One of the negotiating tools we use on our team is something called The Free Roll. Conceptually, it's a shot at getting something for your client without jeopardizing the deal.

Here's how it works.

To paint a hypothetical scenario, let's say I represent a buyer and we're negotiating repairs with the seller and the seller's agent. In this scenario, I just delivered that news, and the sellers have completely shot down the request. They're not going to make any repairs whatsoever.

How I would implement the Free Roll would look something like this:

Hey, Other Agent, I know you said your clients here aren't really interested in meeting my folks on any of these repairs. Of course, I can't speak for them on this, but that might actually be a deal-breaker for them, and they may be willing to walk away from the deal. So with that said, is this really the stance that your sellers are taking, or are they willing to potentially jeopardize the deal with this line they've drawn in the sand?

Why does this work? While painting the gravity of the situation as a potential deal-breaker, we hope it will prompt the seller and their agent to reconsider their position. Typically, we'll reach a meeting of the minds, and it's a win-win for both the buyer and the seller.