Developing an Offer Strategy

An offer is more than a number. The strongest ones fit what the seller actually needs.

Start with the homework

Before we write, we look at what comparable homes sold for, how long this one has been listed, whether the price has changed, and what the seller's situation appears to be. A home that sat for sixty days is a different conversation than one listed Thursday.

The levers you can pull

• Price. The obvious one, and not always the deciding one.
• Earnest money. A larger deposit signals you're serious.
• Closing date. Sellers who need time, or need speed, will trade for it.
• Contingencies. Inspection, financing, appraisal, and sale-of-home terms each carry weight.
• Possession. Letting a seller stay a few days after closing can be worth thousands to them and nothing to you.

Waiving things

You'll hear about waiving the inspection or the appraisal contingency. Sometimes it's the right call. Often it isn't, and we'll tell you plainly which one we think you're looking at. Waiving an inspection means accepting the home as it is; waiving appraisal means covering a gap in cash if the value comes in low.

Escalation clauses

An escalation clause raises your offer automatically over a competing one, up to a cap. It's useful in a bidding situation and unnecessary when you're the only offer. It also shows the seller your ceiling, so we use it deliberately.

What we do

We call the listing agent before writing. What the seller wants is often not what the listing says, and five minutes on the phone regularly matters more than five thousand dollars.

Terms vary by transaction and by state. Washington and Idaho contracts differ, and we walk through the forms with you before you sign anything.