This is the third post in my ongoing series about the difference between a good real estate agent and a great one. In the first article, we talked about execution. In the second, we focused on pricing versus positioning. In this post, we’re getting into what really separates agents once a deal is underway — negotiation.
And more importantly, what negotiation actually means in the real world.
Good agents negotiate what’s written on paper.
Great agents negotiate people, behavior, risk, and outcomes.
Headline Price vs. Net Price 🧮
Sellers naturally focus on the headline number. It’s the number they remember. It’s the number they tell friends and family.
But that number alone doesn’t tell the whole story.
Two offers can look nearly identical on paper — similar price, similar terms — and end very differently once inspections, repair requests, concessions, timelines, and personalities come into play.
This is where I constantly remind my clients:
“It’s just math.”
A higher offer that comes with constant demands, repair requests, and stress often nets less than a slightly lower offer with a more reasonable buyer and agent. A great agent doesn’t just compare offers — they help you understand what those offers are likely to become as the transaction unfolds.
Reading the Deal — Not Just the Contract 👀
One of the hardest things to teach, and one of the biggest differences between a good agent and a great one, is the ability to read between the lines.
What’s written in the contract and how a buyer or agent behaves are often two very different things.
During negotiations, you can usually tell a lot by what someone gets hung up on early, how flexible they are, and whether they’re solution-oriented or conflict-oriented. When I have two similar offers, I don’t just look at price and terms — I give my seller my gut reaction, based on experience.
I can often tell when a buyer or an agent is going to be extremely difficult during inspections, even if their offer looks strong on the surface.
I recently had a home listed at $850,000. A buyer came in at $775,000, and we ultimately agreed at $795,000. From the beginning, I said, “Mark my words — they’ll try to get it back down to their original number after inspections.” And that’s exactly what they attempted to do.
We worked it out, but the warning signs were there early. A great agent doesn’t ignore those signs — they factor them into the advice they give their client.
The Dance of Negotiation — and Knowing Who You’re Dealing With 💃🕺
Negotiation is a bit of a dance, but it’s also about awareness — especially from the listing side. A big part of my job is understanding who is on the other side of the transaction, not just what’s written in the contract.
My approach is simple. It’s not uncommon for agents to ask questions before scheduling a showing, and in some cases that’s perfectly reasonable — especially when a buyer has a very specific need or potential deal-breaker.
Where it starts to go sideways is when those questions become a way to pre-negotiate the home before the buyer has even seen it. In many cases, it feels less about gathering information and more about eliminating the property so the agent doesn’t have to spend time showing it.
If an agent genuinely believes a home isn’t a good fit for their buyer, that’s fine — just be honest about it. What doesn’t make sense is building a case against a property through assumptions, objections, or hypotheticals before the buyer ever walks through the door. At that point, the negotiation has already started, and it’s happening without the most important input: the buyer’s actual experience in the home.
This is another place where the difference between a good agent and a great agent shows up. A good agent will answer the questions, provide the information, and hopefully keep the buyer’s agent on track toward showing the home. A great agent goes further. They redirect the conversation, provide context, and help the buyer’s agent better understand how the property fits within the market — while also setting clear expectations so the situation doesn’t turn into an opportunity for someone to take advantage before the process has even begun.
The goal isn’t to block information. The goal is to keep the transaction moving in the right order — see the home first, then negotiate based on reality.
Inspections: Where Deals Often Fall Apart 🛠️
Inspections are where many deals either survive… or die unnecessarily.
A good agent waits for the inspection report and reacts.
A great agent sets expectations before inspections ever happen.
If a buyer comes in at a lower price, it’s reasonable for a seller to say, “We agreed to this price with the understanding that we’re not making additional repairs.” That doesn’t always prevent requests, but it sets a tone.
Inspections should be about safety, insurability, and function — not turning the report into a second round of price negotiations.
When Inexperience Blows Up a Deal ⚠️
I’ve seen deals fall apart not because of the house, but because of how inspections were interpreted.
One example involved a home built in 1985. The buyer’s agent came back claiming the windows were “not up to code.” That’s misleading. They weren’t up to today’s code — because today’s standards didn’t exist when the home was built.
If that logic were valid, every home built before modern codes would require upgrades just to be sold. That’s not how real estate works.
The same applies to electrical systems. Some panels are true insurance issues. Others are simply older but acceptable. A knowledgeable agent knows the difference — and knows how to explain it.
Preparing Sellers Before Problems Appear 🧠
When we take a listing, we talk about these issues early.
If the roof is 15 years old, we know it will come up.
If the water heater is over 10 years old, we know it will come up.
Sometimes we price a home with a little room for concessions — not to play games, but to be realistic. Buyers may say they’re fine with certain items, but their insurance company may not be. And if there’s a loan involved, insurance is not optional.
Knowing that ahead of time allows us to position the deal, not just react to it.
Final Thoughts: Honest Conversations Change Everything 💬
At the end of the day, successful negotiations depend on something very simple: honest, direct conversations that don’t become adversarial.
A seller needs to be able to speak openly with their agent.
A buyer needs to be able to do the same.
And just as important, an agent needs to be able to speak frankly with their client.
That means telling someone when their expectations are realistic — and when they’re not. It means being willing to say, “This isn’t reasonable,” or “This approach is going to hurt you,” even when that’s not what the client wants to hear in the moment.
A lot of consumers worry that their agent is ultimately looking out for themselves. And while that isn’t universally true, there are situations where an agent’s own financial pressure can influence how advice is delivered. If an agent isn’t doing enough transactions to comfortably support themselves, they may be inclined — even unintentionally — to soften the truth, appease a client, or push a deal forward simply to reach a paycheck.
That’s not how I operate.
I’ve told buyers and sellers to walk away from deals more times than I can count because it wasn’t in their best interest. And that’s okay. I can do that because I do enough business to be comfortable saying, “This isn’t right for you,” even if it means no deal today.
Once an agent reaches that point in their career, it’s life-changing. You stop operating from fear and start operating from clarity. You realize that your role isn’t to force transactions — it’s to protect your client, guide them honestly, and help them make decisions they’ll feel good about long after the deal is done.
A good agent tries to keep deals together.
A great agent knows when to push forward — and when to walk away.
That’s what real advocacy looks like.
When you hire David Dorman, you GET David Dorman.
Contact Information 📞
David Dorman
Century 21 Carioti
📍 Serving Ocoee, Winter Garden & Windermere
📞 407-948-8295
🌐 https://www.daviddorman.com
🌐 https://www.liveinorlandofl.com