Winning Bid: 5 Tips for Closing on a House in a Seller’s Market
Dans un marché de vendeurs, les propriétaires potentiels peuvent se retrouver à proposer une maison au-dessus du prix demandé et à perdre face à une offre supérieure. Voici cinq conseils pour prendre l'avantage sur la concurrence et gagner une guerre d'enchères sur une maison.
- Know your seller
The first tip will help amplify the benefits of the others. Research the seller, not just the property. Have your real estate agent talk with the seller’s agent to see if the seller has something they are wanting, like post-occupancy, a quick close, excluding items like the washer and dryer… If you understand your seller’s motives, you can make them a more desirable offer. To a seller, the smoother a transaction seems like it will go, the more attractive it is. The following tips are ways you can absorb some of the risk and stress to make your bid stand out.
- Offer more money… and a cash offer
What would be the most obvious answer is now one of many tools at your disposal. Although not a guarantee, bidding above asking price is a surefire way to remain competitive. A CASH offer above asking price will put your offer to the top of the list for winning the bidding war. Many mortgage lenders have programs that will have your offer considered a cash offer. It definitely is worth doing some research to see what your lender offers. When you know what options you have with your lender, then speak with your real estate agent to get an idea of what price they think the house will sell for… a top agent knows what’s happening in the current market and how far above asking price the homes are selling for. Be sure to get pre-approved with your lender before you even start house shopping!
Consider an Escalation Clause. The purpose of an escalation clause is for your offer to increase to a certain amount above all other offers. Real estate agents must follow certain regulations and must adhere to the code of ethics when using this. Be sure to speak with your real estate professional to see what options you have in your state. This is something you will also want to speak with your lender about so that you know what amounts you can go up to.
- Have Fewer Contingencies
A contingency in a real estate contract is a condition that must be satisfied before the contract can move forward, such as a home inspection or an appraisal. There are risks involved with waiving contingencies, but being comfortable taking on more risk can make your offer much more appealing to sellers.
Deciding how much risk you’re comfortable with is a good start. Knowing what your seller wants comes into play here as well: is there a particular aspect of the contract they’re unhappy with, or another barrier you could remove? A top real estate agent will be able to discuss the pros and cons with you so that you can make the best informed decision.
- Cover the Appraisal Gap
In the best case scenario your offer would be a full cash offer and no appraisal is needed, however; if that isn’t your situation, you may want to consider covering the appraisal gap. An appraisal gap occurs when the fair market value determined by the appraiser is lower than the amount you’ve offered for a home. If your offer is more than the house appraises for, and you have the cash available, this will be very desirable for the seller. If you are using a lender, make sure to check with the rules about what the lender will allow for an appraisal gap. With these tips, patience, and a little luck, you can close on your dream home!