Beware of These Real Estate Tactics
By Leigh Martinuzzi | Martinuzzi Property Group – eXp Australia
Real estate can feel exciting, but it can also get messy when money, timing, and emotions all collide.
The market has become slicker, faster, and more competitive. Buyers are more strategic. Sellers feel more pressure. Agents are working hard to win listings and hold deals together. In the middle of all that, tactics can appear that catch people off guard.
Some are subtle. Some are obvious. Some are dressed up as “just how the market works”.
Not every agent, buyer, or transaction involves these issues. Still, buyers and sellers should know what to watch for before they are deep in a deal and trying to make big decisions under pressure.
Here are some real estate tactics people should be aware of.
Overpricing to win your listing
One common tactic is quoting a very high price upfront to win the listing.
It sounds great in the lounge room. You hear a number above your expectations, you feel encouraged, and you naturally lean towards the agent who sounds the most confident. The problem is that the figure may never have been realistic.
Then the campaign starts, and the conversation changes.
You start hearing things like:
“We need to adjust to the market.”
“Buyers are not seeing value there.”
“The feedback is telling us we need to come down.”
Sometimes a price change is fair. Markets shift, and buyer feedback matters. But sometimes the original figure was unrealistic from day one.
Before signing with an agent, ask:
– What comparable sales support that price?
– What evidence backs it up?
– What is the plan if buyer feedback comes in lower than expected?
False urgency and pressure tactics
Pressure is one of the oldest tactics in real estate, and it can come from different directions.
Some sellers hear lines like:
“You need to take this now.”
“If you do not sign tonight, the buyer will walk.”
“This is your only real chance.”
That might be true at times. But it can also be a tactic to rush a decision before the seller has time to think clearly, get advice, compare options, or negotiate properly.
Buyers can use pressure too. Some act disinterested, focus heavily on small flaws, or wait until the seller feels tired and emotional before pushing for a discount.
This is why preparation matters. Before the first offer arrives, sellers should know their walk-away point, preferred terms, and non-negotiables. When you decide these things early, you are much harder to pressure later.
Late-stage renegotiation
This tactic catches a lot of sellers off guard.
A buyer agrees on a price. The deal moves ahead. The seller starts to relax. Then the renegotiation begins.
It may happen after an inspection, after delays, or when the buyer senses the seller has already made plans around the sale.
Suddenly there is a new issue.
A price reduction gets raised.
The property is “not worth what we thought”.
A small concern becomes a bigger one.
Sometimes there is a valid reason to revisit terms. Other times, the buyer is simply using leverage late in the process when the seller is most vulnerable.
That is why sellers should not treat a deal as done too early. Strong contract management, clear communication, and backup buyer interest can make a big difference.
Early access and early move-in requests
Sellers need to be careful here.
A buyer may ask to move furniture into the garage before settlement, collect keys early, or access the property ahead of time because they are travelling or organising removalists. It can sound harmless, and many sellers want to be helpful.
But this is where risk starts to creep in.
Until settlement is complete and ownership transfers, the property remains the seller’s responsibility. If something gets damaged, stolen, or someone gets injured on site, the seller may end up dealing with the fallout.
A simple rule usually works best:
No furniture deliveries.
No storage.
No early access.
No early keys.
Only hand over keys once settlement is complete and funds have cleared.
Avoid direct meetings between buyers and sellers
It may seem helpful for buyers and sellers to meet in person.
Maybe the buyer wants to ask how something works. Maybe they want a quick walkthrough. Maybe it feels like a harmless chat. In most cases, though, it is better to avoid direct meetings.
Casual conversations can create unnecessary problems. A seller may share more than they need to. A buyer may ask questions that later become part of a negotiation. An offhand comment can suddenly carry weight it was never meant to have.
Sometimes buyers use those conversations to uncover information they can later rely on to renegotiate or create doubt.
Most practical questions can be handled through the agent, solicitor, manuals, or written communication. That keeps things clearer and more professional.
A good rule of thumb is simple:
Keep communication through the agent or solicitor, not through direct buyer-seller meetings.
The garage test request
This may sound minor, but it comes up more often than people think.
A buyer asks to pull their car into the garage before settlement to see if it fits. On the surface, that sounds reasonable. But it creates risk the seller does not need.
If the buyer misjudges the space, hits the wrong pedal, or damages the garage, roller door, or home, the seller could face an avoidable liability issue before the transaction is complete.
Providing measurements is reasonable.
Letting someone test it physically before settlement is not.
Commission pressure and questionable conduct
Sellers should also be cautious if someone pressures them to increase commission or offer extra incentive mid-campaign just to get another agent to “bring a buyer”.
That deserves careful scrutiny.
An agent’s job is to act in the seller’s best interests. If the recommendation suddenly centres on improving someone else’s incentive, the seller should stop and ask why.
Why is this being suggested now?
What benefit does it create for me?
Is this about improving the result, or improving someone else’s motivation?
If a property is not getting offers, the real issue may be price, presentation, marketing, buyer matching, or negotiation strategy. Sellers deserve clear advice, not compensation pressure.
Buyers should also understand how their own representation is being paid, so there is transparency around the advice they receive.
Deposit delays and rushed inspections
Another issue sellers should watch for is when a buyer delays paying the deposit but still wants inspections, contractor visits, or access to the property straight away.
That should raise caution.
The deposit matters because it shows commitment. It creates some financial accountability before strangers access the home. Without that, the seller may take on risk too early.
There is also a practical concern. If an inspector or contractor damages the property before the deposit has been received, cleared, and confirmed, disputes can get messy fast.
A sensible rule is this:
Inspections and access should only happen once the deposit has been received, cleared, and verified.
Buyers wanting contractors in before settlement
This is another red flag sellers should take seriously.
Some buyers ask to bring in trades or contractors before settlement so they can get a head start. They may describe it as something small or harmless.
Even so, the property still belongs to the seller until settlement is complete.
That means any damage, injury, or issue involving third parties on site could become the seller’s problem. It can also create confusion about who approved what and who is responsible.
The safest position is usually the clearest one:
No pre-settlement works.
No contractor access.
No exceptions unless your solicitor or legal representative has advised it properly and everything is documented.
What I wanted sellers to do instead
After seeing these kinds of tactics play out, the advice is usually simple. Be firm on your boundaries. Do not get rushed. Do not agree to early access, loose arrangements, or unnecessary risk just because someone is applying pressure. Clear boundaries protect your position and keep the transaction cleaner from start to finish.
I also wanted sellers to make sure they had excellent representation. Not just someone who could list a property, but someone who understood how to manage people, protect the seller’s interests, handle risk properly, and negotiate well when the pressure came on. The market has changed, and experience in the current market matters.
Presentation mattered too, more than ever. In a higher-rate environment, buyers tend to be more selective. If a home does not stand out online, it becomes harder to generate strong enquiry, inspections, and competition. That is why staging, presentation, photography, and marketing are not just nice extras. They are part of the strategy.
Sellers should also be asking better questions before they choose an agent. The best way to protect yourself is to know what to expect, set boundaries early, and work with an agent who has the experience to enforce them.
If you’d like help navigating a sale with honest advice, clear communication, and a strategy built around your best interests, feel free to reach out. At Martinuzzi Property Group, we believe in keeping the process transparent, professional, and as stress-free as possible from day one to sold.
Get in touch with us today and and let’s give you fantastic results that you deserve.
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