I don't mean to come across as rude or anything but I take the lack of a price on that website as a very pompous thing to do. The house is in Sooke not Malibu, it's not worth untold millions and yes I am sure it is a wonderful home but IMO it looks a little dated and very likely not worth whatever figure the sellers have in mind.
I am in the market and the several homes I have viewed that are being sold by their owners without an agent have been priced higher than comparable homes and the owners seem disinterested in negotiating.
This begs the question, do people who choose to sell their own home have a tendency of being cheap or stingy with greatly exaggerated opinions of their home's value or are my recent experiences an anomaly?
I can, with certainty, tell you that they weren't being "pompous" because they chose to keep the price off the website. We discussed this in length from the start and I agreed that we would try this approach, myself thinking it would be a good idea to try. It's a 5 minute website update to include it. Again, they aren't in a rush to sell and the property just went on the "market". The masses here overwhelming said add the price and I will suggest that to the owners. Great online feedback!
They are not looking, or expecting in this marketing to sell to "local" people; and I mean the Vancouver Island market for that matter. Likely this property will appeal to the Asian market overseas or someone looking to invest into a property for a vacation home.
The whole, it's in Sooke, not Malibu, is irrelevant. There are many, and I stress many, of million dollar homes along Hwy 14 from Sooke to Port Renfrew, probably way more than you'd even think. Most you cannot even see from the road. Some even belong to pretty well known people internationally. You must not be familiar with ocean acreage in this area or the cost of 1 acre of oceanfront property in the Sooke Region.
This is nearly 2 acres of oceanfront property, over 250 feet of beach front. From what I've seen, this property alone is about a million without house and massive gardens. (Again, I don't know and this is a personal assumption based on what I've seen around Sooke prior)
The whole "Sooke stigma" need not apply here though, unfair.
They are also older folk. This house is only 12 years old, custom built, so it's not dated, perhaps dated in your tastes, which is fine. Cosmetic changes are simple. The house is gorgeous.
And they've owned this house since it was built. This is, I'm sure, the first time they've done private sale by owner and the first time they've tried the internet to sell, so I wouldn't go bashing them about it. It's not like they are flippers trying to get the most bang for their buck. They are trying something new. They aren't anxious to sell. They don't NEED to sell.
I don't know their reason for listing private over Realtor and I don't care. I have some best friends who are Realtors. I've nothing against them. This is their choice.
I also want to say that I have no idea what market value for their house and property is and whatever I've said is personal assumption.
I have been asked to shoot photos, videos and create a website, and try to get the word out.
Have you questioned whether Realtors list a house price, in this market today, at a price to sell because the market is slow, not what it's worth? Contrary to what private sellers go after, especially ones that can wait a year or more?
After all, Realtors make money from sales, not from listings. Maybe that is why they choose not to bicker and "negotiate" from the listed price. Sooner or later someone will pay what they are looking for.