Tips
There are some successful negotiating strategies you must always follow to win the game.
If you are poor at asking what you want, it is much less likely that you will get it. It is also important that you save as much as possible in the process. Smart negotiation always follows a strategy.
First, ascertain the outcome of a given negotiation. If it is not going to be profitable for you, give up the negotiation. If you remain focused on your objectives, you can deal effectively even with tough people.
While selling your home, you need to go by strong research, analysis, and clarification. Just because you want to make more money, it is not right to price it too high for the given neighborhood or the economy.
If your home is already appraised, you are in a comfortable position to fix the price. This will have given you concrete figures with evidence to project to the buyers.
Make your expectations realistic in tune with the market trends. Remain open and flexible. You cannot expect to get everything you want during negotiation. Honestly accept any flaws the buyer might point out in the property.
You can, in fact, make it clear to the buyer that he is free to inspect any perceived defect or damage at his own cost. If the concerns regarding the flaws escalate, then come forward to lower your asking price to provide for the costs of repairs.
Never react personally to low offers. This will project you as a weak negotiator. Look into the buyer’s motivation and understand it to be able to respond appropriately. Even if you have to reject the offer, you might have some valuable inputs to learn from it.
You can always take advantage of the possibility to make a counteroffer that you deem right. You may also explore ways to counterbalance the low offers. Maybe you can make the buyer agree to pay the closing costs. If the home selling takes longer, then you have to drag the process out unnecessarily and keep paying the mortgages.
Take into account the best setting to make the negotiation, how to put forth your case in the most powerful way, who you are negotiating with, the time frame you have to work with, and other factors while embarking on a negotiation.
It is also good to have an alternative deal in the background while you negotiate with a given party.
In such cases, you will be wiser to stay out of the deal if it has to break. If the alternative seems bad, then you still have chances to go back to the earlier one if you deem it necessary.
Mentally prepare yourself to do the negotiation as effectively as possible. Be tough and professional at the same time. Never be emotional or subjective in reacting to the responses. Be focused, calm, and relaxed so that you have total control of the situation.
Negotiation is highly tricky. If you learn this art, you can succeed. Still, it is worth doing it through an agent as they are adept in this art, having handled several similar situations.
The Biggest Negotiation Mistakes
Negotiating is not a skill that comes naturally to an individual. It is a cultivated art learned after a long and sustained period working with the market and people.
If you are doing the sale of your home yourself, you might end up making some grave mistakes in negotiation that might ruin the deal or turn it into a bad one for you. Therefore, you must beware of the mistakes you are prone to make in the process.
Lacking confidence in negotiating can ruin the deal. Tenacity and preparation are at the base of a good negotiation. Identify the mutually beneficial terms and expected objections.
Project the deal confidently with a stance that appears less defensive to the buyer.
Never assume that something can be non-negotiable. You will come across oceanic opportunities if you decide that the terms of anything can be changed to become favorable. Powerful negotiations can help break the rules. By projecting an ethical and mutually acceptable solution, you can win the buyers.
Never enter into negotiation without building a relationship and trust first.
Be slow, get to know people and their motives, and gather the useful points by interacting with them so that you can use the inputs positively in your favor during negotiation.
Never fear rejection and the possibility of looking too greedy. You need to substantiate your expectation with a viable argument justifying it. If your offer is rejected, do not take it personally, since it does not mean you are rejected.
It is found that on average, people say “no” three times before they say the first “yes.” Therefore, never be put down when you hear “no” for the first time.
Do not talk more than necessary during negotiation. Often, silence can play a bigger role in negotiation than talking too much.
You can significantly increase the possibility of selling your home or getting some concessions in your favor if you can make effective use of silence, though it might look awkward at times.