CHAPTER 16 Leverage & Bargaining Chips aining Chips
Selling your home is obviously our primary objective. In the previous negotiation chapters, we learned that counteroffers by potential buyers can sometimes include certain personal property, like appliances, custom lighting fixtures, or window treatments, because these items are essential to the house and are expensive to purchase new. Some appliances will be considered "fixtures", and will go with the house unless otherwise specified in advance. An easy test to determine if something is a "fixture" versus "personal property" is simply to examine how it is attached. A gas range would be considered a fixture because it is hardwired and attached by a bolted, wired connection, rather than a plug to an outlet. A slightly more complex situation would be wall mounted television. In this case, the television would be considered personal property, but the mount would be a fixture, because it is bolted to the wall. As a seller, you can also use these extras as bargaining chips. You can make counteroffers that include or exclude appliances and other contents, as incentives for the bidder to increase his price. This is a particularly useful strategy when demand for homes in your neighborhood is weak and prices are low. This also often works well when you have designed your home with custom spaces and with furniture that appears "built-in", or goes perfectly with the house's paint colors. When you sell your home, consider what you are willing to throw in to sweeten the deal and what items are off-limits. With some careful planning, we can have all your bargaining chips laid out in a hierarchy of cost and sentimental value. Here are some items you may want to think about to use as 128
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