- The Savvy Promise
So, you’re interested in buying a property – that’s great! But you want a better deal and – here’s the catch – you don’t want to pay more. Is that possible? Actually, it is. There are several ways in which you can “sweeten” a deal. Negotiating (also known as the colloquial “haggling”) can be about things other than money. So, here are 5 different ways to make that deal sweeter, without paying more out of pocket.
Put down a bigger deposit
Putting down a bigger deposit than the vendor had anticipated will impress them, without a doubt. Why? Because that makes you a “safer” bet, in their eyes. You see, a bid deposit is a sign that you mean business, and you’re not playing around. You are serious and willing to put your money where your mouth is. The deposit is safely squirreled away in the agent’s trust account up until the transaction is over, which means no one can touch it. This can be a valuable move because it may help the vendor make a final decision between you and another buyer in your favour.
Use the agent in your favour
The agent will know what exactly the vendor is looking for. If you find this out, you will be able to adjust your offer accordingly, so that you can secure this deal before someone else does. There’s got to be something that will sway their opinion and make them more likely to sell to you. Maybe they’re interested in an unconditional offer, or perhaps they just want a quick settlement to get it over with. Or maybe a bigger deposit would do the trick. You never know until you ask, so don’t be afraid to ask the agent. They will be able to help you.
Take away their excess stuff
A lot of people who are selling have trouble emptying their entire property. Why? Because they’re moving in another state or maybe even overseas, and they can’t lug around all their belongings. But they might also not be able to get rid of all of it before leaving, so the stuff they leave behind can become an issue. This is where you come in – offer to take the excess baggage! If you don’t necessarily need a completely empty house, and you can repurpose or get rid of the stuff for them, offer that as a deal. More often than not, they will be happy to be rid of that responsibility, so they’ll say yes. Score!
Make an unconditional offer
You need deep pockets for this one, but make them an offer they can’t refuse: an unconditional one. Of course, this can largely depend on the pre-approval from your lender, if you are taking out a mortgage for the sale. Then there’s the evaluation that the lender has to do, before everything is approved, even with a signed contract and all. If you have the funds, though, an unconditional offer can seal the deal.
Offer a good settlement
This is also a case where the selling agent can prove to be of great help – ask them what kind of settlement the vendor is interested in. Short? Long? Something specific, like 30 days or 90, for example? Especially in the pre-Christmas period, vendors usually tend to go for longer settlements, because they want to use the property for summer parties and such. Find out and offer them exactly what they want.
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