DO THINK LIKE A SELLER. Sometimes it helps to sh ift your perspective. Look at this situation from a diff erent angle. Take the point of view of the seller. For example, imagine that you own the target home, and you must sell this same home in two, fi ve, or even ten years. Will it be possible? Does the home you’re thinking of purchasing lack some basic features that the housing market would consider essential? Part of negotiating obviously involves short-term thinking (“get the house I want now, and get it for a good deal”), but you also need to think long term. Can you see yourself living there for a while? Will you be able to sell it when the time comes? DON’T EXPECT THE PRICE TO LOWER AFTER INSPECTIONS. When making your o ff er, bid lower than you can pay, and make your fin al o ff er with the most comfortable price that you are able to a ff ord, both now and down the road. A ft er the home inspections are done, you shouldn’t expect the price to lower at that point. Repairs made a ft er home inspections will most likely not cost the seller an arm and a leg. DO BE PREPARED TO WALK AWAY. Even if you’ve come this far into the home search and home-buying process, you can still walk away if the situation calls for it. Th ere are many reasons that buyers walk away from a home in the end, and you need to be prepared for this reality, because it happens. Th is is another reason to set your emotions aside, because it will make things easier all around if you can walk away from a home that, in the end, you aren’t sure about or you can’t a ff ord. Chapter 12 will address this more in-depth. DON’T FEEL TRAPPED. Don’t feel like you’re stuck with a home that you are unsure about or that you honestly can’t a ff ord just because you and your agent have worked so hard to get here. Yes, there may have been a lot of investment so far, regarding time, energy, resources, and emotions, but you have to think long term. 119
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