In Arizona, we are still experiencing a seller's market due to low inventory.  There is fierce competition out there for the prime homes and getting a seller to accept your offer over other's buyers is becoming more and more difficult.  How can you beat the competitor and win the home of your dreams?

7 Tips to Help You Beat the Competiton

1.  Talk to a lender

In today's competitive market it is imperative to speak to a lender and be pre-qualified, or better yet, pre-approved for a loan before you start viewing homes.  Provide all the paperwork the lender needs upfront to strengthen your pre-qualification.  Sellers want to see strong offers from buyers that have already started the financing process, so buyers need to be prepared and do some upfront work.

2.  Make your offer right away

Another reason to speak to a lender first is that if you find a home that checks the majority of your boxes, you will need to submit an offer as soon as possible.  In today's market if you are not prepared you will most likely lose out on that home to a buyer that is prepared and ready to move forward.  It's important to have all of your paperwork ready and submitted to your lender.  In fact, it's a waste of time for you to even look at homes without at least a pre-qualification.  

3.  Look for homes priced under your pre-qualification amount. 

Most properties are receiving multiple offers and end up in a bidding war.  You should leave some wiggle room to negotiate with.  If you are looking at homes at the top of your pre-approval amount, you won't be able to negotiate a higher amount with the seller.   

4.  Go in with a strong offer

Knowing how to present your offer to win the house in today's market is essential.  Since you will most likely encounter competition from other buyers, submitting a lowball offer is not an option.  If you find the house that you want, be prepared to present your strongest offer to the seller.

5.  Pick the right partners for your team

Buying a house requires a team of people to work together to achieve your goals and you should start building your team before you start viewing homes.   It is important to find a local mortgage lender with a proven track record of getting loans closed.  This lender should take the time with you upfront to ensure you chose the right loan to fit your needs, and also to make sure your financing looks strong when you submit an offer.   It's also important to hire a knowledgeable local REALTOR that has experience helping their clients successfully buy a new home in today's market.  Your REALTOR can then help you find other team members, like a home inspector or pest inspector, to make the process easier.  Your real estate agent should be focused on helping you achieve your real estate goals.

6.  Make yourself look good

When sellers are faced with multiple offers they consider several key items.  Their real estate agent also influences their decision even if it's in an indirect manner.  It's important that your agent builds a rapport with the other agent from the beginning.  And keep in mind when you are out viewing homes, more and more people have cameras and some even have audio recording.  What you say while you are viewing a house should be kept to a minimum and make sure to avoid any negative comments about the house.  Your offer should be strong, clean and easy to read.  A well-written and sincere letter to the sellers about why you love the home is also helpful and it creates a personal connection.   

7.  Make your offer stand out

Found THE ONE that you have to have?  Make your offer stronger by putting more skin in the game either by increasing your earnest money or your downpayment.  Another way to win a bidding war is to submit an offer with an escalation clause, which details how much you are willing to outbid another buyer's offer up to a certain limit.  You can choose to outbid the winning buyer by a certain increment, such as $1000, or $5000 until it reaches your cap.  Keep in mind that the seller is not obligated to accept an offer with an escalation clause.  Nothing is legally binding until all parties sign the contract with the agreed upon terms.  

 

With the right team of professionals and the right mindset, you can be well on your way to owning a new home!  

Set yourself up for a successful road to homeownership!