So, you have your agent, finances etc.
all lined up. You just walked a home and decided this is the one you are going to make an offer on. Your agent and you are going back to the Office and write it up. Unless...
You are a cold blooded buyer, then you do this:
You get a notepad and pen. You go to the curb and look at the house. Is it the model you want ideally? Is it the right color? Are the shingles great? Cracks in the driveway? What is in the shed, a riding mower, tools, chemicals? A tiller? Write all this down! Junk car down the street, negative stuff like that. Go back inside. Any bad carpet? Any non neutral carpet? funky off color and or dated appliances? Is there a piano in the living room or somewhere? Basement or elsewhere wood paneled? Any rooms painted a non neutral color? Write it down! Coffered ceiling upstairs? Write, write write! Exercise equipment anywhere? Write it down. Washer dryer either don't convey or are not good...Write it down. Any personal property in this house that you would like to have...a couch that fits perfectly in a certain spot, the dresser drawers in the master br. the bed, etc. Write all of this down. Take pictures too, but the important thing is to write it all down.

You have tools for negotiating going forward, from the initial presentation of your offer (things that are either absolutely negative objectively or you just personally do not like) It is not important that you already decided to accept the imperfect stuff, you are simply going to arm your agent with talking points that he can employ strategically IF NEEDED. What about that shed, the piano, the weights, and other personal property you might want? That's personal shit, and does not convey, you say...

Thar depends, my friend. Say you have a 2000.00 difference when the appraisal comes back and the seller isn't willing to lower the price because the idiot appraiser is " nuts" and you the buyer used that "f###ing bank I hate and I knew this was going to happen, yada yada yada"...

Agent brings up imperfection time again, with the tools you Armed him with, again strategically....

Seller still will not budge...

But by this time you have established some rappore with this seller, and he just might be downsizing, or doesn't even want to move that piano, or the weights he hasn't used since he bought them...

And you love the house. In your mind it's yours by now. So you up your offer in exchange for the stuff he doesn't even want or need in his new house.

The John Deere d255 goes for a couple grand in and of itself, and you riding, you cold blooded buyer, lol

Even if nothing goes wrong, you would be amazed at what you can get if you time it right, ask right, etc. Don't offer to buy it, act kind of disinterested, but willing to help him avoid the hassle of moving that frigging piano (that your kid loves, lol)
for example...

Food for thought

Ha, you would love my dad!

When buying cars he told me to acknowledge dings and any other little imperfection that I probably don't care about but might help me knock the price down. Or in some instances the more you point out (casually) the more likely the seller will lower the price themselves.

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The key is understanding the seller's mentality as well. You don't point out anything that you don't have to. It's like a gun, you never need it until you need it bad. Also, sellers are emotionally attached to the price they sold their home for far more than the shit they came off to ultimately get that price. That riding mower will be forgotten about before the movers come. The price will be talked about every Thanksgiving until hell freezes over, lol

When I was buying my first car, a 1968 Mustang, they wanted $1000.00 for it. My Moms friend went with me, and pointed all the imperfections out.
By the time we walked off the lot, I paid $350 for it!

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You'll probably like this story.

I think I was about 22 years old and my truck engine (2nd time) gave out and my Subaru had a wheel bearing issue that had the rear tire about to fall off. I find this '89 Beretta up in De Pere for $1,000. I ask my dad if he'll bring me to check it out. He comes to Menasha, picks me up and we go to De Pere. On the way there, I told him I only had $300 on me.

The seller goes back into the house to get the title. I get in the car and my dad says "how's the clutch -- where the engage point" or something like that. I said it's good, engages close to the floor. My dad says "Okay son, I'm gonna head home" and he leaves!!!

I have no way back to Menasha and the car is worth $800 if you're gonna be picky and I have $300.

The guy comes out looking confused and says, where's your dad? I'm still stunned and confused and go "ahh, he left?". I looked at the guy and started telling him, look I'm really sorry, I like this car, I have nothing right now except $300. I told him I felt bad for offering him such a small amount and that I had hoped something would be really wrong with the car to justify the low offer.

Anyhow, he goes -- well, it's my son's car and he's in college and he just needs cash. You got yourself a deal.

I couldn't freaking believe it! I drove to my dad's because hey what the hell was that? lol. He said he bailed because he knew I would be able to convince the guy to sell for $300 and by being basically left with no way home it would make me be more convincing.

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Such a steely eyed assassin Z.

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