Negotiation Prompts
10 ready-to-use prompts for offers, counters, and deal challenges
Paste your Context Card first, then use these prompts.
1. Offer Cover Letter (Buyer Side)
Write a cover letter to accompany our offer.
Property: [address]
List Price: [price]
Our Offer: [offer amount]
Buyer(s): [names]
Buyer Story:
- Why they love this home: [specific reasons]
- Their situation: [first-time buyers / growing family / relocating]
- Connection to the area: [if any]
- Timeline flexibility: [flexible / need specific date]
Requirements:
- Genuine, not manipulative
- Mention specific features they love (from the home, not generic)
- Brief (under 200 words)
- No sob stories or desperation
- Professional but warm
2. Counter Offer Response (Buyer Side)
Help me respond to a counter offer.
Our Original Offer: [amount]
Seller's Counter: [amount]
Difference: [gap]
Other Counter Terms: [changed closing date, removed contingencies, etc.]
Buyer's Position:
- Max Budget: [ceiling]
- Flexibility on Terms: [what can we give?]
- Must-Haves: [what can't we give up?]
- Walk-Away Point: [when do we say no?]
Seller Situation (if known): [motivation, timeline, other offers]
Provide:
1. Analysis of the counter (fair? aggressive? room to negotiate?)
2. Recommended response with reasoning
3. Script for presenting options to my buyers
4. Potential final offer strategy if we're close
3. Inspection Repair Request
Write a professional repair request email to the listing agent.
Property: [address]
Purchase Price: [price]
Inspection Findings:
1. [Issue 1] - Estimated Cost: [cost] - [safety/major/minor]
2. [Issue 2] - Estimated Cost: [cost] - [safety/major/minor]
3. [Issue 3] - Estimated Cost: [cost] - [safety/major/minor]
[Add more as needed]
Total Repair Estimate: [total]
What We're Requesting: [credit amount OR specific repairs]
Buyer's Position:
- Flexibility: [how firm are we?]
- Walk-Away Items: [what's non-negotiable?]
- Timeline Concerns: [any urgency?]
Requirements:
- Lead with safety items
- Professional and collaborative (not adversarial)
- Include openness to discussion
- Under 200 words
4. Inspection Response (Seller Side)
Help me respond to a buyer's repair request.
Buyer's Request: [summarize what they're asking for]
Total Amount Requested: [amount]
Purchase Price: [price]
Current Market: [seller's market / buyer's market / balanced]
My Seller's Position:
- Motivation to Sell: [high / moderate / low]
- Backup Offers: [yes / no]
- Cash Available for Credits: [amount willing to give, if any]
- Items We'll Fix: [list any]
- Items We Won't Fix: [list any]
Provide:
1. Analysis of their request (reasonable? overreaching?)
2. Recommended counter response
3. Script for presenting to my sellers
4. Negotiation leverage points
5. Appraisal Gap Strategy
The appraisal came in low. Help me navigate this.
Contract Price: [price]
Appraised Value: [appraised value]
Gap: [difference]
Buyer's Position:
- Additional Cash Available: [amount, if any]
- Financing Type: [conventional / FHA / VA]
- How Much They Want This Home: [very much / moderately / could walk]
Seller's Position (if known):
- Backup Offers: [yes / no]
- Motivation: [need to sell / can wait]
- Flexibility on Price: [unknown / willing / firm]
Provide:
1. Options for bridging the gap
2. Recommended approach
3. Script for calling the other agent
4. Backup plan if they don't budge
6. Multiple Offer Guidance (Seller Side)
We have multiple offers. Help me present them to my sellers.
List Price: [price]
Offers Received:
1. Offer A: [price] - [financing] - [contingencies] - [close date] - [other terms]
2. Offer B: [price] - [financing] - [contingencies] - [close date] - [other terms]
3. Offer C: [price] - [financing] - [contingencies] - [close date] - [other terms]
Seller's Priorities:
- Most Important: [net price / quick close / certainty / other]
- Timeline: [when they need to close]
- Risk Tolerance: [take highest offer even if risky / prefer certainty]
Provide:
1. Comparison matrix (pros/cons of each)
2. Recommendation with reasoning
3. Counter strategy if we want to push for more
4. Script for presenting to sellers
7. Price Reduction Conversation (Seller)
Help me prepare for a price reduction conversation with my sellers.
Property: [address]
Current Price: [price]
Days on Market: [DOM]
Showings: [number]
Feedback Summary: [common feedback themes]
Nearest Comp: [address, price, how it compares]
Recommended New Price: [price]
Seller's Likely Objections:
- [objection 1]
- [objection 2]
Provide:
1. Opening that acknowledges their frustration
2. Data presentation strategy
3. Responses to their likely objections
4. The "if we do nothing" scenario
5. Close that gets commitment
8. Earnest Money Dispute
We have an earnest money dispute. Help me navigate this.
Situation:
- Buyer/Seller: [which side am I on?]
- Earnest Money Amount: [amount]
- What Happened: [why the deal fell apart]
- Contract Language: [relevant contingency or clause]
- Who Has the Money: [title company / escrow]
The Dispute:
- Our Position: [why we believe we should get it]
- Other Side's Position: [why they think they should get it]
- Documentation: [what do we have in writing?]
Provide:
1. Analysis of who likely has the stronger position
2. Recommended approach (negotiate / mediate / escalate)
3. Script for initial conversation with other agent
4. Escalation path if needed
9. Closing Extension Request
Write a request for a closing extension.
Original Close Date: [date]
Requested New Date: [date]
Reason for Extension: [lender delay / title issue / personal circumstance]
Who's Requesting: [buyer / seller]
Relevant Context:
- How Close Are We: [days away from original date]
- Other Party's Situation: [are they flexible? already moved?]
- Compensation Offered: [per diem, credits, etc.]
Requirements:
- Apologetic but professional
- Clear explanation without over-explaining
- Propose specific solution
- Express commitment to close
- Under 150 words
10. Deal Rescue (Falling Apart)
This deal is at risk. Help me save it.
What's Happening:
- Property: [address]
- Price: [price]
- Stage: [under contract / post-inspection / pre-closing]
- The Problem: [what's threatening the deal]
Parties' Positions:
- Buyer: [their stance, concerns, demands]
- Seller: [their stance, concerns, demands]
- Gap to Bridge: [what needs to happen for this to work]
My Role: [buyer's agent / listing agent]
Provide:
1. Assessment: Is this deal saveable?
2. Creative solutions to bridge the gap
3. Who should I call first and what should I say
4. Fallback position if solution #1 doesn't work
5. When to walk away
Pro Tips
For negotiations:
- Information is leverage — know as much as possible
- Separate the people from the problem
- Always have alternatives ready
- Document everything in writing
For repair requests:
- Lead with safety (harder to refuse)
- Be specific with costs
- Leave room to negotiate
- Don't itemize every tiny thing
For price reductions:
- Data beats opinions
- Show what happens if we don't reduce
- Small reductions rarely help — go meaningful
- Timing matters (fresher = more attention)
From the AI Acceleration Resource Room