Buyers, how can you make your offer strong?

Buyers...the question is....how can you make your offers STRONG?
Question: As a buyer in this competitive market how can I make my offer as strong as possible? Answer: Although it can be difficult to purchase in this aggressive market there are things that can make your offer look better than the next guys. Here are seven ways to make your offer come in ahead of the others.
- 7 Ways to Make Your Offer Stronger than the next guy -
	#1 - Cash is king. The more cash you have to put into the deal, the stronger your offer will appear. Sellers often look for offers that come in with substantial amounts of cash. Even if a cash offer is much lower than an offer that requires lending, it will often be the deal a seller will take. It is almost guaranteed that cash deals will close and deals that require lending are more shaky.
	#2 - Substantial down payment. Again this one requires a certain amount of cash. The more you are putting down toward the purchase of your home, the better. Although 100% loans are attractive to some buyers that don't have a lot of cash, they are typically a higher interest rate and therefore a higher risk to the seller. 20% or more makes your offer look stronger.
	#3 - Pay Typical Seller Costs. When you pick up costs that are typically buyer costs, this can strengthen your buying position. Typical seller costs include HOA transfer fees, and escrow fees, which are split between buyer and seller.
	#4 - Pay your own closing costs. On the purchase of a home, the buyer typically has more costs in the contract than the seller does. The discount points, loan origination fees, appraisal, termite inspection, and ALTA policy should all be paid for the by the buyer. Usually the buyer costs run about 3% of the sales price.
	#5 - Close when the seller wants to close. Having your real estate agent find out the sellers timeframe for moving is a good thing to do before writing an offer. Sellers may have specific needs if they are buying another home or perhaps having a home built. They may need additional time in the home or they may want to close quickly. Either way, when you accommodate the sellers timeframe, you chances of getting your offer accepted is much higher.
	# 6 - Get there first. Getting a jump on the competition when looking for homes can make or break a deal. You don't want to find your dream home after it has been on the market for 5 days...in this market...it will already be under contract. Michelle has special software connected with the MLS and she can set you up on an auto search so you don't miss opportunity by seeing your dream home only after it is already under contract!
	# 7 - Ask your agent if they will sign a Buyer / Broker agreement with you. Although you may not be interested in committing to one agent, this can be a deadly mistake in the long run. Many people think their chances are better if they have several agents working for them. However, if you are not committed to the agent, the agent may not be committed to you. Do you think that an agent is going to leave a family party or time off at home to run out and show you your dream house if he / she knows you are running other agents around? Not only is this unprofessional, it is unkind. If you attempt to use several agents and waste their time, they will eventually delete you from their database and then you will be alone wandering in the desert! If you really want your agent to commit to you, don't you think it fair that you offer the same commitment to them? Our network of agents will make you a priority when you get serous about your house hunting and commit to allowing the agent to offer you their best.

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