Buyers and sellers see this process of home negotiations in different ways. There is a lot of different approaches and I can't speak to what I believe is best for everyone. For example I have heard in the east coast it is standard for a seller to price 15% over asking and the expect to negotiate down. I know I have had clients who have bought homes in a sellers market and remember they needed to pay well over asking in order to even be in the game. All of these situations exists still and will in the days ahead. Even in the midst of the "boom" I know what felt right to me and what didn't. I'll tell you what I do not believe. I do not believe, in offering a price for a house that is high enough to be accepted, with the intent on paying 10% less in the end.I believe that Real Estate should not be treated like a game. Games shouldn't be personal and Real Estate is almost always personal. I do not believe in offering a house for less than it is worth and only be willing to accept 10% over the asking price as an offer. If you believe that the above scenarios are just fine you are not alone. But somehow, I prefer the good old honest... This is what I will take for my house..... this is what I'll pay for your house.... way of doing Real Estate. Now if we could just be sure everyone would play by our rules this all would be less stressful...but, you know how it goes, you need to be prepared for everything and everyone.
