Real Estate is a unique business in many ways. One of those is that, in most cases, each side, buying and selling, has a common goal: closing the transaction.

While not on the same team, both sides are seeking the same objective. And unlike sport or games, lawsuits or other situations in our lives where there are two sides, or two teams, the goal (in my opinion and how I do business) doesn't have to leave a winner and a loser. When done right, everyone, in their own way, wins. At least that's how I see it and conduct my business. Let's discuss!
In most all cases each side (whether represented or not) has a goal of it's own. The seller, for whatever their reason or need is, wants to sell. The buyer, investor, owner occupant, whatever, wants to buy.
At some point those sides have come together, drawn up an agreement with terms satisfactory to both, and have begun the process of moving foward towards a closing. As a matter of fact, for me, once I've come to terms with another broker I always end the email or message that does so with "I look forward to working with you".
I want to convey this message because I do feel that way and, for a couple weeks or a couple months, I will be working with them to try and achieve our common goal. I want them to know that's how I see it from the beginning.
That isn't to say I don't work as hard as I can for my client. I most certainly do. It's my job to get my clients the best terms, price, repair negotiations and every part of the deal that I can. But it's also my job to do my best to get us to the closing table.
Do we sometimes not reach that goal? Sure, it happens from time to time. Do we sometimes have to go head-to-head with the other side, pushing as hard as I can for my clients? Yep. All the time. But knowing how hard to push and when, how to advise my client as to what is best, where to dig in and where to give a little bit, that's also part of what I do for my side.
And, from time-to-time, I deal with other brokers who obviously don't see it that way, often pushing so hard they destroy a deal that otherwise might have been at least salvagable. Sometimes pushing so hard that our side, myself and my clients, completely stiffen up and become unbendable when there otherwise might have had a little give. These folks don't seem to understand that negotiating is most often a give & take. And they often seem to just be seeking something to feel victorious about - and that's fine if that's how they want to operate, but more than three decades have taught me that this attitude works less often than not. My take and experience, feel free to disagree.
I know a lot of people see negotiating as a time to show how hard knuckled they can be, but truth is in many situations this is the way to never get what you want, not the other way around. Not that there aren't times for this, and I'm happy to do it when the time comes, but most often working things out is nuance and dancing, not headbutting and fighting. This isn't court. We aren't fighting each other, again, we are trying to arrive at our common goal. And once we reach that goal and walk away from the closing table, we both have effectively won.
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