A client emailed us asking if they should get a third party involved in the short sale of their home. This was a great question. On a short sale, which is when a homeowner is selling their home for less than they owe on their mortgage, there are pros and cons of involving a third party.
A great definition of negotiation comes from Gerard Nierenberg; he states that when two or more people communicate with the intent of changing the relationship in some way, they are negotiating. Another definition of negotiation is a search for common ground. Just the other day, my twenty-two-year-old son, who is gainfully employed in the United States Navy, asked me if I would pay for his cell phone on another two year contract. What was my response to this negotiation, “NO! NO! NO!”? Actually, my first tactic was, “You have got to be joking with me, right?!” But, being a great dad, I did let him keep his same phone number and helped him set up a contract in his own name. In the end, he was happy because he is now establishing a little credit in his own name and does not have to ask me when he wants to change phones.
