Buyer Negotiation Tactics for Dummies
Recent posts on Sweet Digs Seattle:
This issue has been festering under my skin for the last few years, since we put our home of 10 years up for sale. I thought I had successfully repressed the trauma, but recent chit chat with a friend of mine (who currently has her home up for sale) caused the painful memories to come rushing back!
Consequently, I feel the need to share some seemingly obvious (but apparently not to everybody), absolutely critical negotiation advice with all you potential buyers out there:
If you really like a home, and intend to make an offer on it, do NOT diss the home, the homeowner, or the neighborhood, before making an offer–or better yet, before closing escrow and obtaining all sets of keys to the home.
Disparaging a seller’s person, cleaning habits, or home is NOT–I repeat, NOT–a successful negotiation tactic! It just p#$%#s off the current owner, otherwise known as the person who is, “in good faith,” taking care of YOUR future home.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting that buyers neglect legitimate issues. Actual and reasonable grievances are entirely fair game. In fact, in today’s stagnant market, sellers are likely compelled to make concessions that they otherwise might not have in a better market, but buyers, please maintain business-like decorum when making remarks or “giving feedback” to sellers or their agents. It is really not in your best interest as a buyer to harsh on somebody’s home, cleaning habits, or lifestyle in the interest of a price negotation. In fact, it’s very likely to incite passive aggression on the part of the seller, which may not become apparent to you until days or months after you move in. Sometimes, it’s just not worth it.
On a similar, but unrelated note, you should also avoid ticking off food servers (i.e. those people who handle your food behind closed kitchen doors) in restaurants.
The bottom line–please play nice.
