REALTORS®


that it is the client’s negotiation, not the REALTORS® Even if the REALTOR®


The goal of speaking through the voice of the ’s client is to help convince the other agent ’s.


is coaching your client at every


step along the way, the other agent should believe that the client is calling the shots. In this vein, a REALTOR®


should never say something


like, “I’m not going to recommend that my client accept your offer.” When the REALTOR®


is seen as controlling


the outcome of the negotiation he or she again becomes the focus of everything negative that happens in the negotiation. If a party does not make a reasonable coun - teroffer, it is now because the REALTOR® situation. On the other hand, when a REALTOR® as having little control over the client, the REALTOR®


use this to his or her advantage. Articulating this to the other agent will on occasion cause him or her to view the REALTOR®


can make or break you with your peers. How can a REALTOR®


establish credibility with another


other agent? If the other agent is someone the REALTOR® knows and has worked with, it has likely already been established (for better or for worse). If it is an agent with whom the REALTOR®


several things the REALTOR® First, REALTORS®


has never worked before, there are can do to establish credibility.


should consider telling the other


controlled the is viewed can


sympathetically. It can actually open the door


for the two agents to discuss any number of creative approaches to get the deal done. The two agents are now on the same team of sorts working together to get the transaction done. Of course, the agent who is the great negotiator should still be suggesting solutions that achieve the client’s goals.


ESTABLISH CREDIBILITY ABOVE ALL ELSE


Think for just a minute about how you reacted when


another agent told you something like, “I just want you to know that a very good offer is supposed to be coming in tomorrow. If your buyers want this house, now is the time for them to put their best offer on the table.” Did you believe what you were being told? Now, before you answer that question, think how your perception of the other agent’s credibility affects whether you believe what you are being told. If you believe the other agent is being credible, you will likely tell your client that the other agent has generally been truthful in the past and encourage them to put their best offer on the table if they want the house. On the other hand, if you think the other agent is lying to get a better price, you will likely tell your client that the other agent does not have the best of reputations for telling the truth. While you should let your client make the decision, your expression of doubt as to the other agent’s credibility,will likely cause your client to take the statement with a grain of salt. In other words, the outcome of the negotiation can be com pletely altered based upon your perception of the credibility of the other agent. This underscores just how important being viewed as credible is to being a good negotiator and how your reputation for being credible


agent both some good and not so good things about the property. Now, while this might seem like minor madness, there is actually some method to the madness. When an agent only focuses on the good things, others tend to view the agent as not necessarily being either objective or credible. However, sharing both good and bad facts sends a message that the REALTOR®


is are both fair and


objective. The trick is to learn not to share negative in - formation that will damage your client’s negotiating position (such as my sellers are getting a divorce) and that the other side will likely discover anyway. So, for example, let’s say that the listing agent tells the selling agent that the house once had termites but the seller had the property thoroughly treated and corrected all of the damage. The listing agent has likely just told the other side something they would have found out any - way. The information will not likely have a material effect on the transaction. However, by doing so, the agent has likely established some credibility with the other agent. This will make it more likely that the other agent will believe the REALTOR®


when other news or information


is transmitted. Credibility is also established by being helpful and friendly and by doing the things the REALTOR® says he or she is going to do. If the REALTOR®


says he or


she will have a counteroffer or further information to the other agent by the next day, make sure it is there by the next day or call to explain why it will not be there. Sending a message that you are dependable and can be counted on makes people believe you are credible.


CONCLUSION There are many different strategies to being a suc cess -


ful real estate negotiator. Almost all of them involve the use of the four basic principles set forth in this article. Being hostile and angry is not part of any strategy that tends to work for any length of time. For the good of our industry, REALTORS®


positive ways to negotiate. SETH G. WEISSMAN IS GAR’S GENERAL COUNSEL,


AN ATTORNEY AT WEISSMAN, NOWACK, CURRY & WILCO, P.C. AND A PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE OF CITY PLANNING IN THE COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AT GEORGIA TECH.


need to take the lead in findingmore


www.garealtor.com


GEORGIA REALTOR®


I25


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