Whether you are an Orangeville home buyer or seller from the Dufferin County area, one of the most exciting, yet stressful parts of the entire real estate process is negotiating the offer.

Many of us have spent a fretful few hours, or even a sleepless night, while an endless series of questions filled our minds: Will the price be appealing? Will the offer be accepted? Can we come to terms about conditions? Will the deal go through?

While price is most certainly a major – if not the major – factor in whether or not an offer gets accepted, there are still a number of other considerations that all play a part in the decision making process. This is particularly true in cases where multiple bids are being considered.

Offers are not just about the price and how savvy a buyer is when putting one together can make all the difference.

Of course, having the right Orangeville REALTORS® to negotiate on your behalf is another major factor that could mean a difference of thousands of dollars in your pocket, or even whether the offer is accepted at all.

Here are a few points that may help to improve your negotiating position.

1. Choose a REALTOR® with a proven track record of success. You will benefit from the experience of a representative who has already negotiated the sale of similar Dufferin County homes.

2. Be open, direct and completely frank with your REALTOR®. After all, they’re representing your best interests! To do it well, they will need to clearly understand your needs, your goals and your limitations.

3. Make your offer as free of conditions as possible. There are many conditions that can be eliminated with a little advance planning. For example, if you pre-qualify for a mortgage, you will not have to include a condition that allows you time to set up financing.

Keep the terms of your offer as close to the listing as possible. Remember, all things in an offer have value. The closing date or certain exclusions may have tremendous importance to the seller, but not to you. The closer your offer mirrors the listing, the more appealing it will be to close the deal.