by Tod Snodgrass
For those new to real estate investing (or for seasoned pros who are interested in a review of some best practices), it is instructive to know what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to influencing those you come in contact with, be they homeowners, other investors, RESPA service providers, attorneys, brokers, agents, lenders, etc.
For a good example of how NOT to negotiate (in good faith), you need to look no further than the average used car dealer; there is a REASON that a lot of them have a dicey reputation. Many, if not most used car dealers, have earned the negative press they receive, which is a direct result of their previous bad behavior.
11 Ways to Make Yourself a More Effective Negotiator
1. A good place to start is by differentiating yourself from any other “bad actors” in your field. Instead, put on the semblance of the person wearing a “white hat”; be as honest and forthright as possible, compared to any other “black hat” players. Communicate to potential clients that YOU do things differently. Point out your strong points: You offer integrity and honesty, a money back guarantee, phone calls are quickly returned, fast paperwork turnaround is your norm, and that they will receive a better value with you vs. others, etc.
2. Listen intently. During the initial meeting, be prepared to listen to whatever the other person has to say, for as long as it takes. People like to hear the sound of their own voice. By listening carefully to what the other person is saying, you can gain insight into how you can help solve their problem(s). Once you achieve a positive communication breakthrough, the process of converting them from a lead into a real client can begin in earnest.
3. Identify needs vs. wants. Find out what the other person really NEEDS as opposed to what they say they want. Invariably there is always SOMETHING that they need more than anything else (better service, higher quality, faster turnaround times, etc.).
4. Don’t make commitments you can’t keep. Better to under promise and over deliver. If you come up short on even a minor commitment, your credibility could very well be permanently compromised in the eyes of the potential client. As that old saying goes: You only get one chance to make a good first impression.
5. Have a common-sense range of options available for the potential client to choose from. Avoid asking questions that require black and white, all or nothing answers.
6. Minor point closes. Be prepared to ask the potential client a series of questions that can easily be answered positively. Employing such a baby step process allows you to move from one minor point to the next minor point, achieving small, but cumulatively significant, closing commitments along the way. After say, a series of 30 minor yeses, it is unusual for a potential client to suddenly spring a big surprise “NO” on you.
7. Sell through any “No’s”. Amateurs see objections (from, say, a prospective new client) as a potential deal killer. Seasoned professionals recognize that a NO is when the sales process can really begin in earnest. Be prepared to work through a series of issues. Your job is to remove any problems, one by one. Once all the objections have been dealt with, THAT is the time to start/resume minor point closing in order to move towards wrapping up the deal. Make sure you have removed any and all remaining problems that still exist by verbally summarizing what has been agreed to. Until each of the other person’s objections/problems is successfully (re)solved, negotiations cannot be successfully concluded. Finally, turn all the verbal OKs into a written and signed agreement (contract).
8. Anticipate objections (as much as you can). Rehearse answers to standard questions. If you have done your homework, you can often get a head start on what is really on the mind of the person sitting across the table from you. This information may come from searches of public records, online industry research, via friendly collaborators, trade journal scuttlebutt, etc. The more info you can garner in advance as to what the potential client’s real problems are, the better prepared you will be to offer meaningful solutions.
9. Admit if you lack any key info. If you don’t have an answer to a question being asked, be honest and say you will quickly get back to them with appropriate information; then follow through and actually get it into their hands in a timely fashion.
10. Deal Control: There is an old business truism: Either you control the deal or the deal controls you. By being friendly but assumptive, using minor point closing, finding out what the client actually needs, listening to their complaints, etc., all of these things are positive indications that you are in control of the situation. Whenever you feel that control slipping, resume asking (minor point) questions until you have dealt with all their objections, and gotten to the core of the issue, thereby again reasserting control over the situation. After that, a successful conclusion to your negotiations should not be far off.
11. Win Win. Last, but certainly not least, it is of utmost importance that when the negotiating is concluded, and an agreement has been finalized, it must be satisfactory to all parties involved.
What We Do: Quickly provide short-term, first position, private capital funding, to real estate investors for flips, fix/flips, transactional funding, and more. Contact info: Tod Snodgrass, emdfunding1@gmail.com,
Up to 100% Wholesaler & Rehabber Funding Available
Capital available in all 50 states and DC, with the following parameters, to Real Estate Investors (REIers) preferably via commercial loan brokers:
* $20,000-$99,000 (normal upper limit; higher amounts available for really good deals)
* 1-3 Months in most cases; sometimes longer time frames are available
* Employ our capital for quick flips with certain low balance mortgage or lien payoffs; or can
be used by investors with properties owned free & clear to clear up liens, loan, probate, lawsuits
* Slow Motion Transactional Funding capital available
* Up to 67% LTV (Loan to Value) of FMV (Fair Market Value), less 10% fixed costs = 60% net LTV
* No upfront or hidden fees. Quick funding decisions.
* No points, no interest, no monthly payments. Not a loan. Funding is a Cash-on-Cash-type investment.
* Similar to a Joint Venture: you bring the right deal, we bring up to 100% of the acquisition funds.
* N.O.O. only (Non-Owner-Occupied), investor-owned properties
* Investment must be secured by a 1st position note/deed
* Funding transactions are normally processed by our processing and title/escrow professionals
* Referral Fee: 2.5% to RE pros (LLCs, Corp., etc.) who refer those who need Flip or Gap Funding
5.0% to commercial loan brokers who both refer the lead to us and do all the investor paperwork as well
Why you and/or your clients should use us for First Position Gap Funding
- It is directed at those who cannot secure the funds they need through normal investor-
financing channels. Reasons may include: low FICO score; short amount of time involved; funded amount too small, etc.; lacks cash; title issues that need to be cleared up: lien, loan default, probate
- We make quick flips possible, that were previously not doable
- Cash-strapped investors who want to list/sell a property, but need to spend money (they don’t
have) on remedial items such as: code violations, cosmetic fix up, judgments, etc.
- Funding normally occurs in 6-8 working days, not weeks (for qualified deals)
- We do not require an appraisal, credit check or income verification
- Use our funds to get past temporary cash flow hurdles
- Pay overdue: taxes, liens, HOA fees, probate fees, etc.
- Use our funds for building permits, closing costs, materials
- Pay off a small note so property can be sold or refinanced
- Don’t tie up your personal capital, use ours
- Allows investors to leverage themselves into more deals
SUMMARY
4 main ways that REIers use First Position Flip/Gap Funding to their advantage. Use our capital to:
1. Quickly flip a property—or fix/flip or buy/hold—if the math works out OK. The REIer just has to make sure they have already lined up exit strategy money to get EMD Funding out of the deal in a timely fashion.
2. Save an investor property, and the equity tied up in it, from imminent loss due to a looming foreclosure, overdue lien coming due very soon, court judgment, get a property out of probate, etc.
3. Help cash-poor REIers make pre-listing, fix-up improvements to a run-down property to bring it up to code or cosmetic (paint, landscaping, curb-appeal items), etc. in order to refi or sell it faster and/or garner a higher selling price.
4. Back to back escrows (double close); REIers can use our funds for their transactional funding needs
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