If the seller's are going through a divorce and are selling because they are required to by divorce decree, they may be under duress. Many people are uncomfortable with negotiation. In this country we will readily pay the market price for an item even if it means paying too much. Because no one just pays the sticker price for a home, buyers need to become a little more knowledgeable about the negotiation process. Buying and selling a home can be an emotional experience.
Sellers often have emotional ties to a home.
Add to that the necessity of negotiating a price for something that holds so many memories and it can put you on an emotional roller coaster. A buyer on the other hand is dealing with large quantities of their own money. They may already feel insecure about making the decision not only to put an offer in on a particular house, but also possibly even to buy a home in general. There are many reasons why emotions might enter into what should be a detached business transaction. Since it is impossible to completely eliminate all emotions involved in the transaction, you must try to at least control them.