
Haggling at any price? Why a professional negotiator is indispensable.
1. The garden should be turned into a parking space
Anyone who owns a garden knows how much time and effort it can take to maintain a green space. So it's all the worse when a potential buyer criticizes the lovingly tended rose bed during a house viewing. "The flower bed is ugly; the whole thing should be turned into a parking space." Of course, the buyer can do whatever they want after the purchase. However, such a comment is still unwise if it leads to the negotiations being broken off. The real estate agent is the perfect mediator here. As a neutral party, they can mediate between emotions, tastes, and perspectives. Can the prospective buyer's ideas even be implemented, and how much would it cost?
2. The bathroom: dissatisfied with the tiles
Tiles are often a matter of taste. And not everyone shares the same taste. The tiles from Italy that the seller finds beautiful and associates with holiday memories may simply look awful to a stranger. the same applies to the condition of tiles. For example, if the grout is no longer in perfect condition. Buyers tend to overestimate defects. If the buyer wants new tiles because of the condition of the old ones and claims that laying new tiles would cost $5,000, a real estate agent can use their experience to estimate whether this is a realistic estimate. On the other hand, an agreement is more likely if the renovation work improves the quality of the property. If the seller takes on or contributes to the renovation, the price reduction will be lower. Real estate agents can often create a win-win situation in their role as mediators.
3. Electronics
Another reason for defects or criticism of the property is—believe it or not—the fuse box. Houses from the 1970s or 1980s usually do not have a personal protection switch, which has been mandatory for many years and must be installed in every fuse box.
When prospective buyers become aware of this, the argument is often made that everything has to be retrofitted by an electrician, which is a major expense. The real estate expert is also prepared for such cases and would consult an electrician in advance of the viewing.
So if the potential buyer then says, "Everything here needs to be completely redone," the real estate agent can present them with a concrete quote from the electrician and also tell them exactly what needs to be done. In this example, retrofitting the safety cabinet would cost around $1,000.
Conclusion: A real estate agent knows from years of experience what issues a prospective buyer is particularly interested in and can find the right words in such cases to ensure that both parties are satisfied in the end.
Do you need help analyzing objections before the sale?
Are you aware of the flaws in your property that prospective buyers will ask you about?
Would you like a partner who is skilled in negotiation when selling your property?
We can help you with this.