If you want yours to be the best-looking home offer on the seller’s list, here are eight ideas to dress it up.
1. Make the right money offer. The best offer is, first and foremost, the right money offer. Your agent will compare sales prices and values of similar homes in the area to help you come up with a starting point.
2. Money talks — pay cash if you can. Sellers love cash deals because they are less likely to fall through.
3. Make your offer clean and easy. Give the sellers a chance to get their price (or as close to it as you can manage) with little effort. Resist asking for improvements that cost the seller money and time.
4. Sweeten the deal by offering to cover closing costs.
5. Give the sellers their choice of closing dates. If you want the property, stay flexible.
6. Offer to let the seller choose a move-in day, if you can.
7. Show you are a serious buyer with earnest money. If you have to back out of the offer for any reason allowed by the contract or state law, you will get your money back.
8. Share the love! If you love the house and can see your family in every nook and cranny, share that with the sellers in a letter. Remember that selling a house is an emotional thing, even when people want to sell. If the sellers like your emotions, they may want to see you in the house and make some concessions for you to iron out other details so the deal can go through.
Sincerely,
