If you are buying a house you need to know that a good offer is about more than money and in some situations other terms will win out over more money.
Here are some things to consider:
- Closing date – having the flexibility to choose a closing date that works well for the sellers.
- Down payment – Yes downpayment matters. It doesn’t have to be 205 but a higher downpayment makes an offer more attractive because the house is more likely to appraise for at least the loan amount.
- Agreeing to take on repairs.
Those are the top three but also consider offering to let the sellers leave anything behind that they don’t want. Such an offer may be especially attractive to older homeowners who are downsizing or in situations where the house is part of an estate.
Ideally, buyers agents should ask what the sellers are looking for when it comes to the closing date and if there is anything else the buyers can do to make the offer appealing to the sellers.
Buyers should not expect sellers to pay their closing costs. In a multiple offer situation that is almost always a deal killer.
