Special offer
John Meussner, #MortgageMadeEasy Fair Oaks, CA 484-680-4852 (Mortgages in AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, MD, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NV, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI)

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Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

Highest and best, right out of the gate.  Keep contingencies as limited and as short as possible.  Don't ask Seller to pay for any closing costs, even "customary seller pays" costs.  Eye popping earnest money deposit.  Closing date - find out when the Seller wants to close - put that date on your offer.  And of course, cash offers always find their way to the top.

Mar 18, 2021 08:43 PM
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Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

At the end of the day - it all boils down to price.

Ante Up. Ante Up. Ante Up. 

I am working with one buyer now in the $3,000,000 price range and based upon what that market is doing they know they need to ante up to at least $3.5 with NO contingencies and IF the seller needs time to move, it also means a free rent back for up to 60 days.  

There is no guarantee any buyer's offer will be accepted unless it happens to be an in-house transaction. 

We do the best we can.  It's a challenging market for buyers and their agents. 

It is no picnic for the listing agents either. 

 

Mar 18, 2021 06:17 PM
Rainmaker
628,914
Buzz Mackintosh
Mackintosh REALTORS - Frederick, MD
“Experience, reliable, leadership”

Maryland has heavy taxes, Have the Buyer pay both sides of transfer tax / local & state. This increases seller's bottom line with out shooting too high on sales price which maybe in jeopardy of not appraising.

Mar 18, 2021 07:14 PM
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Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Price seems to be doing it here in Charlotte - and a price with the appraisal contingency removed. 

It makes me sad because my clients children who are now first time homebuyers are being knocked right out of the market unless the parents help. It's not how anyone wants their children's first homebuying experience to be.

Mar 18, 2021 06:22 PM
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Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

The last accepted offer was cash, no appraisal, POF, a 2-week closing,  'AS IS' with no inspections, and a huge EMD. 

Mar 18, 2021 11:03 PM
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953,717
Pete Xavier
Investments to Luxury - Pacific Palisades, CA
Outstanding Agent Referrals-Nationwide

Aside from prepping the buyer's mindset with market data and realistic expectations in the monetary offering, it's also the strength of the loan approval (if it's not a cash offering) ...i.e. a rock solid pre-approval done with a known local direct lender with in-house underwriting is ideal.

Do the best to find out any non monetary needs or wants of the seller. The seller needs a little more time in the home? Fine, let's plot the closing date 7 weeks from now.

Carefully plot the possible reduction or elimination of contingencies for the cleanest possible offer.

Buttering up the convenience and the NET to the seller is the bottom line.

Mar 18, 2021 06:10 PM
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Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

The first step is to ramp -up the "how bad do you want it" dynamic....

Mar 19, 2021 07:19 AM
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Andrea Bedard
Thompson Company, REALTORS® 240.593.2860 - Silver Spring, MD
Fluent in Real Estate & German, M.A. ABR ASP CIPS

Excellent question John, and I appreciate the thoughts and ideas that are forthcoming. 

I have found a large earnest money gets the attention of sellers, and trying to meet their needs: seller prefers a certain title company? Done! (as long as it's a reputable one) Seller needs 30 - 60 rent back? Done! Offer a free one. That is a good strategy for first time buyers but, of course, it's tough to do with a move-up buyer. And, yes, as few contingencies as possible and definitely no repair hassle.

If it's not a cash deal, then a super responsive lender who has done all work upfront, reaches out to the listing agent and has a letter ready that leaves no doubt that this one will make it to closing is a big help. 

Mar 19, 2021 06:40 AM
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Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

In addtion to what Fred Griffin Tallahassee Real Estate does, free rent back if seller's need it and low appraisal guarantees if they can't afford to take the risk of waiving appraisal all together.

Mar 19, 2021 08:39 AM
Rainmaker
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

If they have the cash, instead of taking chances with a home not appraising, I suggest they offer to pay some portion of the agents' commission. More money in the seller's pocket without appraisal risk.

As we are a due diligence State, I encourage my buyers to go as high as possible with their due diligence fee as they can stomach.

Mar 19, 2021 06:25 AM
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Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

I would never suggest 'your data tools' unless it is right out of the MLS. This is just another Z in disguise no matter what you call it.

Mar 19, 2021 06:03 AM
Rainmaker
5,216,900
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Explain the possible advantages and disadvantages of waiving contingencies, including appraisals and paying certain of the sellers closing costs. After that let them decide what level of risk they want to undertake. Remind them that no house is perfect and at best the best choice at a point on time.

Mar 19, 2021 04:32 AM
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Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

Best offer that a buyer can manage up front. No love letters!

Mar 19, 2021 07:34 AM
Rainmaker
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Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

Paying more seems the creative soluton most agent use.
Now paying closing costs for both sides is a bit more creative.
Then of coure the clean, no contingency offer is awesome and happens frequelty in Florida's 'cash' environment.
The problem however, is most noticed when working with a buyer who is a citizen, not a government enitity, who spends like resources are UNLIMITED.  They actually have limits to solutions that impact their finances.
The creative methods I would use in the order of most to least costly (do not mistake this for most to least AFFECTIVE) are:

0. Make an overpriced offer to get the house off the market and deliver a price beatdown at the right points in the process.

1. Use the dirct buy method similar to what has been mentioned. Cash, clean, fast.

2. Add convienence. Pay to move them out (intra-state). Help them get to their destination. That is not a 'one size fits all' solution. The tricky part this past year has been gaining access to that information since the seller are well hidden and very inaccessbile.

3, Share your 'off the radar' inventory that will make the destination less confusing for a seller. This requires planning long before the buyer arrives.

4. Create "sympathetic resonace' based on seller cues.

5. Establish for the seller the assurance of closing.

It would be a good practice to employ the results of the studies commissioned by ROCKET MORTGAGE (as we all see it works phenominally for them) regarding autonomy, anonimity and convienience. Of the three I find autonomy to be the most attractive for sellers and cash buyers. The hard part here is knowing how to get out of the way.

Mar 19, 2021 05:17 AM
Rainmaker
1,422,313
Jeff Masich-Scottsdale AZ Associate Broker,MBA,GRI
HomeSmart Real Estate - Scottsdale, AZ
Arizona Homes and Land Group/ Buy or Sell

1. Offer Above list price

2. Shorter Inspection period

3. Faster close

4. Personal letter

5. Larger earnest payment

6. Use seller's preferred escrow company

7. Ask seller when they would prefer to close

8. Tell seller no need to clean or empty home leave whatever they don't want

9. Take home "as is" with no seller repairs (still subject to inspection though)

10. Pay the Seller's unpaid taxes

Mar 18, 2021 09:58 PM
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3,587,960
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Write a clean offer - highest and best up front out of the gate.

Mar 19, 2021 04:34 PM
Rainmaker
7,836,431
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Offer the best price with no conditions and a pre-approval for financing from a well know local mortgage lender.

Mar 19, 2021 07:54 AM