(this picture is page 1 of Google images for all you single ladies)
So, if you were to Google “Boston Haggler” I come up #1 for the following article in the New York Times: Knowing Cost, the Customer Sets the Price.
This is the New York Times here people, not the National Enquirer. Granted, the content of the story is discussing my negotiating prowess in a retail setting, but how the hell do you think I get the money to buy all that crap?
I NEGOTIATE BOSTON REAL ESTATE! LOTS OF IT!
It’s what I do all day every day, besides whisper sweet nothings in my dog’s ear (see him in the picture above), and this means I can negotiate real estate transactions.
So, welcome to Part 1 of the Boston Haggler Blog Series*. I’m going to start by helping you set expectations as to what you should be thinking about when buying a home in Boston. In other words…what is it that you are really negotiating and how important it is to you?
What can buying a wedding gift teach you about buying Boston real estate?
Real Estate is an emotional and intimate purchase. It is where you will set down your roots, live your life, maybe start a family, grow a family, or your first place after you leave your family…or they leave you (call a shrink, I can’t help you there). Bottom line is that your home will be your prized possession and you want to find something that will enhance your life. A wedding present is a very intimate thing as well. It is a way to show your love for your friend, and you want it to be long lasting, hold its emotional value, and constantly be an expression of who you are to those you care about. Unless of course, you don’t like the people, in which case I’d get them a blender…
The prevailing theme here is that you want something that will be reflective of you, that you can afford, and that will hold its value. Negotiating is not always getting the lowest price, it is getting what you want. That being said, it is critical to identify what that is and strategize accordingly to go get it.
When I buy those clocks for close friends there is thought behind it. Foremost, it is personal. They are engraved with the couples’ names and their wedding date. The clocks are either chrome, brass, or nickel with either cherry or black wood bases, depending on the style of the couple in question. The clocks have utility, as people are always cognizant of the time. They are aesthetically pleasing, so they usually get a prominent placement in a living room, or on a mantle. They are high quality and will hold their value over time. Sensing a theme here? Let’s synopsize:
- Personal
- Stylish
- Useful
- Aesthetically pleasing
- High quality and value
These are all attributes that apply to buying real estate in Boston. Of course you want to haggle the best deal you can. That goes without saying. However, in the end, is 5% the end all be all when you are going to potentially sacrifice what you really want to buy? When it comes to high value, life enhancing items, there is always some intrinsic value that needs to be measured, and frankly is worth more than a few bucks…
How much more or less? How to set a baseline value for a home? How to determine how much pressure to apply in negotiations? All topics of future posts in this Boston Haggler series.
Stay tuned…
*and for the record, you should read what I have to say, or you just may be the one getting haggled….. 😉
