Summary of "EXACTLY How To Make A Low Ball Offer (and NOT Piss Off the Seller)"

Summary: EXACTLY How To Make A Low Ball Offer (and NOT Piss Off the Seller)

This video by Ricken focuses on the strategic approach to making lowball offers in real estate wholesaling without damaging relationships with sellers. The key business insights revolve around trust-building, problem-solving, negotiation tactics, and avoiding common pitfalls that cause wholesalers to lose deals or work for free.

Key Frameworks & Processes

Rapport Building (Trust Factor)

Establish trust before making any offer.
Techniques include:
- Finding commonality (family, hobbies, interests).
- Mirroring the seller’s communication style (volume, tone).
- Being authentic and relatable (avoid formal/business suits).
Trust is essential; skipping it leads to rejection and lost deals.

Problem Solving

Listen carefully to uncover the seller’s real problem—the “story” behind the property’s condition.
Sellers want certainty—a solution that resolves their issues.
Your role is to guide and help solve their problem, not just sell.

Go For No Negotiation Technique

Expect and embrace the first answer to your lowball offer to be “No.”
Use the initial “No” to gather information about the seller’s bottom line.
This reduces tension and accelerates negotiation.
Avoid rushing to get an early “Yes,” which often means overpaying.

Offer Cycle & Transition Statement

After rapport building, use a transition statement to shift the conversation to numbers. Example:

“I love talking with you, but I’m here to see if I can help solve your problem. Can we talk about numbers?”
Make your lowball offer at the peak of trust.
Shut up and wait for their reaction.
Use their counteroffer to define a negotiation range.
Employ trial closes to move the deal forward (e.g.,

“If I can close on this date or cover closing costs, can we move forward?”).

Avoid the Common Pitfall

Many wholesalers skip trust-building and rush to offers.
Result: overpaying, dragged-out deals, canceled contracts, working for free, and broken seller trust.
Overpaying is the #1 problem in wholesaling.

Key Metrics & Targets

Offer Calculation Example

For a property retailing at $250,000:
- Start with about half plus a little more (~$140,000) as the initial lowball offer.
- Expect seller’s bottom line counter to be higher (e.g., $162,000).
- Negotiate within this range to maximize margin.

Maximum Allowable Offer (MAO)

Avoid starting negotiations near the MAO.
Starting too high kills profit and sustainability.

Actionable Recommendations

Always identify motivated sellers who need to sell; lowball offers only work here.
Invest time in building genuine trust before discussing price.
Use mirroring and commonality to connect authentically.
Use the “go for no” mindset to reduce emotional tension and speed up negotiations.
Use transition statements to prepare sellers for number discussions.
Make your lowball offer clearly and confidently at the highest trust point.
Listen carefully to seller responses to uncover their true bottom line.
Negotiate using trial closes to confirm seller commitment.
Avoid sending offers via email without prior trust; they will be ignored.
Learn from experience: many sellers would accept less than their initial asking price.
Embrace discomfort; difficult conversations are necessary for success.

Summary of Business Strategy

Core wholesaling strategy: Buy as low as possible to create room for profit.
Trust + Problem Solving = Successful Negotiations
Go For No is a negotiation playbook that helps avoid overpaying and wasted time.
Avoid shortcuts that lead to broken trust and failed deals.
Wholesaling is a relationship and problem-solving business, not just transactional.

Presenter

Ricken — real estate wholesaling expert with 23+ years of experience

This video is a practical playbook for wholesalers emphasizing relationship management, psychological negotiation tactics, and disciplined offer strategies to maximize profitability and seller satisfaction.