Home > Home Buying > Negotiating Across Cultures

Since we are in America - the land where people come from many different places: within the state, the country and even around the world. We are the product of our cultures and environment. Depending on where you are come, your negotiating expectations can be very different.

DISCLOSURE: I am not discussing a Fair Housing issue here. I am purely making a discussion based on our cultures and backgrounds.

Since I hailed from Asia, I can speak from my specific experience, not necessarily representing ALL the people from my origin though. Back in Asia, we negotiate for everything for as long as I can remember. It was only in the malls that have fixed prices with tags on them that we do not negotiate. We negotiate when we buying clothes in a mom-and-pop store, we negotiate with the meat butcher, we negotiate when we purchase jewelry, etc. So, it is expected to negotiate when we purchase vehicles and real estate. It is NOT uncommon that we give a number not so close to the asking price ie "slashing". Most "Americans" would find that an unrealistic offer. The Sellers would not feel offended. In fact, it is expected. Bottom line: They may begin with an unrealistic offer (so it seems) but more often than not, given time and persistence, there is a sale somewhere in there.

My African experience: My trip to Kenya, Africa was in 2006. When we went to the "market", we negotiated on all the tourists souvenirs. We were taught by our friend that we needed to propose "half" of what the asking price is and somewhere between our initial offer and the asking price is where we will land. The amount is really totally up to our negotiating skills.

What I Noticed about "American" sellers:
If the offer is not close to the asking price, it is more often than not, not taken seriously. Also, do not get offended. Calm down and think it over. In the past, I have had this happened to one of my contracts. The Sellers countered back with a price, then agreeing on everything else because they did not take our offer seriously. BAD IDEA! So, by the time we are back in offering and countering, somewhere in the middle, we had a contract. Since the rest of the items were agreed upon initially, now Sellers want to retract those items as promised. In a buyer's market, I dont think so.

My learning experience from the Listing Agent: Take every offer SERIOUSLY. You never know where you will end up and if you do end up somewhere you are not happy with but initially casually agreeing to it, Ouch...... It just hurts.

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