As the Madison area real estate market is returning to one that is more balanced, the art of negotiation is making its return, too. And it has been a long time coming. For the last three years, so many buyers have felt like they were at the mercy of sellers, where everything on the table was the result of buyers giving and sellers taking.

But now, all of these terms are up for negotiation once again:

The price.

The inspection.

The appraisal. 

The home sale contingency.

And a host of other contingencies, too.  

The thing is, with a record number of realtors flooding the market these last few years, a large number of the agents who are practicing real estate right now have not had many opportunities to learn how to negotiate. 

Given this, how do you know if your realtor is prepared to advocate for you? 

Based on our experience, a good negotiator is someone who enthusiastically embraces these four practices:

• Walking alongside you in your journey. In other words, your realtor is always in tune with your goals, your concerns, your emotions, and the underlying motivations for your move. 
• Knowing the market, which starts with a beginner’s mindset and an acknowledgement that the market is always changing and always worthy of study. 
• A sincere willingness to effectively communicate (and over-communicate) with all parties, and without any ego or any drama. 
• Serving with a high level of emotional intelligence. This means having a sense of humility, self-awareness, and empathy -- and feeling a responsibility to serve your best interests at all times.    

So, what questions do you have about buying and selling in our new market? 

Reach out to your preferred Mad City Dream Homes realtor for a conversation that's focused on your goals, your timeline, and your next steps. We're always prepared to serve you -- and never with any sales pressure or spin.