# Negotiating the price :/



## Suec04 (28 January 2014)

Hi All

I am horse hunting this spring but the thing that worries me is negotiating the price. I don't want to be ripped off but nor do I want to be too cheeky. Is there an unwritten rule about negotiating?

so, sellers, do you add extra on the price in preparation for potential buyers to knock you down?

and buyers, how much do you hope to knock off the price?

My budget is £2000......could I look at horses priced at say £2500 in the hope that I can get it for nearer my budget or is that too cheeky and risk being labelled a timewaster?

help!!! :/

Thank you


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## ihatework (28 January 2014)

I think looking at horses for £2500!if your budget is £2000 is acceptable BUT I would advise the sellers of your budget before viewing and ask if they are open to that offer should you like the horse.


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## Suec04 (28 January 2014)

ihatework said:



			I think looking at horses for £2500!if your budget is £2000 is acceptable BUT I would advise the sellers of your budget before viewing and ask if they are open to that offer should you like the horse.
		
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thank you. good idea to mention my budget before viewing


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## s4sugar (28 January 2014)

Only mention your budget if the advertised price is higher.


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## Suec04 (28 January 2014)

s4sugar said:



			Only mention your budget if the advertised price is higher.
		
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yes, got it!  thank you. I really do appreciate it. I can't be the only one who worries about this? My dad did all the negotiating when I was younger but sadly he is no longer with me. I could really do with his help with this


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## TT55 (28 January 2014)

I posted a thread similar to this a few months ago... I too hate haggling... it's a fine line between being cheeky and just being plain rude (and personally I cant stand it when people make offensive offers for anything). I think the best advice I got was to ask the seller if they are negotiable on price and take it from there. I do believe most people over price with the view that most people will try and knock them down. However, It's also worth considering the circumstances of each individual horse. For example, if the seller is desperate to sell, you have more negotiating power or if they want it to go to a good home more than get a good price etc....

In my opinion, looking at horses for £2500 is ok...

 I took my Mum with me on my second viewing and she went straight in hard with the haggling. I cringed the whole time, but in the end, we got about 20% off the asking price. We knew she was still making a massive profit on the horse so everyone was happy!

Good luck!


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## Suec04 (29 January 2014)

Thanks TT55.  

its the worst bit for me! I may take my brother with me as he is good at haggling prices when buying cars....only problem is he knows naff all about horses!


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## louiselowe (29 January 2014)

Snap i am zero good at hagling my mum is though i just find it embareasing good luck finding something x


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## luckyoldme (29 January 2014)

I love haggling. I bought a sewing machine at the weekend and i was nt embarassed at all. I started the first call by stating i liked the machine but not the price. I got £400 off. I dont care if the seller thought i was cheeky.... £400 is better in my bank than theirs!


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## Patterdale (29 January 2014)

ihatework said:



			I think looking at horses for £2500!if your budget is £2000 is acceptable BUT I would advise the sellers of your budget before viewing and ask if they are open to that offer should you like the horse.
		
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s4sugar said:



			Only mention your budget if the advertised price is higher.
		
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No no no no NEVER tell them what your budget is! That certainly IS an unwritten rule. 

Go look at the horse, then if you like it, tell them you've looked at things at a similar level for around £1500 so you think the price is a bit out (you can say constructive but nice reasons here, such as 'he had a lovely trot, but canter could have been more balanced for his age' etc etc). 
You then say 'but as I like him so much, I'd be happy to pay £1800 for him.' In the current market they may well snap your hand off but if they don't then you say 'well, ok, I'd go to £2000 but really couldn't stretch any further as I've seen so many at the same level for so much less. I can arrange the vetting today though and all being well I can have him away by the end of the week so at least you'll save next week's livery.'

If they say no thank you (which they probably won't) then walk away. Easy. 

If you ring up sounding all novicey and 'oh well I can only really afford £2000' and start negotiating before you've even seen the horse they'll probably just tell you to bog off. 

Negotiating for anything before you've had a chance to see and judge it is insulting and never works, and if you tell them you have £2000 to spend you'll miss out on the chance of having it for less. So NEVER SHARE YOUR BUDGET!

Good luck!


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## Patterdale (29 January 2014)

luckyoldme said:



			I love haggling. I bought a sewing machine at the weekend and i was nt embarassed at all. I started the first call by stating i liked the machine but not the price. I got £400 off. I dont care if the seller thought i was cheeky.... £400 is better in my bank than theirs!
		
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THIS is the right attitude!


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## apachediamond (29 January 2014)

I had the same budget as you when i was looking last spring, the horse i eventually bought was up at £2.5k, i got him for £2k but i only made the offer once i'd viewed him a couple of times. 

Fortunately the owner was selling due to pregnancy and moving away so needed a fairly quick sale otherwise i'm sure they wouldn't have dropped the price.


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## JanetGeorge (29 January 2014)

As a breeder, I sell quite a few (not enough at present) and they are priced at what I consider is a fair price for their age, bloodlines, conformation and temperament.  I expect a bit of a haggle - but I DO get irritated with 'insulting' offers - particularly if they come AFTER a full try-out AND the horse passing a 5 stage vetting!!   I won't drop price after the horse passes a full vetting - no way!  

Otherwise, if I like the buyer and consider them 'suitable' (I vet the potential owners) I would accept a slightly smaller offer (about 10%).  I would FAR rater people said when they rang that a horse was a bit above their budget, would I accept £**** if they like the horse.  If the price is way below what I would accept, then I save my time (and theirs!)


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## YasandCrystal (29 January 2014)

I think you need to view a few above and below your budget to gauge what you get for your money. Pricing can be quite subjective particularly with private owners who often value their horse on an emotional  and not market basis/level. At least with a good dealer/breeder their pricing will be more consistent and realistic - they have a reputation to maintain and a business to run.

I paid a great deal less than the original asking for my lovely WB, but I knew the owner was desperate to sell and he wasn't really a horse I would have gone for (way out of my market) so I made my budget clear to her before booking a viewing as not to waste anyone's time. Well she did me good and proper with the injury he had, but that's another tale.


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## Suec04 (29 January 2014)

Patterdale said:



			No no no no NEVER tell them what your budget is! That certainly IS an unwritten rule. 

Go look at the horse, then if you like it, tell them you've looked at things at a similar level for around £1500 so you think the price is a bit out (you can say constructive but nice reasons here, such as 'he had a lovely trot, but canter could have been more balanced for his age' etc etc). 
You then say 'but as I like him so much, I'd be happy to pay £1800 for him.' In the current market they may well snap your hand off but if they don't then you say 'well, ok, I'd go to £2000 but really couldn't stretch any further as I've seen so many at the same level for so much less. I can arrange the vetting today though and all being well I can have him away by the end of the week so at least you'll save next week's livery.'

If they say no thank you (which they probably won't) then walk away. Easy. 

If you ring up sounding all novicey and 'oh well I can only really afford £2000' and start negotiating before you've even seen the horse they'll probably just tell you to bog off. 

Negotiating for anything before you've had a chance to see and judge it is insulting and never works, and if you tell them you have £2000 to spend you'll miss out on the chance of having it for less. So NEVER SHARE YOUR BUDGET!

Good luck!
		
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This is brilliant, thank you  I really do appreciate it


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## Suec04 (29 January 2014)

JanetGeorge said:



			As a breeder, I sell quite a few (not enough at present) and they are priced at what I consider is a fair price for their age, bloodlines, conformation and temperament.  I expect a bit of a haggle - but I DO get irritated with 'insulting' offers - particularly if they come AFTER a full try-out AND the horse passing a 5 stage vetting!!   I won't drop price after the horse passes a full vetting - no way!  

Otherwise, if I like the buyer and consider them 'suitable' (I vet the potential owners) I would accept a slightly smaller offer (about 10%).  I would FAR rater people said when they rang that a horse was a bit above their budget, would I accept £**** if they like the horse.  If the price is way below what I would accept, then I save my time (and theirs!)
		
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Thank you for your advice. I wouldn't want to 'insult' anyone hence why i would like some advice on the price range i could look at and how much i could haggle if needs be


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## Suec04 (29 January 2014)

YasandCrystal said:



			I think you need to view a few above and below your budget to gauge what you get for your money. Pricing can be quite subjective particularly with private owners who often value their horse on an emotional  and not market basis/level. At least with a good dealer/breeder their pricing will be more consistent and realistic - they have a reputation to maintain and a business to run.

I paid a great deal less than the original asking for my lovely WB, but I knew the owner was desperate to sell and he wasn't really a horse I would have gone for (way out of my market) so I made my budget clear to her before booking a viewing as not to waste anyone's time. Well she did me good and proper with the injury he had, but that's another tale.
		
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gulp!:/ oh gosh! i guess the saying 'if its too good to be true then it probably is' would spring to my mind then. its a pity we can't discuss good and not-so-good dealers on here....it would save a lot of heartache for so many people . thank you for your advice


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## Kaylum (29 January 2014)

As Patterdale says, dont even mention your budget.  So much depends on how the viewing goes and the vetting then negoitate on price.  If its with tack take a good look at the quality of the tack.  Its winter its not the cost of buying a horse its the cost of keeping a horse and if your buying winter is the best time to buy.  Then make an offer that insults yourself.  Always do this for everything you buy, start low and move up and you will find it pretty easy to get to the price you can afford.


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## YasandCrystal (29 January 2014)

Suec04 said:



			gulp!:/ oh gosh! i guess the saying 'if its too good to be true then it probably is' would spring to my mind then. its a pity we can't discuss good and not-so-good dealers on here....it would save a lot of heartache for so many people . thank you for your advice 

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Yes very true and I should have known better, but that said I wouldn't change anything if I turned back the clock as that horse is the apple of my eye and he has taught me so much and enriched my horsey experience.

There are many ways to find out the good and bad dealers - this is where the internet is very useful. I think you have as much if not more chance of a dodgy purchase via a private sale.  Mine was.


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## Suec04 (29 January 2014)

TT55 said:



			I posted a thread similar to this a few months ago...
		
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do you have the link to this thread or can you tell me where to search for it please? i'd be interested to read it. thank you


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## Suec04 (29 January 2014)

Kaylum said:



			As Patterdale says, dont even mention your budget.  So much depends on how the viewing goes and the vetting then negoitate on price.  If its with tack take a good look at the quality of the tack.  Its winter its not the cost of buying a horse its the cost of keeping a horse and if your buying winter is the best time to buy.  Then make an offer that insults yourself.  Always do this for everything you buy, start low and move up and you will find it pretty easy to get to the price you can afford.
		
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i was thinking of starting to look seriously from about March onwards and am aware that prices will start to go up then but if anything should crop up before then i would like to be prepared. As you say, it is better to  start low and go up


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## Suec04 (29 January 2014)

YasandCrystal said:



			Yes very true and I should have known better, but that said I wouldn't change anything if I turned back the clock as that horse is the apple of my eye and he has taught me so much and enriched my horsey experience.

There are many ways to find out the good and bad dealers - this is where the internet is very useful. I think you have as much if not more chance of a dodgy purchase via a private sale.  Mine was.
		
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i am pleased that it has turned out well for you  please feel free to pm me of how i can find out the good ones from the bad


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## hnmisty (29 January 2014)

I also posted a similar thread lol.

It depends on the person and how quickly they need to sell! (And how realistic their price is). If they need to sell it quickly then they are more likely to accept a lower offer.

I was chuffed with myself for getting £250 off Barry. I just said "are you open to negotiation on the price?". She accepted my first offer so maybe I would have gone in lower 

The one thing I'd say with looking at horses above your budget- what if you fall in love and they refuse to **** on the price? That would always be my concern.


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## Suec04 (29 January 2014)

hnmisty said:



			I also posted a similar thread lol.

It depends on the person and how quickly they need to sell! (And how realistic their price is). If they need to sell it quickly then they are more likely to accept a lower offer.

I was chuffed with myself for getting £250 off Barry. I just said "are you open to negotiation on the price?". She accepted my first offer so maybe I would have gone in lower 

The one thing I'd say with looking at horses above your budget- what if you fall in love and they refuse to **** on the price? That would always be my concern.
		
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Thank you. Yes , that would be my worry too, especially if my daughter was in love with it....i guess if that did happen, i would have to beg, plead and borrow the extra off my lovely brother.....just don't tell him yet!


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## TT55 (29 January 2014)

Suec04 said:



			do you have the link to this thread or can you tell me where to search for it please? i'd be interested to read it. thank you 

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http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?643450-Haggling


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## noodle_ (29 January 2014)

i love haggling 

patterdale has written down exactly what to do!!

fwiw i bought my horse of a lifetime for the asking price of £1250.... i didn't haggle as it was a brilliant price anyhow (warmblood type, 4 year old green but basics all there and sainest pony ever - could canter round an open field on a buckle type..)!

so sometimes i just cough up and pay....however if i didnt have the budget - defo haggle


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## Suec04 (30 January 2014)

TT55 said:



http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?643450-Haggling



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thank you


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## Suec04 (30 January 2014)

noodle_ said:



			i love haggling 

patterdale has written down exactly what to do!!

fwiw i bought my horse of a lifetime for the asking price of £1250.... i didn't haggle as it was a brilliant price anyhow (warmblood type, 4 year old green but basics all there and sainest pony ever - could canter round an open field on a buckle type..)!

so sometimes i just cough up and pay....however if i didnt have the budget - defo haggle 

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don't suppose you wanna come with me and haggle the price for me do you? 

on a serious note, if it was within my budget and I was completely in love and wanted the horse, no matter what, I would probably pay the asking price too. I wouldn't want to risk someone gazumping me!


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## hnmisty (30 January 2014)

Suec04 said:



			on a serious note, if it was within my budget and I was completely in love and wanted the horse, no matter what, I would probably pay the asking price too. I wouldn't want to risk someone gazumping me! 

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At the end of the day, they're worth what you're willing to pay for them. We bought my old girl for £750. She was so perfect for me that I wouldn't have parted with her for 10x that. If you're in love, you'll pay what they're asking!


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## Nicnac (30 January 2014)

Know your market.  Have a good idea of what similar are going for in your area and then decide the price YOU want to pay.

You also need to be sure that you would be willing to walk away from the deal if you don't get the price you want.

Head needs to rule - easier said than done unless you are a professional dealer!


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## chestnut cob (30 January 2014)

I think it is OK to haggle but be realistic about it.  Don't have a budget in your head of 2K and go to look at horses who are 3.5K because you are just wasting your and the seller's time.  The horse I have now was 4K.  I offered a cheeky 3.5K and we settled on 3.6K.  That was before the vetting, and it was subject to vet.  I wouldn't ever start haggling after the vetting unless something was found which would substantially affect the price.


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## catroo (30 January 2014)

While I like to feel I've paid a fair price for a horse/pony, haggling on the price isn't the be all and end all for me. If you look at what you'll spend on that horse over the next ten years a few hundred quid pails into insignificance.

When I look I have my 'ideal' budget (say 2k) and then my absolute max 'can't get hold of a penny more' budget (say 3k), I wouldn't look at animals at 3k but would at 2.5k knowing that even if I paid full price I could still afford it.


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## oldie48 (30 January 2014)

Yes this. I'd always agree a price before vetting, what do you do if the horse passes the vet and they won't negotiate on price? If something turns up in the vetting that you can live with but affects the value, then you renegotiate. I think you also need to think about tack as I've never had a saddle that fits a new horse. If you have put some money aside to cover the cost of a saddle and the owner is prepared to include the saddle as part of the deal (only do this if the saddle is quality and in good condition, fits horse and you etc) then you can perhaps do a deal and perhaps you can go above the £2K. I always go in with a lower offer initially without being rude about it. If the seller accepts, all well and good, remember it's a buyers market at the moment. If they don't I'd say tell me what you will accept, if it's too high, just walk away but leave your telephone number in case they change their mind. If it' close to what you have to spend then meet them half way and ask them to include the saddle, bridle, rug etc (provided they are worth having) I'd never tell a seller my budget or tell them I've fallen in love with horse but I would reassure them that I was providing a good long term home for the right horse.



chestnut cob said:



			I think it is OK to haggle but be realistic about it.  Don't have a budget in your head of 2K and go to look at horses who are 3.5K because you are just wasting your and the seller's time.  The horse I have now was 4K.  I offered a cheeky 3.5K and we settled on 3.6K.  That was before the vetting, and it was subject to vet.  I wouldn't ever start haggling after the vetting unless something was found which would substantially affect the price.
		
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## JDH01 (31 January 2014)

My view is that I know what I have to spend and will pay asking price if I feel the horse is worth it.  In the current market I believe I have paid under the odds at the asking price for my last 2 horses.  I dont have them vetted as horses being horses things can and will go wrong.  I have bought 9 horses only 1 has been a mistake. I have viewed 12.  The key for me is the phone call and not viewing anything that doesnt sound genuine I dont view.  If I did have a vetting I would negotiate for issues I was prepared to tolerate


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