CHAPTER 15 The Dos and Don’ts of Negotiating
Selling your home is a business transaction. Although it may be a many-layered process that appears more personal than business, at its heart it’s simply a buyer negotiating to purchase a seller’s home for an agreed-upon price. You as a seller must keep this fact in mind. Opinions, emotions, and ego may attempt to derail your e ff orts; don’t be the transgressor . Th e more you know about negotiating, the less likely you are to create a needless detour during the sale process. LET THE BUYER SPEAK FIRST Let patience be your guide when dealing with an interested buyer. Don’t be eager to tell him or her what you’re willing to accept; it may be lower than the buyer was willing to o ff er! As in any sale transaction, even if it is to buy a lawnmower at a yard sale, buyers have a price in mind . Th ey might be willing to pay $200 for the mower, but when they ask what you’d accept, you say $125. Do not lose the advantage of being able to countero ff er. Let the buyer spea k fir st . Th at’s why it’s called an o ff er. It will either be an o ff er you can accept or you will at least have more knowledge about
what price the buyer has in mind. DON'T “MEET IN THE MIDDLE”
Even in the simplest of sales transactions, agreeing on a price o ft en includes “meeting in the middle.” For instance, a buyer spea ks fir st and o ff ers to purchase an item for $150, when the seller is expecting to sell for $200. Most will split th e diff erence 130
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