Even if an agreement on various pieces of the deal seems to be in place, the deal isn't final until both parties reach an agreement on all points. Backing off a previously agreed-to point doesn't happen often, but it does happen, even to experienced negotiators.
To have an enforceable contract, you need agreement on four elements:
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Description of the product or service to be delivered
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Cost of the product or service
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Term of the agreement
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Names of the parties responsible for delivering elements of the agreement
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Offers and counteroffers: When a party makes an offer and you make a counteroffer, you legally rejected the initial offer and put a new offer on the table. The other party may allow you to accept a previous offer but is not bound to do so. After you put a counteroffer on the table, you have no legal right to demand that an old offer stay on the table.
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Written versus oral contracts: Contrary to popular belief, oral agreements are generally enforceable. The law requires a few types of contracts to be in writing, including those relating to employment and the sale of land and contracts extending for more than a year; but generally, oral contracts are valid but tough to prove if you get into a dispute unless you have something other than your own memory to establish the agreed-to terms.
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Pre-contract legal protection: If one or both parties begin to carry out the terms of an agreement before a fully enforceable contract is signed, the courts usually support acts performed in good faith. That is, the party who performed a service or provided goods typically receives the fair market value for that service or product even if a contract is not signed.