Negotiating One Deal — or Two?? Good agents instinctively know that “he who negotiates least, negotiates best.” Which is why they avoid drafting early move-in and holdover agreements — and discourage their clients from entering into them. Side Deals The vast majority of the time, the issue never arises because the Buyer takes possession from...Read More
Practice Makes Perfect Is it true that the best negotiators are the ones who’ve done it the most? If so, then the world’s best negotiators, bar none, are residential Realtors. While wheeler-dealers like Donald Trump or gambling mogul Steve Wynn may be involved in a couple dozen major deals in a career, it’s not uncommon...Read More
Taking Yes Full Price For an Answer “He who governs least governs best.” –Thomas Jefferson “He who negotiates least negotiates best.” –Ross Kaplan Soviet dissident (and now Israeli politician) Natan Sharansky once explained how he and his fellow dissidents helped pass the time in solitary confinement. Adept at Morse code and held in adjacent cells, they...Read More
Substitute “Boundaries” for “Fences” Just as good fences make good neighbors, in real estate deals, well-defined boundaries make for better, stronger deals. Getting to “Yes” is certainly a key part of any deal. But, getting to “No” — make that “No’s,” plural — is an even bigger part. See, “The Key to Successful Negotiating: Getting...Read More
The Wisdom of Leaving a Little Goodwill in the Deal At the risk of becoming a broken record on the subject, let me suggest to dubious home Buyers that foregoing that last $100 (or even $500) inspection item is truly a smart, even self-interested decision (the threshold depends on the home’s price). Why’s that? Because...Read More
2013 Berkshire Hathaway Letter to Shareholders [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced. Edina Realty is a subsidiary of multiple entities ultimately owned by Berkshire Hathaway.] Perhaps the ultimate negotiating secret — buried in Warren Buffett’s most...Read More
