Accepting an offer
2008-07-19
Your real estate agent has just brought you an offer on your home, and you want to think about it. Whether your home has been listed for three days or three months, there is always a desire to hold out for a better offer.
Contract signing
Accepting an Offer
Some buyers will include in the offer a deadline for getting a response, but the seller should respond to an offer quickly even if a deadline is not specified. The interval between when an offer is submitted and when a response is made is a crucial period because the buyers are free to withdraw from the transaction during this time. Even though they are mentally landscaping your yard and arranging their things in your rooms, they may also be afraid that they will get the house, and are, therefore, extremely vulnerable to buyers' remorse
Evaluating Multiple Bids
Competition for properties is high in hot markets. When you are a seller faced with multiple offers on your home, how do you choose the best one? Your real estate agent can help you compare and contrast the terms of each proposal.
Look at the price of each offer and evaluate your net profit. Next, consider the terms of each contract. How "clean" is each offer? Are there contingencies that affect the sale, such as the buyers needing to sell another property before they can finalize the purchase of your home? Can you work out a mutually agreeable date for you to move out and for the buyers to move in? Can you get reasonable assurances that the buyers will be able to qualify for the financing they will need?
Your real estate agent can help you weigh the relative merits of each offer, so that you can accept--or counter--the best one, and line up another as an alternative.
Look at the price of each offer and evaluate your net profit. Next, consider the terms of each contract. How "clean" is each offer? Are there contingencies that affect the sale, such as the buyers needing to sell another property before they can finalize the purchase of your home? Can you work out a mutually agreeable date for you to move out and for the buyers to move in? Can you get reasonable assurances that the buyers will be able to qualify for the financing they will need?
Your real estate agent can help you weigh the relative merits of each offer, so that you can accept--or counter--the best one, and line up another as an alternative.
Is First Always Best
Your home has been listed for just a few days, and your real estate agent calls with great news. The people who looked at the house last night have come in with an offer to buy it! When the agents arrive to present the offer, you are excited and hopeful. As they explain the price and terms, however, you feel that the price is a little too low and that the offer contains some terms that will be inconvenient for you to meet. Should you try to work it out or wait for something better? Work it out!
While your home is new on the market, it will receive the most exposure and the buyers who see it during the first few days of the listing are likely to be very interested so the chances of finding a serious buyer are greater during this period of time. If you are fortunate enough to receive an offer right away, you will probably to your advantage and you will be better off if you accept it or try to work out a compromise on resolving any issues that arise relative to price and terms.
Often the first offer to come in is the best one.
Know Your Price Range
As a homebuyer, you may have found the perfect new house for your growing family, but what if it is a little out of your price range? You might list your current home for more than it is worth and be lucky enough to find a qualified buyer who is willing to pay the price, but it is impossible to know in advance what your home will sell for.
If you want to sell your home quickly, have a frank and detailed conversation with your real estate agent to determine the best price for the house. Setting your price within 5% of the fair market value of your home greatly increases your chances of getting solid offers that will result in a relatively quick sale.
Don't buy and sell so close to your target amount that you become anxious when the numbers don't meet your expectations. There may be other approaches, such as adjustable rate mortgages or owner financing, to increase your buying power and get you into that new home. When you are selling one home and buying another, you will need more than good luck. You will need a highly professional and experienced real estate agent who can give you solid advice on how to make the transaction work for your particular requirements.
If you want to sell your home quickly, have a frank and detailed conversation with your real estate agent to determine the best price for the house. Setting your price within 5% of the fair market value of your home greatly increases your chances of getting solid offers that will result in a relatively quick sale.
Don't buy and sell so close to your target amount that you become anxious when the numbers don't meet your expectations. There may be other approaches, such as adjustable rate mortgages or owner financing, to increase your buying power and get you into that new home. When you are selling one home and buying another, you will need more than good luck. You will need a highly professional and experienced real estate agent who can give you solid advice on how to make the transaction work for your particular requirements.
Low Offers
In every real estate market, there are buyers who make offers that are far below the current market value of the property. How should you react if your agent brings you one of these "low ball" offers? Here are some scenarios for the seller.
If your home is priced very close to its fair market value, you can simply reject the offer and be reasonably confident that a better one will appear. However, if you have priced your home higher than other comparable homes in the neighborhood, the offer may not be unreasonable.
Ask your real estate agent for advice about the buyer's overall strategy. Do they really want your house or will they move on to another property if you make a counter offer? Can they afford to pay a higher price? Are there ways to close the gap with a small owner take-back, or with terms that will increase your bottom line? Take a hard look at your asking price and explore all your options before saying "no", especially if you are selling in a buyer's market.
If your home is priced very close to its fair market value, you can simply reject the offer and be reasonably confident that a better one will appear. However, if you have priced your home higher than other comparable homes in the neighborhood, the offer may not be unreasonable.
Ask your real estate agent for advice about the buyer's overall strategy. Do they really want your house or will they move on to another property if you make a counter offer? Can they afford to pay a higher price? Are there ways to close the gap with a small owner take-back, or with terms that will increase your bottom line? Take a hard look at your asking price and explore all your options before saying "no", especially if you are selling in a buyer's market.
Negotiating Factors
Negotiations for the sale of a home can be affected by emotional factors. For example, it is easy to be offended by someone who is making an offer on your property. Even if the buyers love your house, they are trying to negotiate the best possible price and terms. They probably will not let you know how much they want your home until they have negotiated a purchase agreement.
Buyers almost never write offers that please the sellers entirely. Offers and counter offers may be traded back and forth over days or weeks. Terms of the sale will be discussed and deadlines will be set. When there is finally a meeting of the minds, both sides may feel relieved but exhausted by the process. One of a real estate agent's most important jobs is to act as the intermediary during such negotiations. With your agent’s knowledge of financing, negotiation procedures, and the tax laws affecting real estate sales, agents come up with creative solutions to the challenges that may arise.
Buyers almost never write offers that please the sellers entirely. Offers and counter offers may be traded back and forth over days or weeks. Terms of the sale will be discussed and deadlines will be set. When there is finally a meeting of the minds, both sides may feel relieved but exhausted by the process. One of a real estate agent's most important jobs is to act as the intermediary during such negotiations. With your agent’s knowledge of financing, negotiation procedures, and the tax laws affecting real estate sales, agents come up with creative solutions to the challenges that may arise.
Offers and Counter Offers
Many of the offers real agents submit for prospective buyers aren't exactly what the sellers want. The price may be lower than they are asking or there might be terms included in the offer that will require negotiation. What happens after the offer is submitted?
The seller's real estate agent will present the offer to the sellers, along with the buyer's qualifications. If the sellers accept the offer, then a purchase agreement is written and signed by both parties. If the sellers counter the offer, the next action is initiated by the buyers when they make a response, either accepting the counter offer or countering it with yet another figure. If you want to buy a particular house, your chances of succeeding are greater if your initial offer is as close to the asking price as possible. You could save money by engaging in lengthy negotiations, but you run the risk of losing the home if a more attractive offer comes in from another buyer.
The seller's real estate agent will present the offer to the sellers, along with the buyer's qualifications. If the sellers accept the offer, then a purchase agreement is written and signed by both parties. If the sellers counter the offer, the next action is initiated by the buyers when they make a response, either accepting the counter offer or countering it with yet another figure. If you want to buy a particular house, your chances of succeeding are greater if your initial offer is as close to the asking price as possible. You could save money by engaging in lengthy negotiations, but you run the risk of losing the home if a more attractive offer comes in from another buyer.
Purchase Negotiations
If you are selling your home, you should be prepared for the day your first offer comes in. When your real estate agent calls to say there is an offer on your home, you will naturally get excited. When your agent describes the offer, you will probably experience an adrenaline rush. Whether the offer is good or bad, you should just remain calm--and discuss a counter-offer with your agent. The negotiations of a purchase begin with the buyer's ideal terms and a counter offer that communicates the seller's ideal terms.
A good agent will look beyond the price when evaluating an offer. If the buyers' financial qualifications are shaky or the offer includes potentially problematic terms or conditions, your real estate agent should be there to minimize any risk to you and to address these items in your counter-offer. Your agent's job is not to make a decision for you, but to be sure that you understand fully what the offer includes and what is expected.
A good agent will look beyond the price when evaluating an offer. If the buyers' financial qualifications are shaky or the offer includes potentially problematic terms or conditions, your real estate agent should be there to minimize any risk to you and to address these items in your counter-offer. Your agent's job is not to make a decision for you, but to be sure that you understand fully what the offer includes and what is expected.
Responding to Low Offers
The beginning of negotiations is usually the end of many months of hard work for the buyer or seller. The work ahead requires skill in order to maintain a strong position.
Sellers can lose their advantage if they do not counter an offer that a buyer has made. Even if the opening offer is beneath what the seller feels is reasonable, it is advisable for the seller to respond with a slight reduction from the asking price. The most important component in negotiating is good communication.
The best way to handle a low offer is to counter it with definite terms that are favorable to the seller. A counter offer has two advantages: 1) it keeps the buyer interested, and 2) it moves the negotiation forward and gives the buyer the opportunity to submit another offer that the seller is more likely to prefer.
Sellers can lose their advantage if they do not counter an offer that a buyer has made. Even if the opening offer is beneath what the seller feels is reasonable, it is advisable for the seller to respond with a slight reduction from the asking price. The most important component in negotiating is good communication.
The best way to handle a low offer is to counter it with definite terms that are favorable to the seller. A counter offer has two advantages: 1) it keeps the buyer interested, and 2) it moves the negotiation forward and gives the buyer the opportunity to submit another offer that the seller is more likely to prefer.