108: Center for REALTOR® Development 108: Mastering Win-Win Negotiation Strategies with Evan Fuchs: Part 1

Today’s topic is so essential: negotiation! It has always been important. As our markets have been shifting and industry changes are happening, we need to go back to remembering the basic and core tenets of good negotiation while also understanding the nuanced parts of that shift within the market and the specific needs of our clients. 

My guest today, Evan Fuchs, is a 28-year award-winning REALTOR® and industry leader from Bullhead City, Arizona. Negotiation is one of those topics we need to learn about all the time. Unless you’re writing a book on negotiation, I suggest more education is helpful. I love learning from skilled negotiators wherever I come across their books or meet them, like Evan or even some of my clients, who teach me new ideas and angles to consider in my negotiation. Evan and I both believe in the long-term value of win-win negotiations in real estate. 

Evan shares insights on building relationships and finding mutually beneficial outcomes. We discuss the importance of offering options, how crucial it is to get professional training, and the value of tangible and intangible negotiation elements. Evan will tell you what those are. Let’s learn together! 

We are releasing this interview in two episodes. This is Part 1. 

[2:04] I am so glad to have Evan Fuchs with us today on the podcast! Welcome, Evan! 

[2:12] Evan is one of the very successful nice guys! If you ever get to meet Evan, talk to him. He’s delightful, smart, and friendly. We’re going to talk about negotiation, and he is the perfect person to have with us to talk about relationship negotiation because he’s kind and respectful. 

[2:33] We will discuss a win-win negotiation atmosphere and why that’s good. Evan, you’re a 28-year veteran, broker-owner, board member extraordinaire, association president, and winner! (Evan says that introduction will put a pep in his step!) 

[3:05] Monica describes her impostor-fighter shelf of awards and statues that remind her that she’s awesome at her job and connected. She recommends you have a shelf like that, and whenever you need a boost, look at your shelf and say, ‘Yeah, I got this’! 

[3:35] Evan heard Monica talk about the importance of celebrating in one of her podcast episodes. Evan is totally about celebrating, even little victories.

[3:52] The win-win negotiation model is a mindset that negotiators adopt. Instead of trying to compete against somebody, they take responsibility for building a good relationship with the other negotiator to work together to find good outcomes for everybody. 

[4:47] Sometimes, one party does get a better deal, but can you do something to let the other party feel like they also have a good outcome?

[5:14] Dan says that options give us power. If I have the myopic view that this is the outcome that’s good for me, and I can’t get you to agree with that, then the deal’s dead, but if we can work together and try to find other ways, then we have a chance of keeping the deal alive and getting to the closing table. 

[5:42] It’s about how to help you get what you want so I can get what I want. Let’s create many ways to get there and find the best one. 

[5:51] Everybody wants a deal. You may be working with a client looking at a transaction like a war. You have to help them find options and negotiate so both parties are happy with the outcome. Monica reminds agents that we must train ourselves and our clients to negotiate well. 

[7:06] Evan says that one out of four buyers want their buyer’s agent, above everything else, to negotiate for them. They would rather you be a good negotiator than be good at finding them a house. Monica invites you to improve your negotiating skills. Promote them as part of your value. 

[8:43] In this episode, we will keep the buyer’s agent n