Price, financial qualifications and time frame are the key considerations when negotiating  a contract to purchase real estate. There are, however,  other considerations which have helped me negotiate great deals for my clients–sometimes, even when my client’s price offer was less than that of a competing buyer’s offer!  And, yes, these are lessons I learned long ago in kindergarten!

1. Show up to appointments on time, stay as long as you need to fully tour the home, but don’t linger for long conversations which are better suited for your real estate agent’s conference room.  Schedule a second showing if you are truly interested in the home and would like more time to inspect the property.

2. Be  respectful of  the seller’s home. Wipe your feet or remove your shoes in extremely bad weather, shut off lights and secure the doors when leaving, don’t allow children to handle personal belongings or play with children’s toys.

3. Prepare your offer based on comparable sales.  An offer that is far below market value will not only set an uncomfortable tone with the seller, but  may also result in your offer being rejected outright.  A reasonable offer, even if it is below the seller’s expectations, will set the stage for successful negotiations.

4. Consider the condition of the home when you prepare your offer.  You will have a thorough home inspection and, yes, it’s reasonable to ask for concessions for unforeseen repairs, however, don’t use the home inspection to renegotiate the price the for repair issues which were obvious when you first toured the home.

5. Respect deadlines, respond to questions quickly and make decisions as quickly as is prudently possible.

Time and time again, this simple and sound common sense approach has helped me negotiate great deals for my home buyer clients.