How To Get The Home You're Crushin' On

You never want to miss out on the perfect home, our team shared a few successful tips to help you better your chances of landing the perfect home against other home buyers.

1. Move Quickly

Get in the car and go look at it, immediately. Get your agent to meet you there as soon as possible, and tell them to bring a contract. 

If they can't make it, get them to send someone from their office. Oh, and bring your checkbook. If this is the house you have been waiting for, you're gonna need a check. If it isn't, at least you're prepared.

2. Don't Mess Around with the Seller

If you want the house, act like it. Have your agent pull comparables to make sure the house is in-line with the market. If it is, put your best offer first. If you try to play around with the seller with offering less, or have extreme contingencies, they will just take another offer. If you want it, get it.

3. Pull on the Heart Strings

Write a letter to the owners. Tell them how much you have always loved their home, and that you are in the market for one, and it would be your dream to possibly buy theirs. Compliment them on the house, mention the sunflowers that they have in their flower beds, or the color of the front door that you love. Include a picture of yourself, if you have kids and dog include them too. If you don't, borrow one. Puppies always seem to win people over.

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4. Beware of Backup Offers

If the house is as much of a catch as you think it is, so will other people. Hopefully you beat out other suitors and are under contract on the house. If the sellers are savvy, they will encourage other buyers to become "back up offers". These are offers that are fully negotiated and signed. The one catch, they can't buy the house unless you and/or the seller cancel your current contract. 

So with that in mind, don't be crazy. You have to tread real lightly now, because the seller has a buyer praying that you get greedy, and give the seller a way to cancel the deal. If there are repairs you want the seller to make, ask for them. But I would only encourage you to ask for the repairs you are willing to cancel the deal over if the seller won't make it. Now is not the time to ask for little repairs to be done.

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Remember to be prepared both financially and strategically. 

Have a pre-qual letter in hand and a buyer's agent who will act quickly to get you into the home. They'll ensure you have enough information about the home to make your final decision.