Arms Length Transaction

Arms Length Transaction

The concept of an arm's length transaction commonly comes into play in the real estate market. When determining the fair market value of a piece of property, the price for the property must be obtained through a potential buyer and seller operating through an arm's length transaction, otherwise, the agreed-upon price will likely differ from the actual fair market value of the property.

For example, if two strangers are involved in the sale and purchase of a house, it is likely that the final agreed-upon price will be close to market value (assuming that both parties have equal bargaining power and equal information about the situation). This is because the seller would want a price that is as high as possible and the buyer would want a price that is as low as possible.

This contrasts with a situation in which the two parties are not strangers. For example, it is unlikely that the same transaction involving a father and his son would yield the same result, because the father may choose to give his son a discount.

Randy Bailiff
Dean Graziosi Investment and Life Coach

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