Kim Mullan Blog
The Risk to Over-Negotiating the Offer
May 22nd 2016
Negotiations are dynamic and complex animals that can evolve quickly between buyer & seller. Both parties enter the arena hoping to come out victorious or at least on equal footing. It's important to keep your eye on the prize and not get side tracked with small details that could undermine getting the deal done. I have watched buyers change direction and not come to the valuation they had been prepared to arrive at because the seller or seller representative has responded in a way that put them off. I have seen buyers walk away at the drop of a hat because an old desk or an obsolete basement television they had added to chattel inclusions was being removed on counter offer. I have seen sellers refuse to sell to a particular buyer who they considered petty or unreasonable in their inclusions. Keep your focus. Keep it simple.
Price
Dates
Conditions
Chattel
Those 4 elements make up the substance of the negotiations.
Remember that the "whole is greater than the sum of it's parts" and if you are weak in one area strengthen one of the other areas.
Ask yourself...If they walk away on your next counter offer are you comfortable waiting another 30, 60, 90 days etc to keep that area rug or rusted barbecue? It's rarely about the item - it's usually about the "little" win and the "little" win should never jeopardize the actual prize...the accepted offer.