Part of my job is to be a good negotiator on behalf of my buyers or sellers. This is a skill that comes naturally for some, but others really have to work at it to be successful. I recently wrote a post at www.Banks.com that provided tips for negotiation. I believe one of the most important things people in the housing market need to consider is the other party:

“Put yourself in the shoes of the person facing you at the table. While their problem is not your problem, it COULD be your problem if they say “No.” Try to be reasonable and understand WHY they need X done.”

While everyone wants what’s best in the deal, a key thing to remember in all aspects of real life is to know where the person sitting across from you comes from. About a year or two ago, I read a long discussion thread on a blog about how angry someone was when the McDonald’s worker messed up an order. They raised the roof (and not in a good way)… called the manager, called the regional manager, called corporate headquarters … all because someone forgot to “biggie” their fries (or something that inconsequential). The discussion that ensued boiled down to one thing for me: if the person was working at McDonald’s filling orders for Big Macs and French fries, then they were (probably barely) eking out a living. For someone to complain about you - already working in a tough job with customers yelling, co-workers snarling, and managers breathing down your neck - well, I just don’t think anyone deserves it.

If someone is driving and cuts you off, you can get angry. Or you can consider maybe they’re driving their sick child to the doctor’s office and in a panic. If someone doesn’t say “thank you” or show other common courtesy, who are we to know their grandparent or best friend didn’t just lose their battle with cancer? Put yourself in the shoes of the other person.

If you’re negotiating a price for a home, do protect yourself but remember there could be a good reason the person on the other side of the table is asking for certain things. Be reasonable. Be fair. You won’t ever regret it.

Posted By: Kathy Tyson

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