5 Tips for Making Your Best Offer

<article class="post-31515 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry" id="post-31515"><span class="entry-date">September 15, 2021</span><div class="entry-header center-block text-center"><h1 class="entry-title">5 Tips for Making Your Best Offer</h1><div class="shareBlock"><div class="shareTitle">Share</div><div class="shareIcons"><a aria-label="Twitter Share Link" class="twitter solid display-inline-block" data-tracking="Post,Social Post Link Clicked,Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/share?text=5+Tips+for+Making+Your+Best+Offer&url=https%3A%2F%2Fgilliggroup.com%2Fblog%2F5-tips-for-making-your-best-offer%2F" target="_blank"><span class="force-hidden">Twitter</span></a>
<div class="fb-share-button display-inline-block" data-href="https://gilliggroup.com/blog/5-tips-for-making-your-best-offer/" data-layout="" data-size=""><a class="facebook solid fb-xfbml-parse-ignore" data-tracking="Post,Social Post Link Clicked,Twitter" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fgilliggroup.com%2Fblog%2F5-tips-for-making-your-best-offer%2F&src=sdkpreparse" target="_blank"><span class="force-hidden">Facebook</span></a></div>
<a class="pinterest solid display-inline-block" count-layout="horizontal" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgilliggroup.com%2Fblog%2F5-tips-for-making-your-best-offer%2F&description=5+Tips+for+Making+Your+Best+Offer" target="_blank"><span class="force-hidden">Pinterest</span></a>
<a class="linkedin solid display-inline-block" href="https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://gilliggroup.com/blog/5-tips-for-making-your-best-offer/?shareSlug%3D5-tips-for-making-your-best-offer" target="_blank"><span class="force-hidden">LinkedIn</span></a>
<a class="email dashicons dashicons-email solid display-inline-block" href="mailto:?subject=From gilliggroup.com: 5 Tips for Making Your Best Offer&body=5 Tips for Making Your Best Offer%0D%0Dhttps://gilliggroup.com/blog/5-tips-for-making-your-best-offer/" target="_blank"><span class="force-hidden">Email</span></a>
</div></div><div class="post-tax post-category"><span></span><a href="../category/realtor-blog/index.html" rel="tag">Realtor Blog</a></div><div class="post-tax post-post_tag"></div></div><div class="entry-content"><div>
<p><img alt="5 Tips for Making Your Best Offer | Simplifying The Market" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" decoding="async" link_thumbnail="" loading="lazy" sizes="auto, (max-width: 549px) 100vw, 549px" src="https://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/14111827/20210915-KCM-Share-549×300.jpg" srcset="https://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/14111827/20210915-KCM-Share-549×300.jpg 549w, https://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/14111827/20210915-KCM-Share.jpg 750w" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;" width="358"/></p>
<p>In today’s <a href="https://www.simplifyingthemarket.com/2021/08/17/what-does-being-in-a-sellers-market-mean/?a=712984-fa409495d5d70154d03a25e81e9540e2">sellers’ market</a>, 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 <a href="https://www.simplifyingthemarket.com/2021/08/18/real-estate-its-still-a-lack-of-supply-not-a-lack-of-demand/?a=712984-fa409495d5d70154d03a25e81e9540e2">buyer demand</a>. If you’re buying this fall, you’ll want every advantage, especially when you’ve found the home of your dreams.<span id="more-45151"></span></p>
<p>Below are five things to keep in mind when it’s time to make an offer.</p>
<h4><strong>1. Know Your Budget</strong></h4>
<p>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 <a href="https://www.simplifyingthemarket.com/2021/06/22/pre-approval-makes-all-the-difference-when-buying-a-home/?a=712984-fa409495d5d70154d03a25e81e9540e2">pre-approved</a> for a loan. As <em>Freddie Mac</em> <a href="https://myhome.freddiemac.com/buying/working-with-your-lender.html">puts it</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>“This pre-approval allows you to look for a home with <strong>greater confidence and demonstrates to the seller that you are a serious buyer.</strong>”</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Showing sellers you’re serious can give you a competitive edge. It enables you to act quickly when you’ve found your perfect home.</p>
<h4><strong>2. Be Prepared To Move Fast</strong></h4>
<p>Speed and the pace of sales are contributing factors to today’s competitive housing market. According to the latest <a href="https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/existing-home-sales-climb-2-0-in-july"><em>Existing Home Sales Report</em></a> from the <em>National Association of Realtors</em> (NAR), the average home is on the market for just<strong> 17 days. </strong>As the report notes:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>“Eighty-nine percent of homes sold in July <strong>2021 were on the market for less than a month</strong>.”</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>When homes are selling fast, staying on top of the <a href="https://www.simplifyingthemarket.com/2021/09/02/5-reasons-todays-housing-market-is-anything-but-normal/?a=712984-fa409495d5d70154d03a25e81e9540e2">market</a> 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.</p>
<h4><strong>3. A Real Estate Professional Can Lead You to Victory</strong></h4>
<p>No matter what the housing market looks like, rely on a trusted real estate advisor. As <em>Freddie Mac</em> <a href="https://myhome.freddiemac.com/buying/finding-your-team.html">says</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>“The success of your homebuying journey largely depends on the company you keep. . . . <strong>be sure to select experienced, trusted professionals who will help you make informed decisions and avoid any pitfalls.</strong>”</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>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.</p>
<h4><strong>4. Craft a Strong, Fair Offer</strong></h4>
<p>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 <a href="https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports/realtors-confidence-index"><em>Realtors Confidence Index</em></a> from NAR, <strong>50% of offers are above the list price.</strong></p>
<p>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:</p>
<ul>
<li>The market value of the home</li>
<li>Recent sales trends in the area</li>
<li>Current buyer demand</li>
</ul>
<h4><strong>5. Understand the Seller’s Needs, but Resist Waiving Certain Contingencies</strong></h4>
<p>When crafting an offer, you’ll want to keep both your best interest and the interest of the seller in mind. Your trusted <a href="https://www.simplifyingthemarket.com/2021/06/14/the-right-expert-will-guide-you-through-this-unprecedented-market/?a=712984-fa409495d5d70154d03a25e81e9540e2">real estate advisor</a> 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 don’t want to give up, like the home inspection.</p>
<p><em>Freddie Mac</em> <a href="https://myhome.freddiemac.com/blog/homeownership/20201019_5_rules_for_making_an_offer_on_a_home.page">explains</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong><em>“Resist the temptation to waive the inspection contingency,</em></strong><em> especially in a hot market or if the home is being sold ‘as-is’, which means the seller won’t pay for repairs. Without an inspection contingency, you could be stuck with a contract on a house you can’t afford to fix.”</em></p>
</blockquote>
<h3><strong>Bottom Line</strong></h3>
<p>Today’s competitive housing market makes it more important than ever to make a strong offer on a home. Let’s connect to make sure your offer rises to the top.</p>
</div>
</div></article>