Increase your chances of getting your dream house instead of losing
it to another buyer, with these easy steps.
- Get prequalified
for a mortgage. You’ll be able to make a firm commitment to buy and make
your offer more desirable to the seller.
- Stay in close touch
with your real estate sales associate to find out first about new
listings that come on the market. And be ready to go see a house as soon
as it goes on the market.
- Scout out new listings yourself. Look
at Internet sites, newspaper ads, and drive by the neighborhood
frequently. Maybe you’ll see a brand-new "for sale" sign before anyone
else.
- Be ready to make a decision. Spend lots of time in advance
deciding what you must have so you won’t be unsure when you have the
chance to make an offer.
- Bid competitively. You may not want to
start out offering the absolute highest price you can afford, but don’t
try to go too low to get a deal. In a tight market, you’ll lose out.
- Keep
contingencies to a minimum. Restrictions such as needing to sell your
home before you move or wanting to delay the closing until a certain
date can make your offer unappealing. In a tight market, you’ll probably
be able to sell your house rapidly. Or talk to your lender about
getting a bridge loan to cover both mortgages for a short period.
- Don’t
get caught in a buying frenzy. Just because there’s competition doesn’t
mean you should just buy anything. And even though you want to make
your offer attractive, don’t neglect inspections that help ensure that
your house is sound.