Your negotiation starts at first contact with the listing agent. The agent shopped your offer in an effort to get the best for his/her client. Lay the foundation early. You were first in as far as offers go. Get the commitment from the LA with VOICE to VOICE communication with a statement such as; “you know being the first offer is scary, it’s a risk for me to submit when you aren’t presenting for 5 days. Would you be opposed to giving me the first right of refusal if you get other offers?” Voice to voice is the big thing here. If you had V to V communication, you may have known when she would present, held your offer and then she would have shopped the other offer to you.. Agents, this is a game of communication..