"Good home more important than price" ads

[Bangagin]

I'm looking for a loan horse at the moment, and you have to look quite carefully because on some websites horses under the "for sale" section are also advertised as potential loans.

I've seen one locally who is for sale and the ad says "good home more important than price". On reading the description (10 year old horse, looks to move quite nicely from the photos, good all rounder, safe and sensible) I would expect the owner to be asking quite a lot more than the price he is advertised for (under £1000).

This has got me thinking - if you really want the best possible home for your horse, would you advertise them at a low price to achieve this, or would you price them at current market value? And would you consider a loan if you thought someone was right for your horse that was up for sale?

Just trying to see if from the seller/loaner perspective.

 

[brightmount]

Being in this position (shortly) I will be pricing at the market value, leaving it open to negotiate the price when the right person comes along. Selling cheap is a recipe for disaster, the horse will be sold on by an opportunist. And I want to reserve the right to refuse a sale to the first person to get their chequebook out.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

If selling, I'd advertise at the market value to deter dealers and people looking for a cheap horse because I'd hope the buyer was financially able to pay for correctly fitting tack and get a vet/EDT/pyhsio etc out for routine care. Of course, some people do not have the cash up front to buy a horse but don't scrimp on the basics, but as a seller, an indication that they can afford to look after the horse properly by having the purchase price is a start.
That said, if the perfect buyer came along and genuinely couldn't afford the asking price, I would accept less to ensure the best home.

 

[Dry Rot]

Unfortunately, some people are forced into a situation where they have to sell. On the other hand, there seem to be a lot of bargain hunters out there whose only concern is the price. That's the problem. Don't state a price and you'll get umpteen inquiries just asking the price. I suspect some of these are wanting a valuation of what they have for sale themselves! Others, quite plausibly, aren't going to travel to view a horse that is priced outside their budget.

So, maybe if your back is against the wall, you'd pitch a low price but be extremely picky about who you sell to. At least that way, you'll get prospective buyers and maybe some to choose from.

I'm another who won't sell cheap or to a dubious home. But, fortunately, I am not in the position that I have to sell and for the moment, I'm sitting it out.

If anyone knows the answer to this problem, I'd love to hear it. I would have thought that someone seriously in the market would want to go and see the horse and possibly negotiate rather than move on to the next cheapest on the list in the hope of grabbing a bargain. If they can offer an exceptional home, I think most would be prepared to negotiate a fair price to both sides.