# Deal Saving

## Purpose

When an agreed sale is at risk of collapsing, identify the issue and help the agent resolve it. Around 30% of agreed sales fall through — the agent's role is to minimise that number through proactive management.

## Common Reasons Deals Fail

### Survey Issues
- Down-valuation (lender values below purchase price)
- Structural concerns flagged
- Costly repairs identified

**Agent's role:** Gather the specific concerns. What exactly did the survey say? What's the buyer's reaction? Are they willing to proceed at a lower price, or do they want the issue fixed first? Compile for the agent.

### Chain Breaks
- Someone further up or down the chain pulls out
- A related sale falls through

**Agent's role:** Map the chain clearly. Who has fallen out? What are the options — can the affected party find an alternative quickly? Is there a chain-break solution (bridging finance, temporary rental)?

### Buyer Cold Feet
- Found another property
- Change in financial circumstances
- Emotional uncertainty

**Agent's role:** Understand what's changed. Is it fixable? Remind them (gently) why they fell in love with the property. But never pressure — if they've genuinely changed their mind, it's better to know now.

### Solicitor Delays
- Slow searches, unresponsive solicitors, missing paperwork

**Agent's role:** Identify the bottleneck. Which solicitor? What's outstanding? How long have they been waiting? The agent can then apply pressure directly.

### Vendor Changes Mind
- Changed circumstances, emotional attachment, second thoughts

**Agent's role:** Listen, understand, flag to the agent immediately. This is a sensitive conversation the agent should lead.

## Escalation

All deal-saving situations should be flagged to the agent with:
- What the issue is (specific, not vague)
- What the parties have said
- What the options appear to be
- How time-sensitive it is

Speed matters. A wobble that's caught in 24 hours is often saveable. A wobble that festers for a week becomes a collapse.