Once your offer is made, you and your real estate agent
may need to enter some negotiation in order to reach an
agreement. Keep in mind that almost everything is
negotiable when you are buying a house. This can give you
a great deal of leverage in the buying process -- that is, if
you have adequate information and you use it in an
appropriate manner. Your agent will have the market
knowledge and negotiating expertise necessary to make
sure that your offer is accepted at the best price and terms
possible for you.
Some of the things that you may have to negotiate are:
· The price
· Financing
· Closing costs
· Repairs that need to be done
· Appliances and fixtures
· Landscaping
· Painting
· Occupancy time frame
The key to successful negotiating is keeping in mind that
the end result must make both you, the buyer, and the
seller happy. Otherwise, negative feelings will persist
throughout the remainder of the process and someone may
walk away feeling that they were not treated fairly.