1. To start off, offer close to the asking price. This is a good idea because you will not offend the seller by bringing an offer too low. The seller may either accept the offer or counter for a slightly higher offer.
2. Don’t fall in love. It’s important to not love the house so much that you end up paying way more than you can afford due to a bidding war. Prepare yourself to walk away when the counter offers are not coming down enough. There are other fish in the sea!
3. In a slow market, it is a good idea to offer as much as you can afford. Sellers are usually unmotivated in a slow market so give them your best offer so that they don’t get offended and refuse to work with you.
4. Try some bargaining tactics. If the seller seems highly motivated, use some terms such as repairs to bargain with them. If this happens, the seller may accept a lower offer if you say that you will make some of the repairs.
5. If you do fall in love with a home that you feel is overpriced, offer a low amount but be prepared to go higher. You may find yourself with a desperate seller that will just counter a little higher than your offer, and you could get the house for less than you imagined you could.
6. Research the neighborhood. Check out what other, similar houses have sold for. Also consider how long the house has been on the market. If the house has been on the market for a while, you may want to bid low because the seller may just accept it.
7. Keep in mind that a lot of sellers are advised not to accept the first offer, so don’t be too firm! Be prepared to accept more than your original offer.
8. Don’t get caught up in the emotion! Be prepared to walk away from the deal if you have to. This is a good way to make sure that you don’t pay too much for your home.
9. Always do your negotiating in writing and NEVER accept verbal offers.

The negotiation process can get very tricky sometimes. Make sure that you are prepared. If this seems overwhelming, don’t worry. A real estate agent is the best person to help you negotiate. They’ve done it many times on either side of the table and they sometimes can guess what the seller is thinking. They will be able to give you advice on what to do during the entire process. But don’t feel like you have to listen to everything your real estate agent says. In the end it is 100% your decision!

If you need any help finding a home, please don’t hesitate to contact me! I would be happy to help you negotiate!