The Real Deal New York

From the April issue: Without any hard numbers yet reflecting closing prices of deals struck last fall, apartment sellers are finding themselves in a tough spot as they face off against capricious buyers. With no one in New York certain just how far apartment prices have fallen from their peak in 2008, apartment sellers are learning that if they don’t advertise a discount, some potential buyers believe they’re being scammed. Some simply laugh in their faces. Yet if sellers do give a big discount, apartment hunters are demanding an even steeper one or simply fading away. Kathryn Higgins, an associate broker with DJK Residential who has a master’s degree in psychology and has taught it at the college level, said, “We’re seeing two psychologies: the passive-aggressive and the approach-avoid.”