| Do you really require negotiation skills when | | | | another message that you aren't desperate to |
| you are acting as a For Sale By Owner seller. | | | | sell. |
| Well,whilst it's not a prerequisite a few | | | | |
| rudimentary sales skills will never go | | | | It's all in the words you say and how and |
| astray. If you subscribe to the theory that | | | | when you say them. It's also about your tone, |
| houses sell houses then it could be argued | | | | your body language and even your timing. Some |
| that salesmanship may actually detract from a | | | | people get tense when starting to talk about |
| potential sale. | | | | money and then they get excited and generally |
| | | | not in a good frame of mind for a successful |
| Some real estate private sale candidates | | | | negotiation. As I mentioned preparation is |
| think that there is something magical that an | | | | key in negotiations. You need to know fully |
| agent has that they may not. In reality many | | | | well before hand exactly what price you will |
| agents would feel more pressure than some | | | | be prepared to sell for. You need to set that |
| owners given that they may have a months | | | | figure in mind and stick to it so long as |
| wages riding on the outcome of the | | | | your research bears out that your property I |
| negotiation. | | | | worth what you are asking. A real lack of |
| | | | firmness or surety on your part will do |
| After all surely someone who really wants | | | | nothing to further the deal. Play things out |
| your house won't base their decision on | | | | in your mind before you are in the real |
| whether you have the gift of the gab. Well | | | | situation of receiving an offer. |
| while that's certainly true it's also | | | | |
| commonly accepted psychology that people will | | | | It's no different to an athlete visualizing |
| more readily buy from people they actually | | | | their event prior to executing it. The key |
| like. This is possibly more true of women | | | | thing here is that you don't want anything to |
| than men but both sexes will buy more easily | | | | come as a surprise. You want to rehearse or |
| when they feel relaxed and comfortable in the | | | | at least plan how you will react when someone |
| presence of an owner. | | | | low balls you on price and equally how you'll |
| | | | react if someone offers more than you had |
| Think about it for a moment. The buyer may be | | | | anticipated. |
| thinking that he isn't happy living a large | | | | |
| part of his future life inside the home of a | | | | Even trained long serving agents can get to |
| person he took an instant dislike to at the | | | | excited in negotiations so don't worry if you |
| sales inspection. The thought of that could | | | | aren't a master of the game. Certainly the |
| be enough to put some people off whereas | | | | simplest and most effective thing you can do |
| others will be more pragmatic. | | | | is to know your bottom line. This way you'll |
| | | | be operating on auto pilot more when the |
| But I digress because this is an article | | | | offer arrives. You'll already have the |
| about sales negotiation skills. I thought I | | | | advantage of knowing whether an offer is |
| would raise the idea of your likability | | | | acceptable whereas the buyer will be |
| rating first however as I have seen some | | | | guessing. |
| amazing things happen when people who | | | | |
| inspected a home took an instant shine to the | | | | A good skill that I have used over the years |
| current owner. Resistance to buying melts | | | | is to sometimes take the focus right off |
| away and the negotiation process is greatly | | | | price just as it becomes the key topic. This |
| simplified. So at least make an attempt to be | | | | can relax many people and help the process |
| as congenial, friendly and helpful to a buyer | | | | move forward. The real skill lies in knowing |
| as your temperament will allow you to be. | | | | when to flip the switch, change the subject |
| | | | and let the sales tension melt. Equally there |
| It may not be standard text book advice but | | | | will be times when you may need to up the |
| if I have learned anything about negotiations | | | | ante and focus the mind of a buyer who is |
| it is that you must be prepared. It's a bit | | | | clearly wanting to make an offer but is |
| like a game of poker except your poker face | | | | easily distracted. |
| might be a happy face. You can't allow the | | | | |
| buyer to sense weakness or desperation and | | | | Whatever approach you take you must know |
| yet in some cases you may want them to at | | | | where your bottom line is and the time to |
| least have an inkling that you need a quick | | | | decide that is well before any sales |
| sale. | | | | inspections. Often the real negotiation you |
| | | | have to have is the one with yourself first |
| If I had a dollar for every time I've heard - | | | | of all. This means getting really clear on |
| we don't really need to sell but - or just as | | | | what outcome you want, what outcome you'll |
| bad is - we just absolutely have to sell this | | | | settle for and what a sale at a particular |
| | | | price and in a particular time frame will do |
| There are subtle ways to get a message of | | | | for your future. |
| urgency, which is reasonable,mixed in with | | | | |