One of the most important things your real estate agent does for you is to NEGOTIATE on your behalf.  Even if you yourself are an expert negotiator, chances are that you are not expert in real estate negotiations, which have unique nuances.  In addition, it is better in a transaction to have someone else (not you) negotiating on your behalf – having a proxy helps by taking emotion and possible personal affront out of the equation.

One of the interesting and powerful negotiation tools that your agent can work with is the DISC personality assessment.  We have always known that each person looks at the world in different ways, but in 1952 William Marston introduced something that was revolutionary in psychological circles.  He identified the four most common ways in which people approach the world (and negotiation) and explained how they work.  His four categories have evolved in the DISC Profile.  The beauty of DISC, and why it is so often referred to in business, is that it is a very simple system and one that can be applied without extensive testing.  You can often tell a person’s primary “category” by simple everyday words they use and actions they take.  For example:

D –for “DOMINANCE”, these personality types talk fast and unemotionally, are task oriented and “get the job done”.

I –for “INFLUENCER”, the “I” personality is outgoing and friendly, chatty, and extroverted.

S –for “STEADINESS”, “S”s  are other/people centered, loving, take time to think.

C –for “COMPLIANCE”, these people are task oriented and numbers focused.  They know data.

Thus, if we can identify the primary or two primary profiles of the other party, we can determine what is important to them psychologically, which can in turn help us to come to a deal more easily, with everyone more likely to be pleased at the closing table.  If you are a high “D” you may not care that the other party be “pleased”, but think of it this way: a deal in which everyone is happy is a deal that is most likely to actually stick – more likely to CLOSE and not fall apart.  Here’s how you would use the DISC knowledge to better come to resolution with each personality type:

D-a “D” wants to WIN, so figure out a way that helps the D personality feel that s/he has won.

I-the “I” wants to feel good about the process; a win/win works best for them.

S-the “S” wants everyone to get along.  A win/win without too much bickering and argument will work best for them.

C-the “C” wants everything done correctly and wants to be sure that there is enough data upholding the result.

By knowing the other party’s psychological “DISC” profile, we can negotiate more effectively.

DISC also, of course, helps us in other facets of real estate.  If a client is a “C”, for example, we know that providing lots of data is important.  For a “D”, it is important to be quick, smart and effective.  And so on.

From you, the client’s perspective, it is important to have an agent who has all the tools necessary in his or her toolbox.  The “DISC” information is just one of many tools we use to craft deals that work.

And please remember to contact our team for all of your needs with respect to real estate.  We believe in continuous training to always supply the utmost service and benefits to our clients.

Quickly jotting the DISC categories can help during a negotiation.