How Do You Negotiate $90K in Credits — Then Sell in a Tough Market?
Akshay Bhasin's family bought new construction in Newcastle from D.R. Horton — and walked away with nearly $90,000 in credits and concessions. On the other side of the same move, their Sammamish home sold despite a genuinely difficult market.
The Property
Buy-side: New construction in Newcastle, built by D.R. Horton. Sell-side: A 3-bedroom, 2.25-bath Klahanie home in Sammamish, 1,440 square feet, remodeled kitchen, newer roof and furnace, fully fenced private backyard.
The Buyers' & Sellers' Goal
Secure real savings on a new-construction purchase, and get their existing home sold — without either transaction stalling the other.
The Challenge
The Sammamish market was genuinely tough at the time. Getting the sale done required patience and diligence, not a quick, easy process.
The Strategy
On the buy side, strong negotiation with the builder secured concessions well beyond what's typical. On the sell side, staying patient and proactive through difficult conditions rather than dropping price reactively.
Preparation
A bridge loan, coordinated with a trusted loan officer partner, made it possible to close on the new Newcastle home smoothly — without the sale needing to close first.
Marketing
The Sammamish home was positioned and marketed consistently through a slower market, keeping pressure on finding the right buyer rather than the first one.
Pricing
Priced to reflect real market conditions rather than an optimistic number that would have led to a long sit and repeated price cuts.
Negotiation
Nearly $90,000 in credits and concessions secured from the builder on the Newcastle purchase — a significant, quantifiable result on the buy side.
The Result
Newcastle purchase: ~$90,000 in credits negotiated. Sammamish sale: listed at $997,498, sold at $960,000 (96.24% of list) — a real result in a market working against sellers.
What Made the Difference
Two different kinds of expertise, working together — aggressive builder negotiation on one side, patient market navigation on the other — plus a financing partner who made the timing work.
Why This Combination Matters
Buying new construction and selling an existing home rarely happen on convenient timelines. Coordinating financing (the bridge loan), builder negotiation, and a patient sale strategy simultaneously is what kept this from becoming two separate headaches.
Client Testimonial
"We had a great experience working with Melissa Waller. Her negotiation skills truly stood out—she secured nearly $90K in credits and concessions from D.R. Horton on our new home in Newcastle... She was equally strong on the selling side. Despite a very tough market, she remained patient, proactive, and incredibly diligent in getting our Sammamish home sold... A special shoutout to her trusted loan officer partner, Mike Colagrossi, who helped us secure a bridge loan and made it possible to smoothly close on the Newcastle home." — Akshay Bhasin
Frequently Asked Questions
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A: Yes — builders often have room to negotiate closing costs, upgrades, or rate buy-downs, especially with the right approach.
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A: It lets you close on a new home before your current one sells, coordinating timing between two transactions.