Acquisition:

Here is our first Acquisition TIP #1: Dealing with difficult Property Owners

According to Maslow’s Theory of the Hierarchy of Human Needs, the second tier above the biological need for basic survival – food, water, shelter – is the need to feel safe and secure. If individuals believe they are being robbed of control, their sense of safety and security is compromised, thus manifesting itself in grievance actions innate to self-preservation.  

So what are some things you can do when dealing with a hostile or unpredictable property owner? Here are five strategies to help you promote a positive outcome:

1. Stay Calm: It’s normal to become defensive in situations when you’re feeling attacked; by staying calm and showing respect, you can better maintain control and steer the problem in a positive direction.

2. Apologize and Empathize: The quickest way to diffuse an escalating situation is to allow the person to have a voice. Acknowledge their grievances and be apologetic. This action goes a long way in reassuring individuals that their concerns are significant, thereby promoting a cooperative approach.

3. Listen Thoughtfully: Allow them to speak uninterrupted. It’s tempting to jump in with an immediate solution but save it for the end. Allowing the person to speak uninterrupted not only gives them a sense of taking back control, you will unwittingly develop a level of trust knowing they have your ear.

4. Problem Solve: After listening, write down all matters of concern and repeat back to them. Now that you understand the situation from the seller’s point of view, look for areas of compromise. In instances where it seems impossible to come to a resolution, ask them how they would like to see the problem fixed, then work towards arriving at a win-win solution.

5. More times than not, grievances are due to disagreements in value. Ask the seller to provide you with information supporting their point of view and take it to the agency for consideration. They could very well have valid information the appraiser may have missed, presenting itself in a fairer or more accurate determination value. Regardless of the outcome, if you can demonstrate that your efforts to be honest and equitable are in earnest, it will better support your endeavor to develop good faith negotiations. 

-authored by,

Tammy Evans, SR/WA
Acquisition Manager

Meridian Engineering

Stay tuned for TIP #2 …next week