To all the buyers out there that have ever experienced the heartbreak of losing a home they loved to another offer, here are 3 top tips to never experience the loss of your dream home again.

1. Work with a Realtor Who Knows What Works

Of course, if you’re in Charlotte, NC the only step you need to get your offer accepted is to work with me, an expert Charlotte Realtor. I know how to get offers accepted. But if you’re not so lucky😀 you want to work with a Realtor that knows how to put your offer in the front of the sellers over any other offer on the table. There are several ways to do that it takes a Realtor that knows the market. It also takes a sixth sense in which a Realtor just knows what has to be done to win over your offer over the other offers the seller is considering. This careful footing requires a mix of experience and intuition.

2. Put Some Skin in the Game

If you are a buyer and you’re really set on a home, to the extent that you have already pictured your children growing up in the home, prom pictures and backyard weddings than in order to have a strong chance of getting your offer accepted over others it’s best to put some skin in the game. What do I mean by skin in the game? Offer Due Diligence and Earnest Money along with your offer. The due diligence fee is the amount paid by the buyer directly to the seller, which the seller keeps no matter what. If the deal closes, the buyer will have that amount credited back at closing. But either way, that amount up front is the seller’s to keep. earnest money is a deposit made to a seller showing the buyer’s  earnestness or good faith in a transaction. I typically see earnest money deposits ranging from 1%-3% of the purchase price. For example, On a $300,000 transaction, a buyer in the Charlotte market would typically make an earnest money deposit of $3,000-$9,000. The earnest money deposit is not set and is to be negotiated between the buyer and seller. If you want to catch the attention of the seller then it is suggested to offer both Due Diligence and earnest money.

3. Have Everything Ready to Go

Having a strong offer and having your offer ready to present to the sellers will put your offer to the front of the pile in a multiple offer situation. Having everything ready includes having your pre-qualified/ proof of funds letter from a qualified lender, a fully completed offer from your realtor, and copies of your due diligence and earnest money check. If the situation calls for a personal touch it would not hurt to tell the sellers in a letter why you love the house and send it in the offer packet.

There are some tricks I simply cannot post that get my offers accepted happily every time but for the typical buyer, you can’t go wrong if you follow the 3 tips above on how to get your offer accepted, even in a seller’s market. I wish you all to have the house of your dreams!