Interesting thing is that we were ready to move on after the first offer, because the selling agent had said no way would the sellers move to the region of our bid. Huh! imagine that: a realtor trying to get more money for his clients by predicting their comfort level….

Nope there is no % off game. As I would rather pay 2% above list vs pay $50k off list for a place overpriced by $100k.

As for negotiation 101, it says that you should not make big jumps. If you make big same sized jumps then they are encouraged to try again for more.

Also round robin isn’t so much
1) Try one house, go back and forth and see what happens, and when dead go to the next one.

Instead it is more of a

2) Put in an offer, if they come back, and they dont come back enough, say in 1 or 2 days “no, we will pass for now, you can resubmit if you want.” And you go and offer on another place.

Also use the Frankly CRA system (hidden throughout my blog, but soon getting a monumental post itself), the Comparative Realtor Analysis (trademark pending). Where you do a background check on the Realtor to see what is the most % off list they have accepted in the past.

Also watch my video on low ball offers. Sometimes if you start TOO low, you don’t get any movement and you end up paying MORE. Also I have no problem countering the SAME offer. Nothing says you have to come up each time. And let them know that you might or might not come back in a week after you try another 2 places. (sometimes I even tell them which places!!)

Where are you buying.

Frank

What is it with people not wanting to put a first name. No registration is required. Just call yourself Rex, or Jerry, or even Edward.

Anyhow, you will love my next blog post. We treat every purchase like an acquisition of a $1,000,000 corporation. You can be as good of a negotiator as you want, but wait until you see the data that we dig up. Even data that would encourage you to bid HIGHER. Yep, even the “best” negotiators, with the right data can and will understand that it is about VALUE, not about % off list.

Stay tuned (sign up in the upper right corner. Let me know if you have any problems since I just switched Blog to Email services)

We have tried to work with four different agents for buying. Not one is a hard worker. I do all the work and am not about to pay for that. I sleep well at night, because I’m a good negotiator. I know listing agents do not like this (buyers negotiating for themselves and handling all the buying checklist items), and frankly (!!) I don’t understand that. They get to sell the house faster, at a lower price, and still make pretty darn near what they would have with an extra (at least) 3 percent. It’s not unethical, and it’s not illegal. It is unconventional, but with your site, Redfin, Homegain, and places like Stafford County’s online real estate, I think it’s a trend. It does take homework and experience, but isn’t that what gray hair says? It sure doesn’t say “male model”…well, to my wife it does…maybe….

….I would say, “no price is too low to offer”. Let’s face it, as a seller I rather hear “any” amount than no amount.

I was/am renting a place in Arlington. At the end of July there was plenty of onlookers. For whatever reason, I was not able to tend to this, and I advertised last weekend (middle of August)….you bet that anyone coming in the door, offering whatever, I would choose, rather than have the house vacant for at least a month. “Bring in the offers!”

BTW…..the practice of offering “whatever” is what is being practiced with Priceline in the travel business.

It’s all about “timing” …..