Sandeep Pawar
Broker
Home / Negotiation
Negotiation: the part of the deal that decides your number
Marketing gets you offers. Negotiation decides what those offers are worth. How I negotiate for buyers and sellers, what is on the table besides price, and the rules in Ontario.
The short answer: good negotiation is mostly preparation. I set your walk-away number first, find out what the other side needs, and trade on every term in the offer, not just the price: deposit, conditions, closing date and inclusions. On a $1,000,000 home, a 2% difference in price is $20,000.
I hold the RENE designation, Real Estate Negotiation Expert, offered by the Real Estate Business Institute and recognized by the National Association of REALTORS®. It is deliberate training in negotiation strategy, not something picked up by instinct. More on my designations.
Five principles I work by
Know the number before the conversation starts
We set your walk-away point and your target before engaging. A negotiation entered without a floor is one you have already partly lost.
Read the other side’s position
Why are they selling? How long has it been listed? Have they already bought? Motivation shapes what they will accept, and it is often discoverable.
Control the terms, not just the price
Closing date, conditions, deposit and inclusions all have value. Sellers often accept less money for better terms. Buyers often win on terms when they cannot win on price.
Never make the first concession the biggest one
How you move tells the other side how much room is left. I move deliberately, and every concession gets something back.
Be genuinely willing to walk
This is the one that cannot be faked. If you are not prepared to leave, the other side will find out.
What is negotiable besides price
| Term | Why it matters | Who it usually helps |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | A larger deposit signals commitment and is held in trust until closing. | Buyers competing without lowering their price |
| Conditions | Financing and inspection conditions protect the buyer; fewer conditions mean more certainty for the seller. | Both, in opposite directions |
| Closing date | A date that fits the seller’s next move can be worth more to them than a higher price. | Buyers who can be flexible |
| Inclusions | Appliances, light fixtures, window coverings and sheds can be added or removed. | Both |
| Repairs or credits | After an inspection, a credit or price change can be cleaner than repairs done in a hurry. | Buyers with an inspection condition |
| Irrevocable time | How long the seller has to answer. Short times create pressure; long ones let the seller shop your offer. | Whoever controls the timing |
How I negotiate for buyers
- Price from the comparable sales, not the asking price.
- Find out how many offers are registered, and what the seller needs on timing.
- Keep the conditions you need, or do the work in advance (a pre-inspection, a firm financing position) so you can safely compete without them.
- Decide your top number before offer night, and stick to it.
How I negotiate your purchase and multiple offers explained.
How I negotiate for sellers
- Price from evidence, so buyers cannot argue it down with comparables you have not seen.
- Choose the offer strategy (offer date or offers any time) to suit the market and the home.
- Compare offers on net certainty, not just the headline: deposit, conditions and closing date.
- Under TRESA, you decide whether the content of competing offers can be shared with other buyers.
Have an offer to make, or one to answer? Talk it through before you sign anything.
Book a 30-minute callOntario rules on offers that shape negotiation
- The seller’s agent must disclose the number of competing written offers to every buyer who has submitted one. Verbal interest does not count.
- The content of competing offers can be shared only if the seller directs it.
- Since 1 December 2023, buyers and sellers sign written representation agreements with their brokerage, after receiving RECO’s Information Guide.
- Ontario has no legislated cooling-off period for a resale condo, unlike a new condo bought from a builder. Once an offer is accepted and firm, the conditions you wrote in are your main protection.
General information, not legal advice. Your real estate lawyer can confirm how these rules apply to your offer before you sign.
How to prepare for a negotiation
- Your walk-away price, written down, and the reasoning behind it.
- The comparable sales for the home, with dates and adjustments.
- Your priorities beyond price: date, conditions, inclusions.
- Financing confirmed: pre-approval for buyers, mortgage payout and next purchase for sellers.
- Deposit funds ready to send within the agreed time.
- A plan for the likely responses: a sign-back, multiple offers, a low appraisal.
What clients have published
“He got us the house at $30,000 under asking.”
“He secured our Fletcher’s Meadow home for $28,000 under market value.”
Every deal on my track record shows its list price and the price paid. Results come from individual transactions, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Read the client reviews.
Questions people ask
What is a RENE designation?
RENE stands for Real Estate Negotiation Expert, a negotiation certification offered by the Real Estate Business Institute and recognized by the National Association of REALTORS®. The training covers negotiation strategy, behind-the-scenes issues in a transaction, different personalities and balancing competing objectives.
How does Sandeep Pawar negotiate for buyers in Brampton?
He sets the client’s walk-away price before engaging, researches the seller’s position, and negotiates terms alongside price: deposit, conditions, closing date and inclusions. Published results show the list price and price paid for each deal.
Can a negotiator really save me money?
Sometimes, and the amounts can be large: on a $1,000,000 home, a 2% difference in price is $20,000. Published reviews of Sandeep’s work describe buyers securing homes $28,000 to $30,000 below asking or market value. Every negotiation depends on the property, the market and the other side’s position, so no result is guaranteed.
Will the listing agent tell me about other offers?
In Ontario, the seller’s agent must tell every buyer who has submitted a written offer how many competing offers there are. It may share the content of those offers only if the seller directs it to. Verbal interest is not a competing offer.
What can I negotiate besides price?
The deposit, the conditions and their deadlines, the closing date, included appliances and fixtures, repairs or credits after an inspection, and how long the offer stays open. Each has value to one side or the other.
Should I offer below asking in a balanced market?
Offer from the comparable sales, not the asking price. If recent sales support a lower number, a lower offer with clean terms can work. If the home is priced below the comparables, offering low can lose it.
What if the inspection finds a problem?
If your offer has an inspection condition, you can ask for a price reduction, a credit or a repair, or walk away before the condition deadline. A material defect with a cost estimate is the strongest basis for renegotiation.
Sources
- National Association of REALTORS®: RENE certification
- RECO: competing offers
- RECO: TRESA FAQs
- Ontario.ca: what to know before buying a home (no cooling-off period for resale condos)
Don’t leave money on the table
Buying or selling, the negotiation starts before the first offer. Book a call and I will show you how I would approach yours.