Ask The Expert - The Negotiation
Roaming Magazine – June Edition
Choosing an agent to represent the sale of your home can be an overwhelming prospect. With early considerations to be made for marketing, staging, open for inspections, conveyancers, finance, and more, the often overlooked yet fundamental aspect is strength in negotiation at the final stage of sale.
An agent with the ability to foresee variables and adapt to unique challenges during the sales process, from beginning to end, will be your most valuable asset. You should be able to see years of experience in relationship building with vendors and buyers in motion coupled with a personable approach, broad industry knowledge, and an unwavering understanding that real estate is a customer service industry – and you are the customer.
As the sale of a home is often an emotional journey for sellers, an agent who is forthright and honest with their vendor can provide a sense of security in a time that may be fraught with insecurity. Real estate is a dynamic industry that changes every day and keeping vendors informed of all the information gathered at an open for inspection puts the vendor in the best position when it comes to deciding on an offer. How many people came through, what they said, and comparables in your area change constantly. A capable agent will be able to evidence these variables to build an honest relationship that will empower their vendor to make informed decisions. The trust to have tough conversations and vision to work together as a team helps keep the end goal in mind.
This is when the paramount skill of negotiation comes into play. Often an underutilised asset, vendors and buyers are at times unaware that anything can be negotiated – time, leaseback, settlement periods, or tree removal may represent a monetary value during a deal. The most unusual items that we have negotiated have been cars or even livestock on rural properties. Hence the ‘art’ of negotiation – vendors can be somewhat inflexible on price if they are flexible on other negotiable items such as outdoor furniture or the perfect sized fridge.
So remember while agent A, B, or C may get the same buyers through their properties, the agent you want is the one that is going to use their skills to negotiate the best deal for you.
