Win-Win Negotiating Article by: Roger Dawson

Win-win negotiating says if you and a seller get together and learn about each other’s objectives, you can come up with a magical solution that gets both of you what you want without either having to feel he or she lost.

An example of this would be two people with only one orange but both want it. After they talk about it, one offers to split the orange down the middle and let each settle for half of what he or she really wants. To be sure that it’s fair, they decide that one will do the cutting and the other will get first choice of the two halves. However, as they continue to discuss the situation, they learn that their underlying needs are different. One wants the orange to make juice, and the other wants the rind to put into a cake. Magically, they have found a way that both of them can win and neither has to lose.

Note that this win-win negotiation was successful because both sides did a good job of gathering information. Initially these two people made the mistake of assuming that the other person wanted the orange for the same reason he or she wanted it. That’s a big mistake, especially when you’re buying real estate. Never assume that sellers view properties the same way you do. Doing so will often create deadlocks over issues that are completely irrelevant to the problems the sellers are trying to solve. The best way to avoid this type of complication is by sharing information and trying to learn what each party is trying to achieve. Never assume that sellers won’t do something just because you wouldn’t do it.

Win-win negotiating is not a matter of just getting what you want, but of helping the other person get what he or she wants also. And one of the most powerful thoughts you can have when you’re negotiating with a seller is not, “What can I get from them?” but “What can I do for them that won’t take away from my position?” People will give you what you want in a negotiation, if you can help them get what they want.

Source: Adapted from Roger Dawson’s audio programs, The Weekend Millionaire’s Real Estate Investing Program and The Secrets of Power Negotiating. To learn more about Roger Dawson and his audio programs, visit www.AdvantEdgeMag.com/004 today.