Negotiate Formally or Informally? It Depends [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. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.] OK, so “Written vs. Verbal Counter-Offers” isn’t a very sexy title. But it’s a fascinating...Read More
Listing Agent Retort: “I’ll Tell You Right After You Tell Me How High the Buyer is Willing to Go” You (almost) never hear a listing agent (representing a Seller) say to a Buyer’s agent at the outset of negotiations: “let’s cut to the chase; what’s the most your Buyer will pay for my client’s property?”...Read More
Establishing ” and Testing ” Boundaries If you go to the Business section of any bookstore, you’ll see any number of books on negotiation titled, “Getting to Yes!,” “Win-Win Negotiation,” etc. In my experience, however, the key to effective negotiation lies not in getting to “yes,” but getting to “no.” Or perhaps more accurately: before you...Read More
Real Estate Negotiating Principles “Whomever speak first [in a negotiation] . . . loses.” —Anonymous. “Whomever proposes “splitting the difference” in a negotiation stands to get the better bargain.” —Corollary, Ross Kaplan Veteran negotiators will attest to the truth of the first statement: if you speak first, you never find out if the other side...Read More
Listing Agent Retort: “I’ll Tell You Right After You Tell Me How High the Buyer is Willing to Go” You (almost) never hear a listing agent (representing a Seller) say to a Buyer’s agent at the outset of negotiations: “let’s cut to the chase; what’s the most your Buyer will pay for my client’s property?”...Read More
Humor as a (Sales) Strategy “I never lose my temper. I always know where it is.” –Anonymous. What’s an even more strategic tool than anger? (which should really only be used as a last resort, anyways). Humor. In my experience, the sales professionals who wield a terrific sense of humor are invariably the most sophisticated,...Read More