St. Louis Home Buyer Strategies for Winning Over Sellers
When buying a home, home buyers and sellers tend to fixate on the mortgage price without thinking of other ways to save. Home buyers want to make sure that they get the lowest price while sellers want to make sure they get the most. By being prepared and making a good offer , home buyers can help ensure that they do get this lower price. Below are five strategies to help make the home-buying process easier.
Be Flexible with the Closing Date
Sellers may need to get out of their home at a certain time. If you are willing to meet this timeline you may win out even if your offer is not the most. This arrangement can save you and the seller a lot of money in the end. Of course, you must first make sure that this is a financially smart move for you. If you are renting make sure you check your lease agreement to see if you can get out of the agreement early or stay longer if needed. If you have close friends or family nearby you may need to elicit their help. If you own your home you should talk to your realtor about whether buying or selling your home first is the right decision. You will also need to know if you can afford to carry two mortgages before agreeing to a certain closing date.
Making a “No Condition” Offer
Most offers will have conditions which are pending home inspections or finances. When home sellers see an offer which does not include these it will set you off from the rest of the pack in a good way. Sellers will be happy and excited to see a deal which has no “if” stipulations involved. Make sure you are completely prepared to make this type of offer by ensuring you have lender’s approval and paying for a home inspection before making the offer.
Don’t Ask for any Extras
Sellers do not want to see that you also want the light fixtures, appliances, or furnishings. In most cases this will mean that they will have to buy all of these things in their new home. To make the offer easy do not include anything beyond what is legally included in the sale of a home.
Making it Personal
To set yourself apart from the other home buyers you should consider writing a letter or making a video for the sellers. The letter or video should express how much you love their home. Talk about the great things that you want to do with the home and the future you see yourself making in the home. Sellers will like to see that you have plans to do something good with the home that they love.
Having a Negotiator
In the end you will need someone who is able to express to the sellers that your offer is actually the best one, even though it may not be the highest price. In order to do this your realtor will need to be good at negotiating. He or she will need to highlight for the seller all the other good aspects of your offer especially if these positive do not stand out to the sellers in the beginning.
Offering the highest price does not always guarantee you will get the home you want. When preparing to make an offer on a home, keep in mind that there are other ways you can sweeten your offer without having the biggest price tag.