In spite of weeks and often months of research into what they can get for their money, many purchasers find it hard to be objective when they see a property they really want. It seems that many people find it hard even to put a value on a property they really fall in love with. But there are good reasons why purchasers should work at keeping that emotion under control.

A conscientious agent may advise the vendor to drive a harder bargain if a purchaser appears too keen. It is better for purchasers to look for and highlight a property’s faults, at least in their own mind, to help them keep things in perspective. It helps to write notes on each property, and if you really like something, make sure you don’t gloss over any problem areas in the heat of the moment that may become much more important when the novelty wears off. The property you love may have a state of the art kitchen but is it really too far from your child’s school? It may be close to a park but will the markets that are held there every weekend drive you mad, especially if there are cars parked across your driveway when you arrive home from a Sunday outing? The faults don’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t make an offer on the property with the intention of purchasing it, but they may help you to avoid going too high under the pressure of strong emotion.

Some purchasers ask agents for their advice on what sort of offer to make when they feel their judgement is clouded. But they need to remember that the agent is working for the vendor and as such must keep the vendor’s best interests uppermost.

While some purchasers make the mistake of letting emotion cloud their objectivity, others find that being too hard-headed in the search for a bargain rarely pays off – a ridiculous initial offer on a competitively price property seldom ends up in a sale let alone a bargain. Vendors who are offended by offers that are insultingly low often refuse to make a counter offer and opportunities are lost on both sides