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How to Make the Best Home Purchase Offer in Seller’s Market
Low Housing Inventory and High Demand Mean Buyers Must be Well-Prepared
Photo: Gerd Altmann via Pixabay
As we noted in a previous post, the real estate market in New Jersey, especially northern NJ, is very tight, with low inventory and high demand—and bidding wars.
With the current inventory challenge being the number one concern on most real estate consumer’s minds, we counsel homebuyers we work with to come prepared and ready to make the best purchase offer possible. While this has always been the case, in today’s competitive market, it is especially important in order to make a purchase offer that is more likely to be accepted by sellers.
- Don’t lowball home sellers—they have the advantage. Rather, offer your “best price” up front. Your CENTURY 21 Cedarcrest Realty agent will have all the relevant comps and reports for you to go into the transaction with the pricing information you need.
- Eliminate or reduce contingencies, which are the provisions or conditions that must be met to complete the transaction. Overuse of contingencies can sabotage a sale. The two most important contingencies for home buyers are inspection and financing contingencies.
- A pre-offer inspection can help make the offer stronger because you will be able to negotiate your offer price based on needed repairs.
- Other contingency reductions are minimization of the title, appraisal, and mortgage contingencies, although the latter two require a cash offer. Your Cedarcrest Realty agent can walk you through all the typical contingencies of a real estate transaction and guide you on how these may affect your purchase offer.
- Get a lender’s pre-approval letter; this is not a guarantee of a loan but it is a commitment to a certain mortgage amount, pending appraisal. From the seller’s perspective, pre-approval shows that you are serious about making an offer on the home. It also shows that you underwent a more rigorous process than pre-qualification, and clarifies your home-buying budget.
- Give a larger earnest money deposit (the amount you submit with your offer) than you were thinking—even double or triple the amount if you can swing it. This larger deposit could make you more attractive to a seller who has received multiple offers (as often happens in North Jersey). It goes toward your total down payment anyway and you’ll pay it at closing, so if you can do this at time of purchase offer, it’s a good tool in a competitive offer situation.
As always, the real estate professionals at CENTURY 21 Cedarcrest Realty have the knowledge and insights about the dozens of municipalities in which they work throughout Essex and Passaic counties and beyond. Contact our offices in Caldwell or Little Falls to list your home or to start your home buyer’s journey with our award-winning team. Caldwell: 973-228-1050 or Little Falls: 973-364-1111.
You Found Your Dream House Online – Now What?
Online shopping and e-commerce work great for clothing and housewares—but what about a house?
Many people start their home buying journey with online searches, made easy today by multiple listing services that real estate brokerages like CENTURY 21 Cedarcrest Realty subscribe to. Once only accessible to real estate professionals, these MLS listings are now readily available to consumers. But once you find a house online you want, then what do you do?
The importance of representation for buyers and sellers
If you think working without a real estate agent is easy—on either the home buying or selling side of the transaction—you might want to think again. According to CENTURY 21 Real Estate, there are around 180 steps involved in every successful real estate transaction.
Direct-to-consumer sales of homes or commercial properties lack a critical element in the sale or purchase of real estate—representation by a real estate professional, someone who works in your best interest to get you to the closing as smoothly as possible. There’s a lot at stake, and no real estate agent means you won’t having someone guiding you through all the steps in a DIY transaction.
When you work with a real estate agent, especially one who’s backed by an experienced, respected brokerage, you get service from start to finish, adding tremendous value and peace of mind, step by step.
- Writing the contract of sale
- Buyer pre-qualifications
- Arranging and conducting showings
- Staging the home
- Pricing and marketing the property
- Preparing buyers to make a strong offer that will be accepted
- Presenting the buyer to the seller
- Negotiations between buyer and seller
- Mortgage pre-approval and follow-through on the loan
- Setting up home inspection and appraisal
For many consumers, this is the largest dollar transaction they’ll conduct in their lives. There are numerous details to track during this important person-to-person arrangement. Having an experienced third party to handle the details is a key to success.
Award-winning service
At CENTURY 21 Cedarcrest Realty, we know what it takes to get buyers and sellers to the closing table, with annual service awards that recognize our commitment to our customers.
As a full-service real estate brokerage, we don’t skimp on service; rather, we invest in each transaction.
- We work closely with our buyers to show them how to structure a strong offer, which is especially important in a tight real estate market like North Jersey.
- We personally present buyers to sellers the old-fashioned way—with meaningful conversation.
- Our team will help stage your home or recommend professional home stagers to attract more prospective buyers.
- We set pricing at the right level for sale.
- We market your property to get the most people looking—from photos and videos to listings where they matter most.
- Follow up with all parties to keep the transaction moving forward – inspectors, lender, attorneys, etc.
- Coordinate the closing down and migration of utilities
When you work with CENTURY 21 Cedarcrest, you work with real estate agents who make sure every aspect of the process is set up, timed right, and followed through. As REALTORs we are also bound by a strict code of ethic and abide by the stated rules and regulations that protect buyers and sellers from illegal or unethical practices. If you’re on the market for a home or are preparing to sell yours, we’re here to help—every step of the way.
How to Handle a Real Estate Bidding War
In northern New Jersey, the inventory of homes for sale has been relatively tight for several years, with more prospective buyers vying for homes on the market. That often means a bidding war, as home buyers attempt to be the one who gets the house they want.
Also driving this demand right now is the trend forecasted a couple of months ago (in the early weeks of the pandemic) and is now a reality—people are leaving the cities for more space in the suburbs. We’re seeing not only an increased number of people in our sales lead pipeline, but also where they are from—the majority being from congested urban areas outside of the suburban Essex County and Passaic County towns. These are well-qualified buyers, usually in their mid-30s and starting families. They are looking for homes across price ranges and they’re bringing large down payments to secure the home of their dreams.
That said, we’re seeing every property—whether single family or two-family (another popular property type right now) being bid upon by multiple buyers. Some properties are selling for $50,000 over asking price and, with tight inventory, many go to contract within a week, especially those that are priced right at market level and are professionally staged.
Here are some recommendations for buyers in a tight housing market, to engage smartly in a bidding war:
1 – Before you even go out to look at houses, get pre-approved for a mortgage. We cannot stress this enough. This is more rigorous than pre-qualification because the mortgage lender will run your credit, check your job information, and verify income. Based on that, the lender will tell you how much money the bank is prepared to lend you with a commitment to an actual amount (subject to appraisal).
2 – Make a larger-than-normal down payment. This shows you have serious intention of buying.
3 – Accelerate the time frame for making the second deposit after signing the contract (within 5 to 7 days instead of 10). As soon as the contract is signed, make that next payment!
4 – Accelerate the home inspection as well; get it done within one business week instead of two.
Advice to sellers
Before you put your house on the market, invest in cosmetic upgrades and basic repairs, like painting, refinishing floors or replacing old carpet, or replacing a tired-looking bathroom vanity. Fix what’s broken, clean out the attic, and organize the garage and the basement. Consider getting a pre-inspection so you’ll have a home inspector’s report on the major issues to take care of in advance.
Also invest in real estate staging to visually merchandise your home. A professionally staged home sells more quickly, and that more inviting interior may invite higher bids.
With a house that shows well and hungry buyers at your door, it’s tempting to accept the highest price; but at CENTURY 21 Cedarcrest Realty, we feel it’s more important to accept the strongest buyers (see list above). Terms are so important now, especially as people are dealing with the effects of the pandemic, with layoffs, furloughs, or reduced hours. You want to make sure the buyer can complete the contract process without issue. Your Cedarcrest Realty real estate agent, as your partner, can help you assess your buyer pool.
Contact us if you’re thinking of listing your home for sale in northern New Jersey, or if you’re looking for a great house that checks off all the boxes for you. We have two offices to serve you, in Caldwell (973) 228-1050 and Little Falls (973) 364-1111.
When Less is More in Real Estate
Of all the things that can be most damaging in real estate, clutter tops the list. For many, this just means that the house needs tidied or the shelves need to be cleaned up a bit or even removed. For others, some major outdoor and indoor work may be necessary. The goal here is to maximize the concept of space. Even a large room looks small when it’s cluttered, but even a small room can look large when it’s not cluttered. Use the tips here, but listen to specifics from your real estate agent, who has to experience to know what really matters in your home specifically.
De-Personalize the House
You may enjoy collecting all sorts of things, but you aren’t trying to impress a buyer with your decorating skills. Instead, you are trying to offer a buyer an open canvas, a place where he or she can imagine their own collections and how they would personalize the space. Consider removing shelves and pictures from the wall, but also make sure to clean up the marks to give a smooth, open appearance.
Manage the Landscaping
Take a walk around your house, starting at the front. This is the first impression that people have when they come to see if your house is the one they want to invest in. Make sure to clean up any clutter and put away most of the decorations. This is especially true if you happen to have religious decorations. It may be difficult, but you need to keep your personal beliefs out of the buyer’s mind so they can focus on the major aspects of the house itself.
Once you have the front yard covered, try cleaning up the back. It’s fine to have your patio furniture out, especially if it goes with the house. Just try to avoid the decorations. It might even be a great time to thin the flowers so they can see what is there, but also see that there is plenty of room for their own interests.
Keep in mind that the buyer is looking for a home that fits them and their interests. They want to see if they can make this property fit their lifestyle, not if they can move in to your lifestyle.
7 Simple Secrets for First-Time Home Buyers
7 Simple Secrets for First-Time Home Buyers
Psst! Hey, you! Buying your first house? We know a few things we think you should know. Things that will ensure you end up in a house you can afford in a neighborhood you love – without having to shell out a ton of money later on to make avoidable repairs. Ready? Here we go…
Counseling is Available – for Free
There are a lot of non-profit organizations who provide housing counselors. Talk to one. These individuals can help you to assess your finances, life situation, and other considerations and help you determine if it’s really the right time for you to buy.
You Need to Understand Your Lifestyle
We’d like nothing better than to sell you the house of your dreams, but the realist inside knows that not everyone has a lifestyle that makes homeownership feasible. Take a close look at your field of work, the current economy, and recent trends. Does buying a home make financial sense?
Assess Your Finances
A lot of people look at homes before looking at their finances and this is a HUGE mistake. You need to consider your credit history, capital for a down payment, capacity to pay your bills, and the collateral (condition of the house you want to buy). There are a lot of online estimators you can use to assess your finances. Try one.
Have a Bottom Line
Walk into every situation using your head, not your heart. You may be in love with a home, but if the seller won’t budge on the price, you have to know when to walk away. Just because you’re approved for a certain mortgage amount doesn’t mean you should buy a house for that same high price.
Shopping for Necessities
A lot of people look at the home but forget about the rest. Make sure you consider the amount of money you’ll need to spend on renovations. Oh, and appliances – the fridge, washer, dryer, and oven are important. If this is truly your first home, you’ll need furniture, too. Shop around and consider the prices as you calculate the total you’ll really need.
You’re Allowed to Make a Low Offer
That house you’re interested in has been sitting empty for a very, very long time. No one seems particularly interested and it’s still there despite you spending weeks looking at other homes. You want to make an offer, but you want to make a low offer. Do it. The worst that can happen is that the seller says no. And you never know; he might just say yes.
Have a Home Inspection
You’ve made your choice. Great! Now make sure you get a professional home inspection. Your offer should be contingent upon the results of the home inspection so that you can back out if the inspector finds something wrong with the home that can’t be handled reasonably. Make sure your offer includes this condition. It’s important.
Your real estate agent is here to help, no matter what. Give us a call and we’ll walk you through the process from start to finish. We can’t wait to see you settle into your first home!
