Be dispassionate. Deals are like buses - if you miss this one, there will be another one along shortly

You MUST be prepared to walk away with no deal - this is the most elementary lesson that Theresa May never seemed to grasp.

If somebody calls you on the phone and says "how much will you take for it?" and you are dumb enough to tell them, they will use that figure as the starting point of negotiations

In some cultures, when you shake hands on a deal that is NOT the end of negotiations, that is merely the start.

You will RARELY get a bargain from a private individual - they will hold on for years to get that extra pound.

You MAY get a bargain from a dealer but he will demand speed and certainty. Typically, he has bought something for a third of what it is worth and will happily sell it for half of what it is worth if you are quick. So it is still a bargain for you.

You MAY get a bargain from a huge company to whom certainty is more important than price

Everybody thinks that Insolvency practitioners give stuff away and maybe they do but not to me unfortunately. In my experience they hang onto stuff for years to get that extra pound. They do this so that they are not sued for giving stuff away and even better they can go on drawing their £10,000 per month for years. Think about it and do the sums.

If you are sellng something do NOT make any consessions once the deal is agreed. The other side will get worried if you make concessions and may sense that you are desperate to sell for some reason.

If the other side start messing about during the legal sales process tell them in no uncertain terms that unless they exchange contracts by a certain date, you will withdraw - and do so

Beware of selling agents - they will put it on the market at a high price and then after a couple of years persuade you to give it away.

Bear in mind that the "friend" who suggests you buy something may be getting a commission from the guy selling it.

Most deals are held up because the buyer does not have the money

The worse deals always happen when you have been sitting on a big pile of money for a couple of years and are getting desperate (that is me right now)

Your property will have faults and that may make you feel weak in a negotiating situation but believe me all properties have faults (apart from ones belonging to me obviously) so don't worry too much.