07/22/2026
The Art of the Deal... Sometimes You Have to Be Willing to Walk Away.
Real estate negotiations aren't about "winning." They're about helping your clients make the best decision for them.
I recently had buyers absolutely fall in love with a home. We negotiated... and negotiated... and negotiated. The counters flew back and forth for days, but there was very little movement from the sellers.
Eventually I asked my buyers one simple question:
"At these numbers... are you ready to move on?"
They took 30 hours to think about it...
It wasn't just a financial decision. It was an emotional one, too.
Yes, they loved the home, but they also knew what they were comfortable investing. They decided they were prepared to walk away (not happily though).
I called the listing agent, thanked her for all of her hard work, and let her know we couldn't make the numbers work.
Forty-five minutes later, my phone rang. It was exactly the call I had hoped for.
"Jill... if your buyers will move forward, my sellers are prepared to give them everything they requested."
My instinct told me the sellers weren't quite finished negotiating. Sometimes, giving people the space to make the right decision is more powerful than one more counteroffer.
Here's the lesson...
Sometimes the strongest negotiating position isn't pushing harder. Sometimes it's being genuinely willing to let the deal go.
My buyers did not play games. They simply knew their limit, honored it, and were prepared to move on if it wasn't the right fit.
The best deals aren't created by pressure. They're created when everyone reaches a place that feels fair.
That's ALWAYS my goal.
In this case... my buyers are absolutely elated.🤩
