The One That Got Away
Posted on January 12, 2018 by Laura Lucky
It happens all the time in the real estate world – buyers fall in love with a property and are devastated when they miss out on their chance to buy it. Yet there are some strategies we recommend when we work with buyers in helping you end up with your dream home after all!
Don’t Shop Until You’re Ready to Buy
It sounds obvious, but it’s not uncommon for buyers to get excited about a property, only to not be ready and prepared to make a serious offer. Perhaps you don’t have your mortgage pre-approval in place, or need to sell your home first. Whatever the case, finding your “it” home without being able to buy may haunt you for years to come.
Don’t Lowball
Certainly no buyer wants to pay too much for a home. However, seriously lowballing with the offer puts the buyer in a precarious position. Even if the seller accepts the offer, it often sets up the transaction with wounded feelings and not much room for negotiating other items that may come up during escrow.
Act Fast
Even in a market where there is a lot of inventory or homes are moving slowly, when you find a home that’s priced right, is updated, well-maintained and basically just what you’re looking for; you can assume it’s just what someone else is looking for too. When you find just the right house, be prepared to jump on it.
Outshine Other Buyers
When it comes to making an offer, it’s not always about the price. Work to be as flexible and attractive to the seller with closing dates and little-to-no contingencies such as financing or appraisal when you submit your offer. Believe it or not, including a handwritten note along with your offer may help persuade the sellers to accept your offer over another.
Be Proactive
Is there a home you’ve been pining for, but it isn’t even for sale? We can prepare your offer and contact the homeowners about your desire to buy. Sometimes it leads to a sale, as the homeowners appreciate not having to put the home on the market. We can also flag that property’s address in our system and we’ll receive a notification the moment it hits the market. Lastly, we know of properties that are available for sale, but aren’t listed in the MLS. These “pocket listings” are a way we help you to get a jump on other buyers.
We’ve helped hundreds of buyers purchase the home of their dreams, and we have many more strategies in place to lead you to success. You can bet we won’t leave you homeless! 602.320.8415 or Lucky@RussLyon.com
