When a buyer presents a purchase contract, it is usually the starting point of negotiations, so keep your mind sharp and your pen handy. The seller can accept, reject or modify the contract. Most often changes are negotiated and the sale goes forward. Here are some points to remember:

Both the buyer and seller should total up the value of negotiable items, and keep in mind how the price bid by the buyer compares to recent sales of comparable homes. If the bid is already low, the seller may not be willing to pay points or closing costs, but when a home price is a little high, the seller has room to offer financial considerations.

Other negotiable items may be hard to quantify, such as including the drapes or a special chandelier, or the 5-year old washer and dryer. Anything pertaining to the sale is up for negotiation and has a value. For example, changing the date of settlement to accommodate one of the families or inserting a mortgage approval contingency can be discussed.

Be sure all changes to the contract are made on the original form, no matter how messy it gets; important items can be missed during retyping.