Buyers Hate When Sellers Do This During Negotiations

Negotiations Aren’t Just About Numbers

You finally get an interested buyer. You’re in talks. Things feel promising.

But then… it all falls apart.

Not because of valuation.

Not because of profits.

But because of how the seller handles the process.

If there’s one thing that makes buyers nervous, it’s feeling like the seller is hiding something or playing games.

Here are the top behaviors that scare off serious buyers fast:

Going Silent: When sellers disappear for days (or weeks), buyers assume the worst — not that you’re busy, but that you’re backing out or panicking.
Changing Terms Last-Minute: Moving goalposts — like asking for more money or different terms without a clear reason — signals unreliability.
Hiding Issues: If buyers find out about red flags during diligence that you knew but didn’t share, it destroys trust. They wonder what else you’re hiding.
Over-negotiating Everything: Yes, it’s your business. But nickel-and-diming every clause makes buyers feel like a war is coming post-close.

These red flags don’t just hurt the current deal — they hurt your reputation with future buyers too.

Buyers don’t expect perfection. But they do expect professionalism.

Here’s what they do want:

Trust is currency in a deal. Earn it, and you’ll get better terms — and smoother negotiations.

Write out your “Deal Ground Rules.”

Things like:

This kind of clarity up front calms buyers — and sets the tone for a professional, smooth deal.

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