In my upcoming book Create a Great Deal, Rule Number 1 is No Hostile Emotions. One of the functions of a real estate agent is to be a shock absorber, to keep the emotions from your client from agitating the other side, or vice versa. You also need to prevent any hostile feelings from poisoning the interaction. When you are negotiating over a home, both the buyers and sellers are under stress. The sellers are giving up what has been the center of their world, and the buyers are trying to establish a new place that will reflect their status, values and ego. At some stage, the personalities of the parties may not mesh and the contentions will create a charged atmosphere. You need to have grace under pressure. Concentrate on the sale and the issues in the sale. Then, try to deal pleasantly with the personalities involved. The personalities are a temporary problem, while buying or selling the house is the long-term result. There are 14 rules to guide your negotiating in my book Create a Great Deal. For further information on this topic, please go to http://createagreatdeal.com/principles/rules/no-hostile-emotions/.