joy riders or just numpties!!
 
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