Selling a home can be full of ups and downs. Although people are excited about the next chapter, stress is always present and overshadows the joy. This stress is even higher when dealing with traditional buyers, who can drag the process for weeks or months because of financing contingencies.
Thankfully, if you’re looking for an easier way of simplifying your move, cash home buyers offer a tempting alternative that is fast and convenient, at times within a few days. Nonetheless, this speed and convenience come at a cost. You must be an excellent negotiator to ensure your buyers give you a fair price. This blog post will explore the essential negotiating tips you should consider for a fair selling price.
Build Rapport with Your Cash Home Buyer
Building a connection with your buyer is essential if you want a fair deal. You should be friendly and professional, be able to establish a common ground and understand your buyer’s interests and background.
In addition, you should focus on your client’s desirable property features, like location, layout, or other special amenities. This shows that you’re attentive to your buyer’s concerns promptly, ensuring the end benefits both parties.
Negotiate the Price
After building a relationship with your buyer, it’s time to table the price negotiations. Start by making your initial offer, which is crucial in negotiating. This should be done after thoroughly researching your property’s market value. Then, set a fair price considering all your property’s unique features and benefits.
Note that your initial offer should always exceed your minimum acceptable price. However, it should not be so high that it turns off your potential buyer. Afterwards, your buyer will make a counteroffer, opening an opportunity for further negotiations. Remember to stay calm and rational in this phase.
Counter At Your List Price
Typically, buyers will expect a back-and-forth negotiation and will make sure their initial offer is below your list price. Instead of worrying about losing a potential sale, you should counter your buyer’s offer by sticking to your property’s listed selling price. If your buyer is genuinely interested, they’ll remain engaged and return with a reasonably higher offer.
Assuming that you’ve listed a fair price, countering your buyer’s offer shows that you know your property’s value and intend to get a deserved amount. While this may be a risky strategy, as many buyers will be turned off by your unwillingness to take less than you deserve, you’ll avoid wasting time on buyers with lowball offers.
Reject the Offer
To negotiate a property effectively, consider rejecting the buyer’s offer outright without presenting a counteroffer. Nonetheless, invite the buyer to submit a new offer if they remain interested and need to be considered. This strategic move will increase your confidence in the property’s assessed value and allow you to negotiate with a single buyer without worrying about ethics.
If the buyer chooses to resubmit, they will likely need to present a more substantial offer unless they engage in negotiation brinkmanship. Making such a determination enables you to consider other offers with more competitive bids. In particular, this approach works well if your property is newly listed or there will be an open house, which adds urgency in submitting better offers for the buyers.
Aim to Create a Bidding War
Incorporating open houses into your property marketing strategy can create a bidding war. After listing your home and allowing showings, plan an open house a few days later. Resist the temptation to entertain offers until after the open house, creating an environment of anticipation and competition among potential buyers.
The offer acceptance process begins with delaying the sale to invite bids and have interested parties present their best offers. This is because multiple responses open the way for the second round, where top bidders submit their highest bid. However, this psychological advantage enables you to effectively move around the counteroffers and all the other deal elements with higher bargaining power.
Set a Time Limit for Your Counteroffer
When countering a buyer’s offer, it’s considered unethical to entertain a better offer from another buyer. Negotiating with multiple buyers simultaneously is possible, but the seller can disclose or withhold information.
To expedite the sale of your home, consider incorporating an expiration date into your counteroffers. This encourages the buyer to make a prompt decision, facilitating successful contracting or exploring other options. Set a timeframe shorter than the default duration in your state’s standard real estate contract. Additionally, while your counteroffer is pending, your home is off the market, potentially leading to a lower asking price.
Agree to Pay Closing Costs
Buyers often request sellers to cover closing costs, which typically amount to around 3% of the purchase price. This can be financially straining due to down payments, moving costs, and potential redecorating expenses. Buyers may be more willing to borrow more upfront cash to increase the likelihood of successful closing.
When a buyer requests seller assistance, it’s advisable to comply with the request, even if it means adjusting the purchase price. However, the adjusted price must align with the home’s appraised value, as lenders won’t endorse an inflated sale value.
Endnote
Negotiation success when selling your property relies on showcasing its best features, maintaining impeccable conditions, and possessing unique qualities. The appeal of your property is crucial, as more than assertive negotiation tactics is needed to prompt buyers to elevate their interest. The foundation for successful negotiation lies in offering a home that meets and surpasses the expectations of potential buyers, ensuring a successful outcome in negotiations.