When you list your home for sale, you believe you’ve priced it right, staged it beautifully, and timed the market correctly for a quick sale. But that doesn’t mean buyers will pay full price.

Even though your housing market may be healthy with homes selling quickly, expect to negotiate. Negotiating doesn’t mean you win and the buyer loses, or you lose and the buyer wins. It’s a way for both of you to win.

Don’t take a low offer personally. The buyer may be using a low price to tell you something, like your home is tired or overpriced for the neighborhood. Find out the buyer’s reasoning for offering such a low price.

Meanwhile, ask your agent for an updated comparable market analysis. Markets change quickly and learning new information may convince you to reconsider your position. Be flexible on the points that count most with the buyer like closing costs. Throw in the washer and dryer, and the buyer could be more flexible when it comes to repairs and other concerns.

You want to keep the dialog open and a possible deal alive. Remember, the buyer chose your home, and it could be your best opportunity to sell.

Few winter delights beat the crackling sound and soothing aromas of a wood-burning fire. To get ready for the upcoming holidays, make sure your fireplace and your fire-building skills are in shape for cozy gatherings.

Have a chimney sweep company check your chimney for birds’ nests and other debris that could block smoke from venting outside properly. The sweep will also remove sooty creosote from the chimney walls.

Use only dried, aged hardwood logs or commercial logs appropriate for indoor use. Green, wet or soft woods produce more smoke and soot. Never burn any items with chemical finishes that produce unwanted gases.

Open the damper before building any fire and keep it open until the fire has gone completely out. Smaller logs burn faster, so start small, using kindling or a starter log. Add larger logs as the fire catches, leaving space between the logs for air to circulate. Never leave a fire unattended.

Ashes don’t smell nearly as good as a fire, so clean them out before you can use the fireplace again. Don’t let too much ash build up, as it causes more smoke, but leave just enough to cushion embers as they fall from burning logs.