Buying A Home: Make an Offer

Making an offer on a home not only specifies a price you are willing to pay for the home but also states the terms and conditions of the purchase.  Most agents use boiler plate contracts but there are a few areas within the contract to add or subtract conditions.  Most offers will contain contingencies to make sure that the home you purchase will pass a home inspection and that you get a loan from a lender to purchase the home.  When making an offer, there are a few ways to make your offer stand out. You might want to consider these options especially if there are multiple offers so that your offer stands out.   If you have the money, an all-cash offer is one of the best ways to insure your offer stands out.  Most sellers will take a cash offer and even take a lower all-cash offer than a higher offer that is contingent on financing.  A large down payment and/or pre-appoval from a major bank for a conventional loan will help the seller pick your offer.  If you do not have the advantage of making an all-cash offer, writing a letter to the sellers might be your best bet to stand out, possibly even above higher offers.  Most sellers love their homes and have a personal connection to them.  If you can show that you will offer a good stewardship for the home, they might be more inclined to forgo a higher offer.