3 tips on negotiating Boston condos for sale
Everything is negotiable in a Boston condo for sale contract. You can always ask for something or give something in a contract – even in a purchase for a Boston home. If you have an idea of what you want in your home, not just the building itself, but attendant structures, landscaping, furniture, fixtures, and even holdover services (such as utilities), then you can negotiate for them.
Everything is negotiable
Do you like the Sellers outdoor furniture? Did you move to Boston to take advantage of its city skyline? Maybe you don’t want to move into a property without sundeck furniture, beach chairs, or bicycles? Everything can be on the table if you want it to be, and this is done entirely through the negotiation process.
USING AN AGENT
Your Beacon Hill real estate agent is there to coordinate your negotiating positions during your real estate transaction. If you’re new to the buyer market, it may be difficult to understand how to initiate a contract negotiation. You can contact the seller directly, however, this typically isn’t done for a few reasons. First, the real estate industry is thick with complex terms and acronyms that are difficult to master. Second, since you may struggle with communicating effectively, you risk divulging sensitive information or even legally-binding language without being aware of it. A real estate agent knows how to communicate your position without accidentally binding you into a particular provision or sale term.
Moreover, purchasing a property is more than a nod and a handshake between you and the seller. You can ask your real estate agent to secure other things under the contract but you should not do it yourself because anything you say could affect your mortgage, the seller’s mortgage, or even infringe on the contract rights of yours or the seller’s real estate agent.
CONTRACT NEGOTIATION
Before any negotiation, you need to know what you need, want, and could give up. For example, a need would be a home with four walls, doors, windows, a kitchen, bathroom, and closets. Basically, the standard things that make a property “livable” for a family. Wants may include HVAC, mood-lighting, recessed lights, a kitchen island, a waterfall showerhead, landscaped yard, cobblestone pathway, or any improvements or repairs an owner may need to be aware of.
CONCLUSION
Finally, things you could give up are “wants” that are not deal-breakers for you. You can negotiate for anything you want, but you do need to clarify what you want vs. need. Armed with this knowledge, speak to your Boston condo real estate agent and move on from there.
Leveraging the needs against the wants is an important part of the negotiation process that allows you to get the most out of your contract with the listing agent. It’s in the best interest of both parties that they come to an agreement with the terms of the purchase contract – especially in the case of a contingent contract.
It’s important to work with a buyer agent that will fight for you during the contract negotiation so you can end up with the Boston condo home of your dreams.
