Having just closed two real estate transactions this past week, I am reminded of the various issues involved in the negotiation process. It should go without saying that  the ability of  Realtors to understand the art of negotiation is critical to their clients. In today’s real estate market in San Antonio, Realtors must be able to distinguish between a buyers or sellers market. It is not as simple as it might appear. In order to help your clients make an educated decision when either making an offer on a home or a seller responding to an offer, the Realtor must convey the correct information to his or her client. Obviously, the buyer or seller makes the final decision, but if that decision is based on incorrect data or information, then the ability to successfully negotiate is greatly impaired, and may result in no transaction at all. Then no one wins. A buyer does not get the home they wanted and the seller must wait for another offer. The reality is that once an offer is submitted, it is in everyone’s best interest to work diligently to make it work for all parties. Are compromises by both buyers and sellers part of the process? Absolutely! It’s a “give and get” deal. In order to get something, you typically have to give something, and vice versa. The bottom line is that Realtors need to understand the “ART”  of negotiation in order to properly prepare their clients for the process. It’s amazing how smoothly a transaction can happen when everyone involved is knowledgable, prepared, and understands the processes from start to finish. As always, I welcome any questions or comments.