What 20+ Years of Negotiating Austin Real Estate Has Taught Me About Getting a Deal Done

After more than 20 years in real estate, I’ve learned something about negotiation that surprises people.

The best negotiator isn’t always the person who pushes the hardest.

Sometimes it is.

Sometimes you need to hold the line.

Sometimes you need to walk away.

But sometimes the difference between getting a deal done and losing a house over something that ultimately doesn’t matter is knowing when not to fight.

I’m Holly McCormick, a Realtor with The Council Real Estate Group at Compass, and negotiation has been one of the central parts of my work for more than two decades.

I live in Cuernavaca, work extensively throughout Westlake and Eanes ISD, and have represented buyers and sellers through:

Multiple offers.

Inspection surprises.

Low offers.

Appraisal issues.

Repair negotiations.

Difficult personalities.

Emotional decisions.

And those moments when everyone is staring at a relatively small number while an entire transaction hangs in the balance.

Here’s what all those years have taught me.

Quick Answer: What Makes a Good Real Estate Negotiator?

A good real estate negotiator understands that the goal isn’t to win every point.

The goal is to protect the client’s priorities and get them to the outcome they actually want.

That requires:

Preparation.

Market knowledge.

Listening.

Leverage.

Timing.

Emotional control.

Clear communication.

Knowing when to push.

And knowing when to stop pushing.

Most importantly, it requires understanding what the other side needs.

Because once you understand that, negotiations become much more interesting.

1. Negotiation Starts Before the Offer

This is probably the biggest misconception.

People think negotiation begins when an offer arrives.

It doesn’t.

For a seller, negotiation starts with:

Pricing.

Preparation.

Presentation.

Timing.

Marketing.

Showing strategy.

Information.

The stronger the position we create before the first offer appears, the more leverage we may have when it does.

The Same Is True for Buyers

A strong buyer strategy begins before we write the offer.

I want to understand:

How long has the property been listed?

Has the price changed?

Are there competing offers?

What has actually sold nearby?

How does this house compare?

Does the seller have a preferred timeline?

Is the property vacant?

Does it need work?

Are there obvious concerns?

What terms might matter besides price?

That’s negotiation.

The contract just puts it on paper.

2. Price Is Only One Lever

People become fixated on price.

Of course price matters.

But a real estate offer contains much more than one number.

Depending on the transaction, terms can include things such as:

Financing.

Cash.

Closing timeline.

Option period.

Earnest money.

Seller leaseback.

Repairs.

Personal property.

Contingencies.

Title-related terms.

And other contractual considerations.

A seller may value one of those more than you expect.

A Strong Offer Isn’t Always the Highest Offer

Imagine two offers.

One is slightly higher but creates more uncertainty.

The other offers terms that align much more closely with what the seller needs.

Which one is stronger?

There isn’t a universal answer.

That’s why I want to know the story behind the transaction.

3. Ask Questions Before Making Assumptions

One of the simplest negotiation strategies is also one of the most overlooked.

Ask.

What matters to your seller?

Do they need a leaseback?

Is there a closing date they prefer?

Have you received other offers?

Is there something besides price that would make an offer stronger?

You won’t always get every answer.

That’s fine.

But you’d be surprised what people will tell you when you ask a thoughtful question.

Information Creates Leverage

Not manipulation.

Information.

There’s a difference.

I don’t need to “beat” the other agent.

I’d rather understand the situation better.

4. Relationships Matter

Real estate is a relationship business.

Especially in a market like Westlake and Eanes.

Agents work with each other repeatedly.

Reputation travels.

If another agent knows:

I answer my phone.

I communicate.

I don’t play unnecessary games.

My clients are prepared.

I do what I say I’m going to do.

That matters.

Professional Doesn’t Mean Weak

You can be:

Warm.

Respectful.

Collaborative.

And extremely firm.

Those things are not opposites.

In fact, some of the strongest negotiators I’ve worked with are the calmest people in the room.

5. Don’t Negotiate Against Yourself

This happens constantly.

Someone makes an offer.

Then before the other side even responds:

“Maybe we should increase it.”

Why?

Did we receive new information?

Did something change?

Or did sitting in uncertainty for two hours make you uncomfortable?

Those are not the same thing.

Silence Is Part of Negotiation

You don’t always need to fill it.

Make the offer.

Explain it when appropriate.

Then let the other side respond.

6. A Low Offer Isn’t a Personal Insult

Sellers, I need you to hear this one.

An offer on your house is not an evaluation of:

Your taste.

Your memories.

Your intelligence.

Your success.

Your family.

It’s an offer.

That’s it.

Don’t Reject Information Because You Don’t Like It

A low offer can tell us something.

Maybe:

The buyer is testing us.

The market sees the property differently.

The buyer likes the house but has renovation concerns.

They’re working within a budget.

They’re negotiating aggressively.

Or they’re simply not our buyer.

Let’s figure out which before reacting emotionally.

7. Counteroffers Are Conversations

A counter isn’t failure.

It’s information.

When I receive an offer, I look at:

Price.

Terms.

Strength of buyer.

Financing.

Timing.

Contingencies.

Potential risks.

And what the seller actually wants.

Then we decide whether to:

Accept.

Reject.

Counter.

Or potentially leave the conversation.

Don’t Counter Just Because You Can

Sometimes the offer is excellent.

Take it.

I have seen people become so focused on squeezing out one more concession that they create unnecessary risk.

Negotiation should improve your position.

Not satisfy your ego.

8. Multiple Offers Require Discipline

Multiple offers are exciting.

They can also make people irrational.

For sellers, more offers can create leverage.

But we still need to compare them carefully.

I Don’t Just Look at the Top Number

I want to understand:

Who’s most likely to close?

What financing is involved?

What contingencies exist?

What timeline works?

What could cause trouble later?

How much certainty does each offer provide?

Sometimes the offer that looks best in the first five seconds isn’t the offer I like best after reading the entire contract.

Buyers Need Strategy Too

If you’re competing for a home, we need to determine:

How much do you want it?

What is it worth to you?

What does the market evidence support?

Where is your walk-away point?

And what terms can we improve without exposing you to risk you don’t understand?

Winning the house isn’t winning if you regret the deal the next morning.

9. The Inspection Is a Second Negotiation

Getting under contract isn’t the finish line.

Then comes due diligence.

Inspection negotiations can become emotional because buyers suddenly receive a document containing page after page of things that are:

Broken.

Old.

Improper.

Questionable.

Potentially concerning.

Not Every Inspection Item Is Equal

We need to separate:

Safety.

Structural.

Mechanical.

Water.

Roof.

Major systems.

From:

Normal wear.

Cosmetic items.

Maintenance.

Things you already knew when you made the offer.

The goal isn’t necessarily to hand the seller a shopping list.

It’s to identify what materially affects the transaction.

Sellers: Don’t Take the Inspection Personally

Every house has something.

Even new houses.

An inspector’s job is to find things.

Our job is to decide what those findings mean financially and practically.

10. Sometimes $10,000 Isn’t Worth Losing the Deal

This may be my most unpopular negotiation lesson.

But it’s true.

Imagine you’re selling a multimillion-dollar property.

You’re $10,000 apart.

Everyone is furious.

Buyer says:

“It’s the principle.”

Seller says:

“It’s the principle.”

Whenever both sides start talking about principle, I get very interested.

Because we may no longer be negotiating about real estate.

Step Back and Do the Math

What happens if the deal dies?

For the seller:

More carrying costs?

More showings?

Market uncertainty?

Another inspection?

Another buyer?

Potential price reduction?

For the buyer:

Another search?

Another home?

Different interest rate?

Moving delay?

Loss of a property they genuinely love?

Suddenly that $10,000 looks different.

That doesn’t mean you always concede.

It means:

Understand what you’re risking to win the point.

11. Know When to Walk Away

This is equally important.

Not every deal should be saved.

Sometimes new information changes the equation.

Inspection.

Financing.

Title.

Insurance.

Appraisal.

Property condition.

Something unexpected.

Sometimes the right negotiation strategy is:

We’re done.

Walking Away Isn’t Losing

If the property no longer makes sense under the terms available to you, walking away may be exactly the right outcome, subject of course to your contractual rights and deadlines.

My job isn’t to make every transaction close at any cost.

It’s to help my client make an informed decision.

12. Don’t Let Ego Buy the House

This one is mostly for buyers.

You lose one house.

Then another.

Now you’re in multiple offers on the third.

Suddenly:

I AM GETTING THIS HOUSE.

Careful.

Are we still evaluating the property?

Or are we trying to win?

Those are different things.

Auction Energy Is Real

Competition can make people value something differently.

That’s human.

My job is to bring us back to:

The house.

The numbers.

Your priorities.

Your limits.

Your life.

13. Don’t Let Ego Sell the House Either

Sellers do it too.

A buyer submits a number the seller doesn’t like.

Now the seller wants to:

Reject it.

Teach them a lesson.

Wait for someone who appreciates the house.

Okay.

Maybe.

But first:

Let’s look at the market.

The Market Doesn’t Know What You Need

The market doesn’t care:

What you paid.

What you spent renovating.

What you need to net.

What your neighbor said.

What Zillow said six months ago.

Buyers respond to:

The property.

Competition.

Alternatives.

Condition.

Location.

And price.

Understanding that makes negotiations much more productive.

14. A Good Negotiator Knows the Market

You can’t negotiate effectively without context.

If there are:

Three comparable houses.

Sitting.

Reducing price.

And ours has been listed for 70 days?

Our leverage is different.

If:

Inventory is limited.

We launched yesterday.

We have heavy showing activity.

And three buyers want the house?

Different conversation.

Strategy Changes With the Market

That’s why generic advice like:

“Always offer 10% under asking.”

isn’t useful.

Ten percent under what?

In what market?

On what property?

After how many days?

With how much competition?

Real estate is specific.

15. Westlake Is Especially Specific

Westlake and Eanes properties can be difficult to compare.

One house has:

View.

Another has:

Flat yard.

Another:

Acreage.

Another:

Lake access.

Another:

New construction.

Another:

Great architecture but needs $500,000 of work.

This is why understanding hyperlocal value matters.

A price-per-square-foot calculation alone may miss much of the story.

16. Cuernavaca Has Its Own Rules

I live in Cuernavaca.

I’ve spent years working here.

And I love it precisely because the neighborhood isn’t uniform.

You can have dramatically different homes near one another.

Different:

Lots.

Architecture.

Condition.

Views.

Water proximity.

Renovations.

Size.

That makes local knowledge particularly useful when negotiating.

Our Cuernavaca neighborhood guide explains why this pocket of Eanes is so unusual.

17. Sometimes the Best Negotiation Happens Before Listing

Sellers often ask:

“How much room should we leave for negotiation?”

I’d rather start with:

What does the market support?

Because intentionally overpricing a home so we have “room” can create the wrong kind of leverage.

No leverage.

Buyers Need to Feel Urgency for the Right Reason

Not because we manufactured it.

Because the house is:

Well positioned.

Well presented.

Properly priced.

And desirable.

That’s how sellers create leverage.

18. Preparation Is Negotiation

When Natasha looks at a house from the design and presentation side, Albina looks at the financial side and I look at the negotiation side, we’re really solving the same problem from different directions.

How do we put our client in the strongest possible position before the difficult conversation happens?

That’s why our approach at The Council works.

Three different brains.

Same transaction.

19. The Other Agent Is Not the Enemy

I wish more people understood this.

We may represent opposite sides.

Our fiduciary responsibilities are to our respective clients.

But if the transaction is going to close, we’re also going to have to communicate.

A lot.

Making the other agent miserable for sport rarely improves the outcome for anyone.

Respect Creates Better Information

If agents can speak candidly and professionally, problems often get solved earlier.

That’s good negotiation.

20. Emotional Intelligence Is a Negotiation Skill

Real estate transactions happen during enormous life moments.

Marriage.

Divorce.

Babies.

Death.

Relocation.

Retirement.

Financial change.

Dream house.

Leaving a home where children grew up.

People aren’t spreadsheets.

Read the Room

Sometimes your client needs:

Data.

Sometimes they need:

Ten minutes.

Sometimes they need someone to say:

“Here’s what actually matters right now.”

That’s part of negotiation too.

What Should You Tell Your Realtor Before Negotiating?

Tell us what really matters.

Not what you think you’re supposed to say.

If you absolutely need:

A certain closing date.

A leaseback.

A particular financial outcome.

A specific repair addressed.

Tell us.

Priorities Create Strategy

If everything is equally important?

Nothing is prioritized.

I want to know:

What are the three things that matter most?

Now we can negotiate.

Frequently Asked Questions About Real Estate Negotiation in Austin

How much under asking price should I offer on a home in Austin?

There is no universal percentage. The appropriate offer depends on comparable sales, current competition, days on market, condition, pricing strategy and the buyer’s priorities.

Should I make a low offer on a house?

A below-asking offer can make sense in certain circumstances, but it should be based on property-specific and market-specific information rather than an arbitrary percentage.

Should sellers always counter a low offer?

Not necessarily. Sellers can accept, reject or counter depending on the offer, market conditions and their objectives. A low offer can sometimes become a productive negotiation, while other offers may not justify further engagement.

Is the highest offer always the best offer?

No. Price is important, but sellers should also evaluate financing, contingencies, timelines and other contractual terms with their Realtor and appropriate advisors.

Can buyers negotiate after an inspection?

Inspection-related rights and negotiations depend on the contract and applicable deadlines. Buyers should work closely with their Realtor and other appropriate professionals to understand their options.

What makes a strong real estate negotiator?

Preparation, market knowledge, communication, listening, emotional discipline and the ability to identify what matters most to both sides can all contribute to effective negotiation.

How do you win a multiple-offer situation?

There is no guaranteed formula. Buyers can work with their agent to construct an offer that balances price, terms, certainty and their own risk tolerance.

When should you walk away from a real estate deal?

That depends on the contract, the property, new information discovered during the transaction and the buyer or seller’s priorities. Contractual rights and deadlines should always be reviewed carefully.

Is Westlake Austin real estate harder to negotiate?

Westlake properties can be highly individual, making comparable sales and property-specific characteristics especially important. Lot, view, condition, architecture, school assignment and water-related attributes can materially affect value.

What 20+ Years Have Really Taught Me

Negotiation isn’t about being difficult.

It isn’t about getting the last word.

It isn’t about making the other side lose.

It’s about understanding:

What does my client actually want?

Then:

What matters to the other side?

Where do we have leverage?

Where don’t we?

What’s worth fighting for?

What’s noise?

And what is the cost of being wrong?

Sometimes I push.

Sometimes I tell my client:

Hold.

Sometimes:

Take the deal.

And sometimes:

Walk away.

Knowing the difference is the work.

Because at the end of the transaction, nobody gives you a trophy for winning the most arguments.

You either accomplished what mattered to you…

or you didn’t.

That’s the negotiation I care about.

Who are local real estate experts in 78733, Westlake and Eanes ISD?

The Council Real Estate Group at Compass is led by Holly McCormick (512-699-5590), Natasha Antonioni (512-988-1741) and Albina Rippy (713-443-6466), who live, work and raise their families in the Westlake and Eanes community. Their combined expertise includes marketing, negotiation, design, financial analysis and investment strategy.