ECKLAND PROPERTIES are Real
Estate Agents in Cape Town, South Africa servicing properties throughout
the Western Cape and more specifically the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town.
Specialising in the rental and sale of residential property in "Goodwood,
Parow" "Type: house, vacant land, apartment, flat, town house." We also arrange bond with all the BANKS.
Five keys to successful negotiation
Whether
you're a buyer or a seller you want to succeed in the realty marketplace.
That's natural and reasonable, but what are the steps you need to triumph?
Negotiation is a complex matter and all transactions are unique. Sides—buyer
and seller—want to feel that the outcome favours them, or at least represents a
fair balance of interests. In the usual case there is a bit of bluff, some
give-and-take, and neither party gets everything they want.
So how do you develop a strong bargaining position, one which will help you get
the most from a transaction? Experience shows there are five basic keys which
will determine who wins at the negotiating table.
1. What Does The Market Say?At various times we're in
a "buyers" market, a "sellers" market, or a market where
housing supply and demand are roughly equal. If possible, you want to be in the
market at a time when it favours your position as a buyer or seller.
Because all properties are unique—it is possible to buck general trends and
have more leverage than the marketplace would seem to allow. For instance, if
you have a property in a desirable area with few sales, you may be able to get
a better deal than elsewhere. Or, if you're a buyer who can quickly close, that
might be an important negotiating chip when dealing with an owner who just got
a new job 500 miles away.
2. Who Has Leverage?If you're on the front page of the local paper because your
business went bust—and the buyer knows it—you have little clout in the
bargaining process. Alternatively, if you're among six buyers clamouring for
that one special property, forget about dictating an agreement—the owner can
sit back and pick the offer which represents the highest price and best terms.
3. What Are The Details?A lot of attention in real
estate is paid to transaction prices. This surely makes sense, but the key to a
good deal may be more complex.
Consider two identical properties that each sell on the same day for R275, 000.
The houses are the same, the sale prices are the same, but are the deals the
same? Maybe not. For instance, one owner may have
agreed to paint the property, replace the roof, purchase a new kitchen
refrigerator, and pay the first R3, 000 of the buyer's closing costs. The
second owner made no concessions.
In this example, the first house was actually sold at discount—the R275, 000
purchase price less the value of the roof repairs, closing credit, and other
items. If you're a buyer, this is the deal you want. If you're a seller, you
would prefer to be the second owner and give up nothing.
4. What About Financing?Real estate transactions
involve a trade—houses for money. We know the house is there, but what about
financing? There are several factors that impact the money issue:
Has the buyer been pre-qualified or pre-approved by a lender? Meeting with a
lender before looking at homes does not usually guarantee that financing is
absolutely, unquestionably available—a loan application can be declined because
of appraisal problems, title issues, survey findings, and other reasons.
But, buyers who are "pre-qualified" or "pre-approved"
(these terms do not have a standard meaning around the country) at least have
some idea of their ability to finance a home and know that they are likely to
qualify for certain loan programs.
The result is that pre-qualified buyers represent less risk to owners than a
purchaser who has never met with a lender. If the seller accepts an offer from
a buyer with unknown financial strength, it's possible that the transaction
could fail because the buyer can't get a loan. Meanwhile, the owner may have
lost the opportunity to sell to a qualified buyer.
The lower the interest rate, the larger the pool of potential
buyers. More buyers equal more potential demand, good news for sellers.
Alternatively, high rates or even rising rates may drive buyers from the
marketplace—and that's not good for anyone.
It used to be that down payments were a major financing hurdle—but not anymore.
For those with good credit, loans with 5 percent down or less are now widely
available. In fact, 100 percent financing, mortgages with nothing down, are now
being made by conventional lenders. Reduced down payment requirements are good
for both buyers and sellers.
5. Who Has Expertise?Imagine you're in a fight. The
other guy has black belts in 12 martial arts—and you don't. Who's going to win?
Brokers have long represented sellers, and now buyer brokerage is entirely
common. In a transaction where one side has representation and the other does
not, who has the advantage at the bargaining table?
ECKLAND PROPERTIES are Real
Estate Agents in Cape Town, South Africa servicing properties throughout
the Western Cape and more specifically the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town.
Specialising in the rental and sale of residential property in "Goodwood,
Parow" "Type: house, vacant land, apartment, flat, town house."
Email us for more properties in other Towns!!!!!!!!!!!!