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