The Only Offer

That first offer could very well be the only offer! ... A friend's recent foray into house-hunting resulted in a back and forth tug of signatures and the all-important and almighty house inspection. It would seem that the sellers, being quite adamant in what they were prepared to do or not do, lost sight of the point of the exercise: a give and take, to close the deal. It was a 'my house, my rules' sort of stance... Considering there were obvious flaws with the house that should have been remediated before the property was even listed, the whole affair became more complicated and stressful with each passing day. The sale failed. ... Our friends bought elsewhere - easily - in the neighbourhood! Lesson learned: be realistic, be smart, be nice.

I was in my early twenties, in a small town, on my first teaching assignment, when our used car stopped working. We could no longer afford to fix it. We placed an ad in the newspaper, hoping for a quick sale. ...(Public transportation was non-existent so another used car was a top priority, immediately.) An offer came in at $200 less than our $600 asking price. The buyer, a gentleman battling a debilitating illness, was serious about buying our car as we were about selling it. ... Though my husband had hoped for a higher offer, I cautioned him against turning down what could very well be the only offer on the table. Who doesn't want their asking price accepted?... A 'no sale' was very imminent and an albatross could soon become an extended member of our family. ...Our car sold quickly making everyone very happy.

In today's buy and sell market, we must be ever so vigilant in thinking that our house, car, or special piece of furniture is so unique that we must not veer from our asking price. Remember, an asking price is simply our opinion on what we think the value is, sometimes overblown, or undervalued, in today's market.... Market conditions, (an intangible), can influence an object's value but also what interested parties, (a tangible), can conceivably afford. ... These have a bearing on the final offer. 

We all have something called living expenses that come first before any other frill-even the so-called buying of a house or a car can be considered. Affordability is the name of the game for both sides of the sale. The important thing to remember: things can always get out of hand. ... Selling your much cherished item for less than asking is not the worse thing that can happen.

During the heyday of rising house prices, decades ago, a house lay dormant on the market until an offer came in at around $40-$50,000 under asking. ... At this point, prices had been steadily climbing just before its customary 'correction'. Surprise! The correction started its downward spiral during the sellers turn at the 'wheel of fortune'... The above 'reasonable' offer was turned down, not signed back or anything. Simply refused.. The property languished on the market for well over a year and was finally re-listed for over $100,000 less than the original asking price: double the difference of the previous year, low ball offer.. Oh, to go back in time and re-live the moment and undo our decisions. 

It would seem that a reasonable offer is what any of us can hope for or expect. Sometimes, no offer results. Being right about our beliefs in what we are trying to sell can be very costly. Remember, we think that way for all the reasons we cite. Maybe, we are wrong in some of our thinking... The buyer is simply showing interest and hoping to get the best deal the same way we are hoping for the best deal. We are both working different sides of the same equation and hoping for the best outcome possible. How much are we prepared to lose? Being inflexible can be a costly mistake. Where house prices are concerned we are our own worst enemies, sometimes. 

Housing used to be a long-term investment - even if the appreciation of its value was low over decades. Now, we have houses being flipped quickly to garner a big chunk of money. Can we apply this analogy of getting the best deal to the choosing of our life partner? Is he tall, dark and handsome? Is she slim, gorgeous and long legged? Are we bringing as much to the table as we expect others to bring to it? If the 'merchandise' doesn't 'look' like the package we've envisioned, then  there is no deal. 

Qualities of trust, loyalty and devotion are what matter most in any relationship. (And helping out with the dishes, too.) ... Close your eyes and listen to the person who isn't your type. He or she just might be exactly what you are looking for. In a dark room, at night, while at work, in the kitchen preparing dinner, cleaning the house, during lengthy conversations on the phone or texting or emailing, we all 'look' the same. The tone of a realtionship is very important.

What we hear and feel are the most important criteria for 'closing' the relationship deal. Laying the blame of past misdeeds of former companions on the doorstep of our newest one is an unfair and misplaced indictment. If we want to close the deal, we need to be 'present' and reasonable, ever so reasonable!