Published September 17, 2021
5 Tips for Making Your Best Offer
In today’s sellers’ market, standing out as a buyer is critical. Multi-offer scenarios and bidding wars are the norm due to the low supply of houses for sale and high buyer demand. If you’re buying this fall, you’ll want every advantage, especially when you’ve found the home of your dreams.
Here are five things to keep in mind when you are ready to make an offer.
1. Know Your Budget
Knowing your budget and what you can afford is critical to your success as a homebuyer. The best way to understand your numbers is to work with a lender so you can get pre-approved for a loan.
2. Be Prepared To Move Fast
Speed and the pace of sales are contributing factors to today’s competitive housing market. According to the latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average home is on the market for just 17 days. As the report notes:
“Eighty-nine percent of homes sold in July 2021 were on the market for less than a month.”
When homes are selling fast, staying on top of the market and moving quickly are key. After you’ve worked with your agent to find the home that suits your needs, they’ll help you put together and submit your best offer as soon as possible.
3. A Real Estate Professional Can Lead You to Victory
No matter what the housing market looks like, rely on a trusted real estate advisor. Agents are experts in the local real estate market. They have insight into what’s worked for other buyers in your area and what sellers may be looking for in an offer. It may seem simple, but catering to what a seller may need can help your offer stand out.
4. Craft a Strong, Fair Offer
In the past, offering at or near the asking price was enough to make your offer appealing to sellers. In today’s market, that’s often not the case. According to the latest Realtors Confidence Index from NAR, 50% of offers are above the list price.
In such a competitive market, emotions and prices can run high. Having an agent to help craft a strong, fair offer is critical in these situations. Your agent can help you understand:
The market value of the home
Recent sales trends in the area
Current buyer demand
5. Understand the Seller’s Needs, but Resist Waiving Certain Contingencies
When writing an offer, you’ll want to keep both your best interest and the interest of the seller in mind. Your trusted real estate advisor will help you consider which levers you could pull, including contract contingencies (conditions you set that the seller must meet for the purchase to be finalized). Of course, there are certain contingencies you typically don’t want to give up, like the home inspection. Yet, we are still seeing some offers with no inspection contingencies.
What you should do:
Today’s competitive housing market makes it more important than ever to make a strong offer on a home, but an experienced agent will know what negotiation tactics can make you stand out. Let’s talk to make sure your offer rises to the top! For more information on how to write your best offer, contact our Team today!????
315-701-6993
