Buyers Have More Negotiating Power Than They Realize

I had a conversation last week with a couple in the Pacific Northwest who had been waiting over a year to buy their first home. They were convinced the market was stacked against them. When I showed them that the home they loved had already been sitting for two months and the seller had dropped the price twice, they looked at me like I was speaking another language. "We thought everything was still selling in a weekend," they said.

It's not. And if you're sitting on the sidelines right now thinking you have no leverage, you're leaving real money on the table.

Key Takeaways

• Getting pre-approved before you start shopping puts you in the strongest possible position to negotiate.
• Homes are taking longer to sell than they have in years, which gives you more room to negotiate on price, terms, and credits.
• Seller concessions are showing up in roughly half of all transactions right now. Smart buyers use them for closing costs, discount points, or temporary rate buydowns.
• About 62% of homebuyers last year purchased below the original listing price, according to Redfin data.

What You Can Actually Control Right Now

Your offer structure. How you put your offer together matters. A clean offer with solid financing and reasonable contingencies can beat a higher offer that's messy or uncertain.

Your concession strategy. Know how much concession your loan type allows. Decide upfront whether you want to use it for closing costs, discount points, a temporary buydown, or a combination.

Your lender choice. Working with a mortgage broker who shops multiple lenders can mean better terms and a stronger negotiating position.

Your pre-approval. Sellers take pre-approved buyers more seriously. If you haven't gotten pre-approved yet, that's the single most important thing you can do. Take the Mortgage Quiz to see where you stand.

The smart move is to understand the tools available to you right now, get pre-approved, and put yourself in a position to act when the right home shows up. Whether you're buying in Oregon, Washington, or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, the playbook is the same: know your numbers, understand your leverage, and work with someone who can help you use every tool available.

By Dawn Robbins Group | NMLS# 432345

This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Every buyer's situation is unique. Contact Dawn Robbins Group for personalized guidance.

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