Selling and Buying Should Be Viewed as One Move

It is very easy to become completely focused on the figure you achieve for the property you are selling.

But most sellers are also going to become buyers.

That changes the way I think offers should sometimes be considered.

Suppose you receive an offer that is slightly below the figure you originally hoped for.

On its own, that may feel disappointing.

But what if the market also allows you to buy your next property for less?

The important number may be the gap between the two transactions.

If you can sell at a figure that allows you to negotiate successfully on the property you want to buy, the overall move may still work extremely well.

This is why I do not like looking at an offer in complete isolation.

Ask what the offer actually means for your onward move.

Can you afford the next property?

Can your agent negotiate the sale upwards?

Can you negotiate the purchase downwards?

You are trying to complete a move, not win a competition over one headline number.

Of course, I am not suggesting accepting any price.

You still want to achieve the best result you reasonably can.

But sometimes a little flexibility on the sale side can create an opportunity on the purchase side.

Look at the whole move.

That is the figure that ultimately matters.