Ready To Make An Offer? Watch This.

If you are a home buyer, use the video above and the guide below to help navigate the process of making an offer on a home.

Before the offer to purchase is created, you must be pre-qualified by a lender, unless you are paying cash.

A pre-approval letter is one of the best negotiating tools a buyer can have. It shows the seller that you are financially able to purchase the home. After you have gotten prequalified or preapproved for your loan (or have a proof of funds in hand for a cash offer), and after you have found the right home, it is time to prepare the offer.

Now, let’s break down exactly how the offer-making process works. Here are the steps:

1. First, you’ll view a house and decide you want to make an offer.
2. Our team will do an analysis of the property to help you decide what a solid offer on the property looks like.
3. We will help you write an offer letter and send it to the seller.
4. The seller will respond in one of three ways:

The seller accepts the offer. Everyone is happy and as soon as both sides sign the offer letter, you’re officially under contract and on your way to buying a house!

The seller makes a counteroffer. You can either accept this counteroffer, go back with another offer of your own, or walk away.

The seller declines the offer. You could then try to make a more appealing offer, if your budget allows, or move on to find another house.

Other Questions to Consider When Making an Offer on a Home

When you are buying a home, there are many problems that the seller is obligated to disclose. For example, in most states, it is illegal to withhold information about major physical defects on the property, but these disclosures don't always paint the entire picture of the home. Here are six questions you may want to ask that can offer additional insight about the prospective home before you make a final decision.

1. Why is the seller selling the house? This question may help you evaluate the "real value" of the property. Is there something about the house the seller does not like? If so, you may be able to adjust the purchase offer accordingly.
2. How much did the seller pay for the home? This question can, in some instances, help the buyer negotiate a better deal-maybe even get the seller to carry part of the loan. However, it is important to remember that the purchase price is influenced by several factors, like the current market value and any improvements the seller may have made to the home. The original purchase price might not have anything to do with the current value of the house.
3. What does the seller like most and least about the property? By asking the seller what he or she likes most and least about the property, you might get some interesting information. In a few cases, what a seller likes the most about a home might actually be something the buyer is looking to avoid. For example, if the seller describes his house as being in a "happening community," the buyer might consider this a negative factor because the area may be too noisy or busy for his or her taste.
4. Has the seller had any problems with the home in the past? It is also a good idea to ask the seller if he or she has had any problems with the home while living there. Has the seller had problems with a leakage from the upstairs bathroom in the past? If so, even if the leak has been corrected, the floor and walls around the bathroom might have been damaged. You should also check that these items were repaired properly.
5. Are there any nuisances or problem neighbors? Use this answer to find out about any noisy neighbors, barking dogs, heavy airplane traffic or even planned changes to the community, such as a planned street widening. This may give you insight on why the seller is really moving.
6. How are the public schools in the area? Because the value of a community is usually greatly influenced by the public schools in the area, finding out the buyer's perception can give you some insight about the quality of the area's schools.

Knowing all you can about a prospective home, not only helps you decide if it's the home of your dreams, but what offer to make as well. Your real estate professional can help you get your key questions answered and give you advice on how to evaluate your findings. Please contact us directly to discuss any of these matters in further detail.

If you have questions or are ready to begin the home buying process, just complete the form below, and a member of our team will be in touch shortly!