New Jersey Real Estate Negotiating Mistakes

Every buyer hopes their initial offer on a home will garner an immediate “yes” from the seller. While this does occasionally happen, the reality is an initial offer is just the first step in a sometimes long (and sometimes nail-biting) process between buyer and seller. If you want a leg up in the negotiating process, here are some common mistakes to avoid.

1. Showing Your Hand Too Soon

When you are negotiating the sales price of a home, you’ll want to have a pre-approval letter showing sellers that you have financial credibility and can afford the houses you are looking to buy. But be sure that you do not provide sellers or their agents with a pre-approval letter that lists a price for more than the list price of the home you are looking at. If your current pre-approval lists a higher price, ask your lender to adjust the letter to match the amount you intend to offer on the home.

2. Making an Offer That is Too Low

You might be in the market for a deal, but coming in too low has the potential to offend a seller and cause them to reject your offer outright. A good first offer might not always receive an immediate yes, but it should at least open the door for negotiation. Your agent will be able to show you a comparative market analysis to help inform your offer. If you really want the house, it is advisable not to make an offer less than 10% below asking price.

3. Insulting the Home

A seller often has an emotional attachment to the property that’s up for sale. This may be the place they raised a family, their first home with their spouse, or even a childhood home. So if you think you can insult the property in order to justify a lowball offer, think again. Most sellers don’t want to hear about how the aesthetics of the property aren’t to your taste. If there are some legitimate concerns with a property, be sure to balance these points with things you love about the property. If the seller knows you see the value of their property, they will be more willing to negotiate.

4. Getting Stuck on the Sales Price

Many buyers tend to focus on the list price to save some money, but there are many other different ways to get a great real estate deal. If a seller isn’t willing to budge on sales price, see if they will pay for all or part of your closing costs, speed up closing, or agree to a rent-back agreement that will allow them to stay in the house past closing if they haven’t yet found a new home. All of these things can be attractive to a seller and could push them to accept your offer.

5. Ignoring How Long the Home Has Been Listed

If a house has been on the market for less than a month, you should make a competitive initial offer to open the door for negotiations. If the home has been on the market for over 90 days, you have a little bit more power in presenting a lower offer.

An experienced real estate agent will know the market and be able to lead you in the negotiating process. Once you are through the negotiating process, Veitengruber Law will be there to look over your contract and make sure the terms you have negotiated are legally presented.