How to bargain when buying an apartment on the secondary market, how to reduce the price when buying an apartment

No matter what price the seller sets, you still want to buy an apartment cheaper.

Maria Yakovleva

reduces apartment prices

When I worked as a realtor, I came across a client who could not sell his apartment for 10 years. After studying it, I realized that the price was too high, so I had to knock it down. I persuaded the owner to drop a million, and the apartment finally sold.

In this article I will tell you what to look for and what arguments to use so that the seller makes a discount. First of all, I would like to tell you what many of my clients did - and what not to do.

Owners sometimes not only refuse a discount, but even change their minds about selling an apartment to a specific buyer - for example, because he wants to reduce the price for subjective reasons or is finding fault with little things. It is not right.

Here's what not to do when bargaining if you're a buyer.

Criticize wallpaper, furniture and decor. The wallpaper can be re-pasted; its color does not affect the price of the apartment. The seller will take the furniture and decor with him or give it to the buyer - they also do not matter. All of these are changeable factors that are important when renting an apartment. When selling, you should pay attention to what cannot be changed, such as the square footage and location of the house.

Referring to negative energy. Negative or positive energy in an apartment is a subjective question, and it is quite difficult to prove the level of negativity to the seller. From my own experience, I can say that sellers are frightened by such conversations and buyers.

Persuade them to lower the price. If, when asked whether the seller is ready to bargain, the buyer receives a refusal and has no arguments to reduce the price, there is no need to persuade.

A large family without a breadwinner, dismissal and other difficult circumstances may cause pity for the seller, but they will not force them to lose money.

Moreover, experienced sellers know that scammers often press for pity.

To get a discount on an apartment, do not make these mistakes. Instead, pay attention to the apartment's shortcomings, which can really bring down its value.

Sellers of apartments on the first and last floors most often themselves understand the disadvantages of apartments and initially set the price lower. But if you think that the price is still too high, or the owner did not take this shortcoming into account, try bargaining.

The disadvantage of apartments on the ground floor is that there is a basement underneath them, so they sometimes get unpleasant odors, rats and cockroaches. If your basement is damp, mold may grow. Ask your neighbors on the floor if their apartments have similar problems. If so, provide an argument to the owner.

Think about the possible work that will have to be done in the ground floor apartment, and try asking for a discount on upcoming costs:

1. You will have to spend money on installing a heated floor, because due to the basement, the floor can be cold in winter.
2. It is necessary to install impact-resistant glass, security alarms or bars. The first floor attracts burglars because the apartment is easier to get into.
3. You need to buy special filters and equipment for air purification: from an open window, exhaust gases, street dust, and if the apartment is near the entrance, then cigarette smoke can enter the apartment.
4. It is necessary to install high-quality windows with good sound insulation - in the first floor apartment you can hear the noise of cars and people talking at the entrance.

The main problem of the last floor is leaks. The snow is melting, it is raining, the roof is leaking - water is leaking into the apartment. If there is a technical floor above the apartment, it will protect against water. In this case, leaks are only possible if water accumulates in the attic.

It is more difficult to reduce the cost of an apartment on the top floor than on the first floor, because there are fewer disadvantages. In some buildings, these apartments are the most expensive, for example in luxury new buildings: beautiful views, a private attic and no problems with leaks. Therefore, these arguments work best in economy class apartments.

Most often, owners agree to make a discount if the apartment is on the first or last floor. But this is not true for all houses. Therefore, before you tell the seller about the leaking roof, make sure that it is appropriate in the building where you are looking at the apartment. To do this, you can talk to your neighbors or the management company.

There may be other reasons to reduce the cost - talk to your neighbors, ask them about the disadvantages. For example, I was in a house where the sewer system burst several times and flooded the first floor apartments. The owner is unlikely to talk about this, but the neighbors shared it.

Artificial lighting does not play a role when buying an apartment; you can change it yourself: buy additional chandeliers, lamps and install LEDs. But you cannot change what is natural. Therefore, the amount of sunlight affects the cost and attractiveness of the apartment.

Natural lighting will be worse if there are trees, houses, outbuildings, stairs and anything that blocks sunlight near the windows. If you are looking at an apartment in winter, pay attention to the trees near the windows. There may be enough light now, but in summer the foliage will cover the windows.

The illumination is influenced by the cardinal directions to which the apartment windows face. If it faces south, the apartment is sunny and warm, if it faces north, it’s cold. But this doesn't always happen. To understand exactly how much sun and light there will be in the apartment in different seasons, go to your neighbors and ask.

My realtor friend had buyers looking at an apartment in winter. The day was cloudy and the apartment was poorly lit. Buyers were worried that it might be too dark and cold. Let's go to the neighbors. They said that the windows face south, nothing blocks the sunlight, but in the summer it can be too hot: residents resort to air conditioning and curtains. Buyers abandoned this apartment.

In some cases, nearby buildings spoil the view from the window. This is another argument for reducing the price. For example, I saw a new building in which a mistake was made in the design and in three apartments on the first floor the windows looked directly onto the wall of the outbuilding.

In a major renovation, the two most expensive types of work are plumbing and electrical. Therefore, first look at the condition of the radiators and plumbing pipes in the bathroom, toilet and kitchen. There should be no rust, traces of leaks or drops of water.

The most dangerous are mixed copper and aluminum wires, because together they oxidize and the risk of fire is very high.

The seller may not know what kind of wiring is in the apartment, then with his permission, unscrew one socket and look at the color of the wires. The silver wire is aluminum, the pinkish-orange wire is copper.

If the apartment has mixed wiring, this is an argument for reducing the cost. Explain to the seller that after moving into the apartment you will have to make repairs and replace the wiring.

In the residential rental market, the price is influenced by all the characteristics of the apartment: from location to the color of the tiles.

And in the sales market, the price depends on unchangeable characteristics: location, house material, ceiling height and footage. Therefore, small additions to the interior play a role in the rental, but go unnoticed when purchasing.

The selling price of an apartment is influenced by the general condition and the ability to live in it for the first time without making repairs.

Most likely, you will get a discount if:

1. Plumbing pipes or wiring are in poor condition (I talked about this above).
2. The bathtub is in poor condition.
3. There is no tap in the kitchen or bathroom.
4. No hot water.
5. The entire apartment or a separate room after a fire.
6. There are stains on the ceiling, which means that the neighbors above were flooding.
7. The windows are blowing heavily. Bring a match or lighter to the window: if the flame goes out, it means there is a strong air flow.

If the apartment requires major repairs and it is impossible to live in it, you can ask for a significant discount. In this case, the buyer pays only for the walls and includes the additional cost of dismantling or sanitation.

For example, this is possible in apartments after a fire, when all the walls and ceiling are covered in soot, and there are only charred remains of furniture around. Or in apartments where there are a lot of insects, the plaster crumbles or the floor collapses.

Living there is dangerous, so the owners are ready to make a big discount.

It happens that it is impossible to live in an apartment immediately after purchase, but it is difficult to get an additional discount for this, because the apartment was specially prepared for renovation. This is more common in new buildings.

An example of an advertisement for the sale of an apartment with an old renovation An example of an advertisement for the sale of an apartment that is prepared for renovation

The cost of the apartment also depends on the convenience of the apartment’s layout. There are three types of layouts: isolated, adjacent and adjacent-isolated.

Isolated - a layout in which each room has its own entrance from the corridor. That is, you do not need to go through some room to get to another room.

Adjacent-isolated. This layout is found in apartments with three or more rooms: two rooms can be entered directly from the corridor, and the third can only be entered through another room.

Apartments with adjacent rooms are priced lower than apartments with a separate layout. If the owner did not initially take this into account in the price, you can ask for a discount, because it is impossible to create a separate space for one person in the adjacent room: the rest of the family will pass through it to another room. Often, common rooms, such as living rooms, are made into passageways.

The owner may say that the redevelopment has been approved, but this is not the case. They approve a sketch or project of a redevelopment that has not yet been made, but legitimize the redevelopment that has actually been done. If the technical passport contains red lines on the plan, it means that the redevelopment is not legalized.

You are buying not only an apartment, but also the opportunity to use the benefits that are located nearby. In the residential real estate market, transport and social infrastructure near housing plays an important role. If any of them is not developed enough, you can reduce the price of the apartment.

Only a professional appraiser can assess the level of infrastructure development, but simple knowledge and a visual assessment are enough to determine the primary cost of an apartment.

Transport accessibility. To understand how good transport is in an area, rate:

1. How far is the nearest metro station from home and how long it takes to get to it on foot and by transport.
2. Ground public transport: buses, trolleybuses, trams and minibuses. In which directions do they travel, how many routes are there in the area and how often does public transport operate.
3. Congestion of the area. You need to understand whether traffic jams form on the roads and how long it will take you to leave the area by car and public transport.

Poor transport accessibility is a reason to ask the seller for a discount.

An example of high traffic congestion is leaving the Krasnoselsky district of St. Petersburg. Here the traffic situation is at 10 a.m. And here it is at 8 p.m. on the same day. When buying an apartment in this area, you can show the owner this picture and ask for a discount

Social infrastructure includes shopping centers, grocery stores, supermarkets, hospitals, clinics, kindergartens, schools, and fitness centers. Something different is important for every buyer.

I had clients for whom it was important to have 24-hour stores near their home, but they did not pay attention to where kindergartens were located.

And there were married couples for whom it was important that their children get to school in 10 minutes, but they were not interested in where the nearest fitness center was.

There are buyers with special requirements: for example, they need a French language school nearby, but there is none. In such cases, owners usually make a discount if there are no other buyers and the apartment has been on sale for a long time.

But there are social infrastructure facilities that are important to most buyers, such as grocery stores close to home and public transport. Due to the undeveloped infrastructure, sellers are willing to lower the price. But often they initially factor these disadvantages into the cost.

Example of poor infrastructure in the St. Petersburg area: there are only two grocery stores nearby that are not open at night Example of good infrastructure: several grocery stores, including 24-hour ones

Anything that spoils the environment, creates noise or odors around the house, automatically brings down the cost of the apartment. Usually this:

1. Industrial enterprises, city landfills, waste processing plants and any other facilities whose waste pollutes the environment or creates an unpleasant odor.
2. Airports, if planes during takeoff or landing create noise that can be heard by residents of nearby houses.
3. Transport that creates noise or vibration in the apartment: for example, railway and tram tracks, highways or a shallow metro are located near the house.

An example of tram tracks. At some times the trams here run every 5 minutes - can be noisy

The apartment is ideal both in condition and location, but there are reasons to reduce the price due to the nature of the transaction. The owner may have circumstances due to which he cannot sell you the apartment right away. Therefore, he makes a discount to keep the buyer. You will lose time, but you will gain money.

Minor apartment owners are always involved in the transaction of guardianship and trusteeship authorities. On average, a deal lasts two weeks longer.

Counter purchase. The seller can buy another apartment to replace the one being sold. This type of transaction is called a counterpurchase or alternative transaction. The buyer gives the seller time to find an apartment, and the seller lowers the price for this.

Buyers and sellers with counter purchases form a chain, all links of which depend on each other. The record length of the chain that I heard about reached 18 links.

1. Look at what cannot be changed. When buying an apartment, unchangeable factors are important: type of building, floor, infrastructure, nearby objects, area of ​​the apartment.
2. When bargaining with the owner, it is important to know when to stop. If a buyer asks for a discount because of old wiring, and there is a queue of other buyers outside the door who are satisfied with everything, the seller will choose another.
3. It is difficult for sellers to sell an apartment at a lower price than similar apartments nearby. So before you bargain, see how much they cost. The cheaper similar options are, the higher the chance of getting a discount.
4. Research the home's features before bidding. The arguments I have listed will sometimes be inappropriate. For example, if you buy a penthouse with a terrace in a new business class building, it is strange to talk about a leaking roof. Well, it would be inappropriate to tell the seller about a noisy street if the windows of his apartment overlook the Hermitage or TSUM.

Learn how to bargain correctly when buying an apartment

Buying a home is a very exciting moment in the life of any person. Everyone wants to buy an apartment cheaper, in a comfortable area, with good neighbors, far from the noise and bustle.

• How to reduce the price when buying an apartment?
• You can save a very noticeable amount of money on the shortcomings, which you can always find if you wish when inspecting the apartment.

Dear readers! Our articles talk about typical ways to resolve legal issues, but each case is unique.

If you want to find out how to solve your particular problem, please contact the online consultant form on the right or call the numbers below. It's fast and free!

Preparation

A good solution would be to study the real estate market in the city, compare prices and conditions. You can print out a list of the options you are considering.

Successful trading requires thorough preparation.

It’s great if you know well not only the area, but also the house in which the transaction is proposed. It’s worth choosing a suitable day and carefully walking around the area. Carefully analyze all the shortcomings that you see.

When is bargaining possible?

Factors that signal the appropriateness of bargaining when purchasing real estate include

1. Overpricing compared to similar properties . A number of sellers, wanting to get a good amount for the housing they sell, deliberately inflate the price, “building” into it the amount of a future discount. In case of bargaining, the owner will gladly give the property to a real buyer at the average market value.
2. The apartment has been on sale for a long time. It's worth taking the time to find out how much time has passed since the sale began. If the owner is already exhausted from months of viewings and negotiations, the likelihood of a discount will be much higher than for an apartment that was advertised a week ago. Such information can be found at a real estate agency, on ad exchanges, in newspapers.
3. The owner is not sure about the price. In this case, everything plays into the hands of the buyer. There is a high probability of unforeseen situations arising when purchasing a secondary home. You need to reduce the price, but only within reasonable limits. If the price becomes too low, the seller will have doubts and terminate the deal at the last moment.
4. An advertisement indicating the possibility of bargaining. It’s good if you can find out why the seller is in a hurry. If a person is limited by strict deadlines, the chance of a significant discount is very significant.

If you want to know what an encumbrance on an apartment is and what its features are, then this article will be useful to you.

Psychological tricks that will help you buy profitably

There are a number of psychological recommendations on how to properly approach this important stage of the transaction.

• Do not start bidding until you have inspected the home. Naturally, it is wrong to talk about the shortcomings of an apartment without seeing it. This action can achieve only one thing - a negative attitude from the owner. Moreover, do not do this over the phone or by email.
• Don't show excessive joy. If the seller realizes ahead of time that the proposed living space is the subject of a lengthy search, he will no longer have to count on a discount. There is no point in it, because the buyer is willing to pay to realize his dream.
• Awareness. If you have specific information, it will be difficult to argue with you. Read about the house, find out when major renovations were carried out. If you have a truly worthy option, it's worth getting creative. Get to know your neighbors in advance. This can be done directly, explaining that you want to buy an apartment nearby. Believe me, talkative neighbors will be able to provide you with invaluable information.
• To establish a friendly relationship, do not neglect compliments. At the same time, do not over-praise the apartment, otherwise the owner will decide that you are satisfied with everything and it will be difficult to apply for a price reduction. In a residential apartment, praise the beautiful furniture and beautiful wallpaper; in an empty apartment, mention the hospitality of the owner.
• Use humor. Don't forget to joke in moderation, especially if this is really your strong point. Drop a hint of a discount in between. Most likely, the seller will not refuse you.
• Act out the scene. If you are buying an apartment together, agree on the roles in advance. For example, a wife begins to persuade her husband to buy an apartment, but he refuses, citing the inflated cost. If the seller is a man, he is much more likely to give a discount to a woman. If a woman is selling an apartment, then the active buyer will be the man, and the woman’s role is to refuse. The main thing in this tactic is to observe the measure.
• Set a precedent. Suppose you offer your price to the seller, and he refers to your deliberate bias. There is a game move that can give a significant result. Agree with relatives, neighbors and friends that they will also act as potential buyers. However, the price they offer should be even lower than the one you quoted. Psychologists have long proven that if several people confirm a certain circumstance, even one that is obviously unacceptable, in the presence of a subject, then he either completely agrees with the authenticity of what was voiced, or begins to very much doubt it. This technique gives you a chance to significantly reduce the price. After all, against the background of offers from other “false buyers”, yours will look very decent. In addition to a purely psychological approach to the seller, there are a number of completely objective factors that influence the formation of prices. During the negotiations
  1. Identify any shortcomings. Lack of a nearby metro station (for smaller cities - public transport stops). The first and last floors of the house. Presence of noise sources nearby. Unreliable neighbors. Indicate to the seller those shortcomings that you will need money to eliminate.
  2. Find out if there are any natural encumbrances. These arguments also play into your hands when bargaining. The more problems there are in an apartment, the fewer people want to buy it. At the same time, you should be aware of the degree of risk in such a transaction.
  3. Doubt it. Come to inspect the apartment several times. Do not show the seller excessive interest. Show that you are choosing from several options in the area. Let there be healthy competition.
  4. If you find an apartment cheaper, let the seller know. If the seller is willing to make concessions, having you have another viable option will encourage him to take decisive action.

  If you want to find out whether it is possible to sell a mortgaged apartment, we advise you to read this article.

  Your benefits

  Today, a very small percentage of real estate purchase transactions are carried out without the participation of borrowed capital. Therefore, if you have real money, then it is simply necessary to voice this. Paying in cash under a purchase and sale agreement is beneficial to the seller because you:

  • You can buy it quickly. This will be especially true if the seller is limited in time.
  • You can wait until the apartment is vacated. Many people sell their homes in order to subsequently improve their living conditions. Finding a new home also takes a significant amount of time, and you provide it.
  • You can help with paperwork. A nice little bonus. If you specialize in this field, such a small favor will not create problems for you. And the seller will be friendly towards you. Perhaps later he will recommend you to his friends.

  Tips on how to reduce the price

  Behave confidently, name specific arguments and amounts.

  Don't start bargaining right away. Consider all the shortcomings, compare the desirability of the purchase and its price, and draw conclusions. Tell the owner what costs the purchase of this apartment will entail. Ask for a discount commensurate with the upcoming expenses. State the real cost of the apartment that you agree to pay.

  Come with a list of apartments. Create healthy competition, show the seller that you are also considering other options. If he is interested in speeding up the sales process, expect steps towards it.

  Draw up an agreement as soon as you manage to reach an agreement. Don't put off paperwork until later. As soon as agreements have been reached, proceed with the initial execution of the transaction.

  The contract must clearly indicate

  • Final cost of the apartment
  • Amount of pre-paid deposit
  • Document preparation period
  • Dates for departure of the former owner
  • The amount of penalties for termination of the transaction.

  We invite you to download the form of the preliminary agreement for the purchase and sale of an apartment: Download.

  Make an advance payment. An advance is a confirmation of the seriousness of your intentions. The seller will be confident that you will not change your mind and will calmly prepare the documents.

  We invite you to watch a video on how to bargain correctly when buying an apartment. Expert advice.

  Didn't find the answer to your question? Find out how to solve exactly your problem - call right now: It's fast and free!

The art of haggling

How to negotiate with the seller so that he agrees to reduce the price, and what is the average discount on the secondary housing market?

Advertisement about the sale of an apartment on one of the residential buildings (Photo: Donat Sorokin/TASS)

“Negotiable” is a phrase that often appears in real estate advertisements. For a potential buyer, it serves as a signal that the seller is ready for a discount.

According to realtors interviewed by RBC-Real Estate, today in Moscow the size of the discount when buying an apartment on the secondary market can reach 20-25% of the initially stated price - and the price reduction often does not depend on the characteristics of the housing itself.

Over the past year, more than 80% of transactions on the secondary market in Moscow took place at a discount, as calculated by the Inkom-Nedvizhimost real estate agency. This trend peaked in November, when the share of discount deals reached 86%.

“Now the market is falling, everyone has been actively trading for the last two years,” confirmed Anton Mikov, a real estate specialist at the real estate company Etazhi. — Sellers set prices according to their expectations and feelings.

Very often the stated value turns out to be higher than the market value because they bought the property in a strong market at a high price and now want to get their money back. Understanding the real price comes after some time.”

What discount should I expect?

According to realtors, the average discount on the secondary market in Russia ranges from 3% to 13%, depending on the region. Thus, in Moscow, buyers start bargaining with 2–3%, and eventually reach 7–10%, the Est-a-Tet agency calculated.

The average figure for the Moscow region is 9%, and the closer to the capital, the smaller the discount sellers give, the Megapolis-Service company found out: if in the near Moscow region a discount of 3.5% is considered normal, then for the far Moscow region 13 % discounts.

In Siberia, the discount is measured not as a percentage, but in absolute values, the Etazhi agency told RBC Real Estate. For example, discounts on one-room apartments in Tyumen are usually about 50 thousand rubles.

, and for “three rubles” - about 300 thousand rubles; in Omsk, the discount amount for one-room apartments and studios ranges from 20–50 thousand rubles, and for multi-room lots reaches 500 thousand rubles.

, indicated the head of the sales group of the local branch of Etazhi, Mikhail Kashlenko.

“In the case of an urgent sale, when, for example, a person moves and has nothing to do with this property, you can achieve the maximum discount,” noted Marina Moskvicheva, director of the secondary real estate department at Est-a-Tet.

 — Apartments fall sharply in price not due to their consumer characteristics, but mainly due to the personal circumstances of the seller. This is the psychological spring that will become the basis for bargaining.”

“The maximum discount [on the Moscow secondary market] reached 20–25%,” said Mikhail Kulikov, director of the secondary market department at Inkom-Real Estate.

 “The owners of these apartments, due to difficult life circumstances (for example, people need to receive a large sum as soon as possible to pay for an operation for a relative), could not wait and were ready to make serious concessions. Of course, this does not mean that all sellers are ready for such a big discount.”

Who is useless to bargain with?

“There are two types of inflated prices,” said Konstantin Barsukov, general director of the Relight Real Estate agency. — The first is overvalued objects. At the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016, many overpriced apartments were put on the market.

This is not due to the fact that bargaining was included in the price of the apartment, but to the fact that many owners overvalued their apartments - a normal phenomenon for the post-crisis period, when prices have not stabilized and sellers do not fully understand the cost of their apartments.

The second type is a slight increase in price for bargaining.

In general, we are talking not about the approach “I will add so much to my price, since the buyer will still haggle,” but about the approach “I know that my apartment costs from such and such an amount to such and such, Therefore, I will list the apartment at the maximum level or closer to it and, if the buyer bargains, I will give him a little concession.”

The existence of overvalued properties for which it is impossible to obtain a discount was confirmed by other realtors.

“Approximately 80% of apartments on the capital’s secondary housing market are currently put up for sale at greatly inflated prices,” said Mikhail Kulikov.

 — The owners of such properties are not ready to negotiate, despite the fact that the apartment may be looking for buyers for more than a year. Without a reduction in cost, these objects will not be sold given the current market conditions.”

“In the eyes of sellers, prices are too low,” Sergei Vlasenko, president of the Megapolis-Service real estate association, explained the logic of homeowners.

 “The sellers didn’t get it in their heads that the value of real estate has decreased over the past two years. They think like this: “I bought this apartment for such and such a price three or four years ago.

Why should I sell it cheaper now?” The fact that real estate prices were inflated before 2014 is not perceived by them.”

 — Those advertisements that appear in overpriced databases are simply ignored and not even viewed, since there are quite a lot of similar options. Most often, people look at the first five or six ads with the lowest prices in the sample.”

Discount negotiations most often begin with the authors of such advertisements.

How to prepare for negotiations

Before starting to bargain, the buyer should inspect several similar apartments - in the same area and with the same rooms, advise the agencies Inkom-Real Estate, Etazhi, Megapolis-Service, Relight-Real Estate and Est-a- Tet. “The buyer does not purchase the property after the first viewing,” explained Mikhail Kulikov.

 “He visits several apartments, finds out whether bargaining is possible when purchasing them, and sometimes returns two or three times to the same object. As a result, he chooses an apartment where the price-quality ratio suits him most, and here he makes every effort to get a discount.

Moreover, when bargaining, you can mention that, for example, in the next entrance a similar apartment costs a little less or its owners are ready to make concessions.”

Realtors do not recommend bargaining over the phone. “This will not bring success,” Sergei Vlasenko is convinced. — Bargaining with the seller is appropriate only after you have looked at the property put on the market, met the owner and established good contact with him. Upon inspection, you will definitely identify deficiencies.

Don’t be shy about talking to the seller about them - just don’t criticize the apartment too much, as this will cause unnecessary aggression.” “Starting a bargain before viewing the apartment is most often completely pointless and even dangerous: the seller will take a defensive position.

In this case, a constructive dialogue will most likely not work,” says Marina Moskvicheva.

Correct arguments

“We need to select real arguments. The best argument is pointing to a similar apartment that suits you, but costs less or the same,” says Konstantin Barsukov from Relight Real Estate.

“It is worth focusing your attention on the discrepancies between the description of the living space in the advertisement for sale and the real state of affairs,” advised Mikhail Kulikov. “For example, the advertisement states that the kitchen area in the apartment is 9 square meters. m, but in fact it is 8.3 sq. m. This is a serious difference.

Or it’s written that it’s a five-minute walk from the metro station to the apartment, but in reality it’s fifteen minutes.”

“You shouldn’t be too zealous in identifying the apartment’s shortcomings,” Moskvicheva recommended. — It’s best to talk in general terms about objective flaws, and not about “the bad taste of the designer” or “the stink in the entrance.” An argument for reducing the price may be significant shortcomings - not the most attractive view from the window or a somewhat outdated renovation.”

“If the apartment is sold furnished, then you can ask the seller not to leave it to the buyer and thereby reduce the price,” said Anton Mikov from Etazhi. “There are also impulse sales, when the seller at first does not want to reduce the price by a single ruble, and then something changes in his life - and he is ready for a big discount.”

The Megapolis-Service agency suggests drawing the seller’s attention to the possible benefits of reducing the cost. “You can tell the owner that, for example, the discount of 100 thousand rubles that you are asking for can be compensated if he puts the money received for the property on deposit in a bank for two to three months,” said Sergei Vlasenko.

“If you don’t have real arguments and you understand that the cost of the apartment is on the market, there are no adequate analogues, and the apartment is ideal for you, you can try unreasoned bargaining,” Barsukov suggested. “You can always simply ask: “Can you give up some amount?”

Broken Arguments

In an attempt to achieve a discount, the buyer sometimes drives himself into a dead end.

“If the buyer lacks education and begins to insult the condition of the house, entrance and apartment, then you can forget about the discount. In this case, even an experienced realtor will not be able to do anything,” added Mikhail Kashlenko.

Some buyers like the tough way of negotiations - with phrases like “reduce by a certain amount - then we’ll talk.” “After such a phrase, sellers rarely call back,” Mikhail Kulikov is convinced. — Any tactics associated with brutal pressure, blackmail or manipulation are extremely ineffective.

There are isolated cases when people who are in a hopeless situation are forced to bend under the buyer and agree to all his conditions. However, I believe that the best way to reach a compromise when buying real estate is to treat your transaction partner with respect.”

“This tactic can work if a person really needs an urgent sale, and in front of him is a buyer with free money,” Moskvicheva clarified.

Why deals fall through

Sometimes the purchase of an apartment falls through at the last moment - after the seller has reduced the price and the buyer has promised to pay him money.

In some cases, the seller decides that he acted rashly by promising a discount, and decides to refuse the deal so as not to lose money.

“An indirect sign of a possible price increase may be the continuation of advertising of an object after accepting an advance for it,” warned Konstantin Barsukov.

The most common mechanism for protecting against a failed deal is making a deposit, believe Inkom-Real Estate and Megapolis-Service. “It is necessary to transfer the deposit to the owner of the apartment and conclude a preliminary agreement with him, which will describe all the nuances of the transaction,” says Mikhail Kulikov.

 — This is a guarantee against the refusal of one of the parties to the transaction - the seller or the buyer - from their obligations. If the owner refuses to sell the living space on the terms specified in the contract, the deposit will need to be returned to the buyer in double amount.

If the buyer refuses the transaction, the deposit will not be returned to him.”

“If there are other, more attractive buyers, the seller will not fix the relationship with a deposit.

If the seller often postpones the decision, citing the fact that he “needs to consult,” then perhaps he is negotiating with someone else.

To fix the price you need, sign a price agreement right during the viewing - it can be included in the inspection report,” suggested Lidiya Belobokova.

“Of course, at the stage of making an advance payment, you can sign not an advance agreement, but a preliminary purchase and sale agreement - if, of course, the seller agrees to this. The existence of such an agreement gives the buyer grounds to force the seller through the court to conclude the main agreement.

But it’s unlikely that the buyer will get involved in a lengthy legal battle when there is an opportunity to simply buy another apartment,” said the director of Relight Real Estate.

“As a rule, there is a reason for refusing a transaction: either a buyer was found who is ready to pay the full price of the apartment, that is, without a discount and with compensation for the loss of the deposit, or the seller is facing some kind of life situation. In such cases, it is already useless to negotiate,” concluded Anton Mikov.  

Learning to bargain correctly when buying an apartment on the secondary market: 15 working tips

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When is it possible to reduce the price?

There are at least two cases when you can bargain, for example:

1. The most successful option: the seller put the living space up for sale due to departure. They are already waiting for him in another country, for example.

   Sometimes sellers sell an apartment due to an urgent need for money. They have an outstanding bank loan or urgently need money for an operation.

   It is difficult to predict the size of the discount in this case. If luck is on the buyer’s side, you can bargain for an amount less than what was initially announced by 20-30%, if the proceeds from the transaction are enough to pay off the debt or pay for the operation.

2. Having published an ad, the seller waits for calls, but they still don’t come after a month, two, six months. It's hard to accept the delay in the sales process. If initially he wanted to help out for a 2-room apartment. apartment with renovation 1.2 million rubles, then after a while I agree to a million.

   The “tasty” price is a bait to distract from the presence of registered residents in the apartment, the lack of documents for redevelopment or a certificate of legal capacity from a psychoneurological dispensary.

   Bargaining has become appropriate for him, he “breaks down.” Because of which? Because of the fear that the sale will drag on for years and there will be a collapse in real estate prices.

How to prepare properly?

Do they immediately agree to inspect the proposed option? Do they start haggling from the door? No. Each buyer should prepare for the auction by collecting information about the apartment, the area in which it is located, the owners and the reasons that prompted them to sell.

How long have they been selling it? How to find out all of the above? You can call the owners, ask them about everything you are interested in, and also find out the exact location of the apartment.

Knowing the address, you can determine it using Yandex or Google Maps . Using these services you can find out what is nearby.

They analyze the situation on the market, looking through the ad databases, noting for themselves apartments in the same area and their prices.

All this information will be useful later, as it will allow you to think through the directions of bargaining and select adequate arguments for it.

Attention! Do not bargain during a telephone conversation with the owner. Why ask for a price reduction if there was no inspection? How can you explain your request? Lack of money? Why then decide on such an expensive purchase?

They do not agree to view the apartment until they answer the following questions:

• How much are you willing to pay for real estate, what budget is allocated for its purchase, or what amount will the bank give on credit to purchase an apartment with a mortgage?
• How much does the apartment you like in the ad cost? Is it worth the money the owner wants for it?
• How much money is missing?

The answer to the first question depends on the buyer’s budget, and the other two are answered by knowing the price of the apartment they like. An online calculator may be useful to calculate the average cost per square meter on the secondary housing market in the selected neighborhood.

The “strongest” arguments that have helped buyers more than once are also learned before viewing the apartment:

1. Cheaper apartment in a building nearby.
2. Carefully study the description of the apartment on the website/in the newspaper. It is better to memorize it so that while watching it you can compare the information from it with the realities of life. If discrepancies are identified, there is a reason for bargaining (the kitchen area is 8 square meters instead of 9 from the advertisement; the metro station is not 5 minutes, but a quarter of an hour).
3. Before viewing, get acquainted with the banks' offers on deposits and interest rates on them. The most favorable conditions are subsequently announced to the seller if he refuses to throw off a couple of tens of rubles, but at the same time mentions that he is not in a hurry for money. On deposit, after a couple of months, the owner will return the amount of the concession in full.
4. Before watching, learn what unreasoned bargaining is. Sometimes it is more useful than a reasoned one. If you look at some kind of housing in an advertisement, but the price is too high, they think about how much they wouldn’t mind paying for it. Then they calculate the difference, and it is its size that is announced in unreasoned bargaining as the desired concession.

You can act more cunningly, but this will require a trusting relationship with the owner. After talking with the seller, find out the answers to your questions:

• How long does it take for the owner to sell the apartment?
• Does the owner have any special “wishes”: receiving the entire amount in cash as soon as possible, quickly completing the transaction due to the need to travel abroad, etc.
• Was the redevelopment legalized (what are the risks of buying real estate with illegal redevelopment?).
• Are there “natural” encumbrances: debt for electricity, water, light, etc. (read about the consequences of purchasing an apartment with debt on utility bills here).
• Has the owner found a suitable option for leaving her ex-husband?

Having analyzed the answers to the questions and found the seller’s “weaknesses,” they form a list of arguments, so that they can then voice them one by one during the bargaining during the next inspection of the apartment.

Read more about what you need to pay attention to when buying an apartment and what to ask the seller about in our article.

How to find an approach to the seller?

When buying a home, you need to know the nuances that allow you to dictate your terms . There is a reasonable argument for those who doubt the advisability of trading: the seller sells and the buyer buys - they depend on each other.

But sometimes even the “trump cards” up your sleeve don’t help, since there is no trusting relationship with the seller. How to build them?

Bargaining is a process that is based on a dispute and involves confrontation between the parties. If the owner does not want to, he will not give in on the price and refuse to sell the apartment. There is no need to discuss the price until a positive emotional contact has been built with the owner.

You don't have to treat him like a friend. It is better to blindly follow three rules of etiquette:

1. politeness;
2. attentiveness;
3. punctuality.

You must arrive to the screening on time, take off your shoes near the door, and hang your clothes on a hanger if offered.

Important! Any owner loves his apartment to the depths of his soul, since he lived in it, raised children, and experienced turmoil. The buyer's "proprietary" behavior in it is not acceptable. You cannot discuss with him the demolition of walls, methods of dealing with rubbish.

The only thing that can be mentioned (if there is one) is the renovation, but at the same time the owner should be praised for something: for example, for the pattern on the ceiling or for the tiles in the bathroom.

How to behave in the bidding process, knowing about the shortcomings?

They always talk about shortcomings carefully so that the owner does not get offended. Resentment will blind him and become the primary reason for refusing to reduce the price of housing. You can find flaws in everything if you want, but some buyers put up with them provided the owner reconsiders the price. The following disadvantages are carefully mentioned:

• poor layout: narrow corridors, windows facing the roadway, not the courtyard;
• lack of major repairs;
• problems with heat supply due to the fact that the apartment is corner;
• first/last floor;
• alcoholic and rowdy neighbors;
• insufficient wall thickness, etc.

They don’t go too far when talking about them; they remember common sense and a sense of proportion. Didn't like the faded wallpaper in the living room? This argument is bad, since the owner may like them.

Adequate behavior of the buyer when identifying shortcomings: calm discussion with the owner without anger, curses, shouting and bickering. When a person is calm, he will always be heard; and when he shouts, they will never listen.

Do you have advantages over other buyers?

Every major transaction, like the sale of real estate, is accompanied by bargaining . It is considered a mutually beneficial process. In other words, the buyer must offer something to the seller in order for him to make a discount.

Arguments are thought out in advance, and the entire list is never announced to the owner. They are real “trump cards”, which are best placed on the table one at a time. This approach will allow you to reduce the price as much as possible.

Sellers always meet buyers halfway with arguments:

1. Fast buy . You don't have to sell anything to buy the option offered. Owners really appreciate the desire to complete a real estate purchase and sale transaction quickly.
2. Cash . If the buyer says that the required amount (taking into account the discount) is in the bank account, and the deposit is in his pocket, the owner “melts” (you will learn about what a deposit is, how it differs from an advance and a deposit and who benefits from it, here ). The conversation about a discount becomes more intense if the buyer wants to take out a loan from a bank or borrow the missing amount from relatives. In this case, it depends on the circumstances, and, therefore, the deal may fall through.
3. Willingness to wait to move because the owner has not completed the renovations in his new apartment or the boss has not signed an application for transfer to work in another city.
4. Willingness to take on the hassle of completing the transaction . This argument is left for last, and is given only when the seller has almost agreed to a discount.

More active methods of persuasion help if negotiations to reduce the price are at an impasse. What are they doing to change the situation in their favor?

• Firstly, you can come to the apartment you like with a piece of paper on which to write down the pros/cons of all the apartments inspected. Seeing her would make any salesperson nervous. The main thing is for the buyer to behave correctly and not to rejoice ahead of time. He must put on the mask of a bored person who is more concerned not with the details, but with the view from the window. Only occasionally should he glance at the piece of paper with addresses. You can complain about fatigue and casually throw out the phrase: “It’s better to buy something cheaper.” If the owner does not have a crowd at the door of people wanting to buy living space, he will retain the client by lowering the price.
• Secondly, you can cheat. If the buyer is not inspecting the apartment for the first time, he knows about its location. When the owner is at work, he can come and talk with the neighbors. You can arrange a surprise visit when the buyer comes for an inspection. If they say “bad things” about her, the seller will get nervous and give up a couple of tens of thousands of rubles.

How not to go too far?

Trading is an emotional process. Usually they speak first and think later, succumbing to their emotions. The owner of the living space agrees to a discount today, but changes his mind the next day.

Why? The main reasons: immediately after the preliminary agreement, another buyer may come to the owner and offer more or negotiate a smaller discount. To avoid such an outcome, it is better not to go too far with the discount: it should be reasoned and reasonable, and not prohibitive.

15 effective tips for home buyers

1. The seller, not the buyer, names the discounted price . On his side is the “anchor effect”. Having found out how much the owner wants for the home, the buyer puts forward conditions and gives reasons.
2. Determine for yourself whether the apartment you like is needed or not. If you like the first option, you need to decide on the amount of money that you don’t mind paying for it. This is done at the very beginning - even before trading.

   Even if the owner gives in exactly as much as necessary, you can lose: there will be more minuses than pluses.

3. Introduction of a third party into the bidding process , for example, a neighbor. His task is to tell unpleasant facts about the apartment so that the owner feels a little ashamed. Not a single buyer after such a “story” will want to overpay, and this is understandable to him.
4. Trading is not a quick process. The main thing is that no one loses patience ahead of time: neither the seller nor the buyer. On the one hand, whoever gives up faster will lose.

   On the other hand, not everyone likes the state of conflict and confrontation. Therefore, the main thing is not to go too far, not to lose your temper and not to get personal.

5. Silence is gold . The buyer must remain silent more than he speaks. If the owner makes an offer - for example, a 5% discount, you should not agree right away. You can show with body language that she is too small, given all the shortcomings. The homeowner will get nervous and make concessions.
6. Theatrical reactions. How do actors behave in the theater? They know how to suddenly flinch, roll their eyes wide and exclaim in surprise. This is what buyers should do, asking an unexpected question for the seller: “How much do you want for your 2-room apartment?” apartment?

   A question with such intonation can make anyone feel awkward and uncomfortable. This will happen to the owner too. He will make excuses, and eventually he will understand that the price of housing is too high.

7. You can't learn to bargain overnight . You need to practice this skill every day while shopping.
8. Putting forward your own options for conditions . In the case of a “Purchase and Sale” transaction, you can offer to pay the entire amount in cash, without taking out a mortgage or taking out a bank loan;
9. If the proposed price suits you and the entire amount is available , they still bargain.
10. Nothing is perfect . If there are downsides, there is a bargaining point.
11. Adopting the correct posture while discussing the details of the transaction. During a conversation, it is better to stand near the sofa or sit on the corner of the table. The atmosphere will be trusting and the parties will definitely reach an agreement.
12. A trusting relationship with the owner will come in handy when discussing the details of the transaction. They establish them by addressing him by name, watching and repeating his every gesture. There is no need to say “I”, it’s better to say “we” in a sentence like this: “The starting price is 2 million rubles, but we will discuss it in detail.”
13. Open questions are better than wandering around and around.
14. Controlling the reaction . When your pupils dilate, you like the proposal, but when your pupils narrow, you see a lack of confidence on your face.
15. You shouldn’t be upset if the owner refuses to reduce the price . They are looking for another option that will appeal to them in terms of price, location, and renovation.

Conclusion

Anyone who thinks that haggling over buying an apartment on the secondary market is shameful is mistaken. There is nothing shameful about trading. The main thing is to use permitted techniques and not go too far! The first unsuccessful auction is not a reason to become depressed, but an incentive to find another option where the owner will be more accommodating.

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