Negotiating to buy your dream home is very much the same as negotiating to buy your next car. The only real differences are the number of zeros on the end of each figure and the length of time it takes to go from ‘a deal’ to actually buying it!
The best negotiators do three things. They decide what they are prepared to pay. They consider the mindset of the other side in the negotiation and they set parameters which, if not achieved, will result in them walking away. Without a belief that you can take or leave a particular deal, you aren’t negotiating, you’re just delaying the inevitable.
Of course, buying your dream home means, by definition, that your heart is driving this at least as much as your head. You need to suppress your desires and keep a cool head. Don’t allow the day dreams and wishes to cloud your judgement.
Buying a home is probably the largest expenditure most people make in their lifetimes. It’s critical, therefore, to negotiate well. So remember, prepare for the task at hand. Get your mortgage and funds in place and don’t be afraid to walk away if the deal doesn’t stack up.
The government has announced plans to make buying or selling a home cheaper and quicker with what is being called the “biggest shake-up to the homebuying system in this country’s history.”
5 days ago
Almost one in five equity release mortgages are now taken out to provide financial support to family.
7 days ago
According to industry data, the expected wait for those looking to buy a property has dropped from just over 11 months to less than six months.
It is common for your first mortgage payment to be higher than your subsequent monthly payments for two reasons.
12 days ago
Firstly, a big congratulations, you’ve now exchanged contracts! After weeks and months of waiting, you are about to move in. What should you do first?
The chancellor will deliver her second budget this autumn. Due to slow economic growth and high inflation, the government need to manage a £40 billion shortfall in public finances. There have already been reports about changes to taxes including income tax and capital gains tax.
29 Aug 2025
The chancellor has advised that landlords could have another tax to pay this autumn as the Treasury decide whether to extend national insurance contributions to rental income.
According to a report in the Guardian, senior ministers have asked Treasury officials to look into a “proportional” property tax to see how it would work as an alternative to the existing stamp duty land tax on owner-occupied homes.