A buyer and seller will enter into an agreement of exclusivity during which the seller cannot engage with other would-be buyers. In the past, shopping periods were drawn out and sellers received more than one bid. Today, sellers move faster and want exclusivity with buyers during the due diligence process, says Lisa Alter of Alter Kendrick & Baron. “Now buyers are really putting their best deals forward immediately and trying to lock deals up to keep them out of the hands of their competitors.” (Subscription required to read the full article.)