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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
  
Location: Canada | I price my horses according to the local market and I don't over price them just to make a buyer feel like they got a great deal. Occasionally for the right home I'll take a hundred or two less but that's it and that's more because I know it's a great fit and I consider it an advertising gain.
I am offended and annoyed when I show a horse and they ask if the price is firm (normally yes) and they book another showing. I show the horse a second time and after an hour of riding they offer way below what the horse was listed at after they raved about how much they loved it. That I find annoying because typically I have other people interested and I don't want to waste my time showing a horse to someone who isn't going to pay or doesn't have the money to buy the horse. To avoid that I know have people call me to discuss what their needs are, their experience and their goals and for the most part I've been able to weed out the total tire kickers.
I am not offended when someone calls and asks if I would consider an $XX offer because they don't have the entire price listed. This isn't a waste of my time and I appreciate that they are honest. If they have substantially less then I'm listing it for I many know of another horse that is in their price range for sale and can redirect them to that person.
I personally have emailed on behalf of clients for horses that were slightly out of their price range and asked if they would consider $xx dollars because that is all my client has. I always say I don't want to waste their time having them show a horse if it isn't something they'd accept. I have always been thanked for not wasting their time.
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 Expert
Posts: 3534
 
Location: Stuck in a cubicle having tropical thoughts | The last horse I sold, I had somebody offer 37.5% of my asking price. After multiple conversations and seeing the girl ride the horse, I knew they were a perfect fit. he also had a medical issue that she was fully aware of and prepared to care for the horse. We ended up settling at 50% of my asking price. This girl was 16 and after showing walking horses her entire life, she wanted to get into barrel racing. They were a perfect fit and he went to the best home I could have hoped for. It meant way more to me that he had a good home, good rider fit and somebody to care for him than cash.
I've also been on the end where I showed interest in a horse but when the seller told me the price, I told her that is way out of my price range. I never low balled an offer, just told her I had interest in the bloodlines on her farm but couldn't afford the prices she was advertising. She called me up one day and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. It was 50% less than the previous price she told me.
I'm always happy to negotiate. I've been on both sides of the negotiation. Something is only worth what somebody will pay. And $$ spent on a purchase price does not necessarily mean the animal will get great care. |
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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | All my horses are dead broke and have NFR potential, so when I ask $75-100K for them, I will only talk to serious inquiries, because my offer is firm. |
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 Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | Love this thread since I'm horse hunting.
I made an offer about 20% less on a horse that has issues. I felt bad because I really liked the seller and I know she paid more for the horse than what she was selling him for but that is what he was worth to me. Even though her ad said "Must Sell" with many exclamation points, she would not negotiate. I found out someone told her we were in the bag because we looked at the horse three times. (Partly because the owner was unable to ride him and show him properly.) But it was the opposite. If we really liked him, we would have grabbed him right away. And if I thought he was worth it, I certainly would have paid full asking price. I've paid full asking price many times and I've also low-balled and everything in between. The seller seemed a little mad. Maybe she will pop up in the dead of winter with second thoughts if he doesn't sell. Or at least counter back.
It seems like the prices are all over the place lately. I realize that my horse that I paid five grand for a few years ago is worth three grand today. If I'm lucky. I'm glad I'm not selling. But it's not that much fun buying anymore either! |
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
Location: Texas | TXBO - 2014-11-30 11:12 AM Fun2Run - 2014-11-30 10:14 AM Yes. If they can't afford the horse, they shouldn't even inquire. Just because you don't agree with the asking price doesn't mean you can't afford it.
People that have acquired wealth didn't get there by being foolish.
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | On the Flip side, a couple of years ago my daughters horse got hurt. An acquaintance we have known for some time said my X horse is in the pasture, I hate him, you can run him when ever you want...just come get him. So a few months past and she asked. Sure, come get him.
He was advertised for $5K online and had been for many months. He was a LOT of horse and not many people that rode him could handle him. He was very fast but had a lot of issues. 14 year old gelding. My daughter rode him and fell in love with him, started winning things and we discussed buying him as a back up.
I took him and had him vet checked and the vet said he would not buy the horse...shoulder injury that required at least once a year injections and contracted heels and "changes" in the bones of the front feet (I don't know what that means exactly or how the vet knew it was changed?)
So although they had not told us about these things, we were aware prior that there were some problems.
Farrier said he thought the feet issues could be dealt with for at least 3 or 4 more years then we would have to see but that was what I expected.
We did the math with what my daughter had and what I could help with and we offered $4K. Suddenly the price went up to $7500. My daughter did not bring up the vet check but told her that was all we had and thanked her for letting us use the horse and we returned him.
The add stayed up for $5K for another 2 months BUT then they trashed us and said our offer was a slap in the face. Told people some really mean things about us and it was really sad.
I didn't think my offer was that low, knowing everything I knew, but I also would not tear him down to buy him. I still love that horse. They never even made a counter offer (I really had no more money though), just immediately got angry.
He has been for sale ever since. I never every said a bad word about him, and never will. But not everyone has the same idea of what a horse is worth. |
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Who Wants to Trade?
Posts: 4692
| Never offended. I figure they know what they're willing to spend and that's fine.
Honestly, when I price things I usually price them at what I think is fair market...unless they aren't advertised...then I price them however I want. LOL
I also price at my "bottom dollar" so if you ask that I'll tell you to bring an offer and we'll talk. I don't negotiate with myself for you. Maybe that's why I like selling yearlings and broodmares. They're easy.
Edited by kuhlmann 2014-11-30 8:30 PM
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 Three in a Bikini
Posts: 2035
| I hate to think of how many people I have offended on here...  |
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 Expert
Posts: 1229
Location: Royal J Performance Horses, AZ | kuhlmann - 2014-11-30 7:18 PM
Never offended. I figure they know what they're willing to spend and that's fine.
Honestly, when I price things I usually price them at what I think is fair market...unless they aren't advertised...then I price them however I want. LOL
I also price at my "bottom dollar" so if you ask that I'll tell you to bring an offer and we'll talk. I don't negotiate with myself for you. Maybe that's why I like selling yearlings and broodmares. They're easy.
"I also price at my "bottom dollar" so if you ask that I'll tell you to bring an offer and we'll talk. I don't negotiate with myself for you."
Love this, and definitely going to hang onto that. I dislike when I say make an offer, and someone says "whats your lowest?"
Thats why i said make an offer... /rolls eyes |
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Expert
Posts: 1229
Location: Royal J Performance Horses, AZ | Now to answer the question.
Yes & No.
If the offer is way way low in my own mind yeah i'll be a little like "Yikes" but I respond kindly, and if i'm negotiable on the horse i let them know and we go from there.
Mostly I don't get offended because as others said you can say no and its no problem. and when you're a buyer everyone (almost everyone) wants a deal.
AND there is a horse i am thinking of imparticular that has been on the market for quite some time now, and when originally posted the horse was over priced (in my opinion, AND apparently others) As the horse did not sell for sometime. The seller was FIRM on said price. People stopped inquiring, so the price started dropping and was now negotiable.
So another reason why i think making offers is perfectly ok is because some times a seller may not price their horse(s) correctly according to the market and their value. |
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 Mouhahaha
Posts: 1786
Location: British Columbia | TXBO - 2014-11-30 12:12 PM
Fun2Run - 2014-11-30 10:14 AM Yes. If they can't afford the horse, they shouldn't even inquire. Just because you don't agree with the asking price doesn't mean you can't afford it.
People that have acquired wealth didn't get there by being foolish.
No, but they do say that the rich get rich by being cheap. Lol |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | TXBO - 2014-11-30 2:12 PM Fun2Run - 2014-11-30 10:14 AM Yes. If they can't afford the horse, they shouldn't even inquire. Just because you don't agree with the asking price doesn't mean you can't afford it.
People that have acquired wealth didn't get there by being foolish.
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 Googly Goo
Posts: 7053
| TMEquine - 2014-12-01 8:16 AM TXBO - 2014-11-30 12:12 PM Fun2Run - 2014-11-30 10:14 AM Yes. If they can't afford the horse, they shouldn't even inquire. Just because you don't agree with the asking price doesn't mean you can't afford it.
People that have acquired wealth didn't get there by being foolish.
No, but they do say that the rich get rich by being cheap. Lol
Many would say frugal. |
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Mouhahaha
Posts: 1786
Location: British Columbia | TXBO - 2014-12-01 7:25 AM
TMEquine - 2014-12-01 8:16 AM TXBO - 2014-11-30 12:12 PM Fun2Run - 2014-11-30 10:14 AM Yes. If they can't afford the horse, they shouldn't even inquire. Just because you don't agree with the asking price doesn't mean you can't afford it.
People that have acquired wealth didn't get there by being foolish.
No, but they do say that the rich get rich by being cheap. Lol
Frugal is a politically correct term for cheap  |
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 Dog Resuce Agent
Posts: 3459
Location: southeast Texas | In my mind, frugal is quality at a good price. Cheep is just that,,,,,cheep. |
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Googly Goo
Posts: 7053
| TMEquine - 2014-12-01 8:31 AM TXBO - 2014-12-01 7:25 AM TMEquine - 2014-12-01 8:16 AM TXBO - 2014-11-30 12:12 PM Fun2Run - 2014-11-30 10:14 AM Yes. If they can't afford the horse, they shouldn't even inquire. Just because you don't agree with the asking price doesn't mean you can't afford it.
People that have acquired wealth didn't get there by being foolish.
No, but they do say that the rich get rich by being cheap. Lol Frugal is a politically correct term for cheap
Lol! |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | I'll be the odd one out when it comes to pricing. I always price high. Not astronomically more than I feel they're worth. But I always go a few hundred high. People want to feel like they got a deal. They want to think they knocked the price down and made it more worthwhile. I'm not saying everyone is like that, but many are. If I price high, sometimes I make more than I thought I would, other times, the buyer will negotiate me down to where I wanted to get anyways. It works for me. I have sold plenty of horses to great homes this way.
A few months ago, we had a 22 year old mustang pony gelding. He was somewhat arthritic, lame unless he had front shoes. Had sweet itch prior to us buying him, had rubbed out his tail and had no mane. He was a grumpy old man. We bought him for our daughter, who decided she didn't want to ride. So he sat for a while. I advertised him as a slow going, older horse. Good for kids, walk and maybe trot. Needs maintanaince as far as arthritis and feet goes. Priced him well above what I should probably have gotten. Had a few people look at him wanting a "trail horse to go all day". They picked this old man apart and still had the gall to offer $ for him. I said no thanks due to knowing he was not able to perform what they were wanting. It wouldn't have been fair and I would have kept him before allowing that.
Sold him at full price to a mom and young son. They just wanted a companion for their goats and to hand walk him behind their house. The mom had always wanted a horse, but was in an accident as a child preventing her from physically being able to ride. It was the perfect home for the old boy.
Edited by ~BINGO~ 2014-12-01 9:48 AM
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 Saint Stacey
| No, I wouldn't be offended. I know fair market value. If they don't like the price, that's their problem. I am still the owner so I have the ability to say no. If it's ridiculously low, I would just laugh and figure the horse is better off without being owned by them anyhow. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 304
Location: SW North Dakota | I had a really nice Dash for Perks gelding for sale at $7500. I had a gal call on him and was super interested in him. Sounded like a nice home so I got excited. Then she started talking about how it was winter and how times have been tough and the economy just isn't what it use to be. Then she said that it was going to be like $1000 to ship him to her place and offered me something like $4000. I told her no...that I wasn't willing to deal that low on him. I then said that maybe she should look for something a little closer to home to avoid the shipping costs or to look at something priced a little cheaper so she could afford the shipping. Thats what I do when I'm looking. She immediately got PISSED at me for suggesting that she couldn't afford the horse. Said she had two pro caliber 1D horses at home that were worth big money and that she had a shipper on hold to come up to pick my horse up but that she would have to pass on my horse because of my poor business practices. Since when is suggesting looking at something closer to your budget poor business practice????? I seriously thought that this lady was crazy for blowing .
I sold him a month later for full asking price to an awesome home that was perfect for him. I don't mind entertaining offers on a horse, but not for half off.  |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| TXBO - 2014-11-30 1:12 PM
Fun2Run - 2014-11-30 10:14 AM Yes. If they can't afford the horse, they shouldn't even inquire. Just because you don't agree with the asking price doesn't mean you can't afford it.
People that have acquired wealth didn't get there by being foolish.
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