Top Ten Winning Offer Strategies

(Not Just Pre-Qualified)

A full pre-approval letter from your lender shows Sellers you’re financially ready and serious. It proves your financing is solid, giving you a major edge over less-prepared Buyers. 

This means the Lender has all the documents they need and have put your file through “preliminary underwriting” to verify your approval. This also speeds up your process.

If it’s a hot market, come in with your best offer first. 

Sellers often favor certainty over haggling. Use your Realtors market analysis to determine what’s competitive but fair; being bold can make the difference. 

• $10,000 is roughly $50-$60/month
• 20% of $10,000 is only $2,000 in costs

An escalation clause is a powerful tool that automatically raises your offer up to a set maximum when competing bids exceed your initial price. 

This allows you to stay competitive in a hot market, increasing your chances of securing the home you want, while protecting you from overpaying unnecessarily.

  Needing to sell a home to buy a new home is a normal occurrence. To make your offer more attractive, consider removing the Home Sale Contingency by asking your lender if you need to sell before buying. There are a couple strategies to manage this. 

• Cover the cost of carrying both homes short term 
• Bridge Loans or Short-Term Financing can help you close while your home is on market 
• Home Equity Lines on your current home can also help you afford the down payment and closing costs  

"Also Known as an Appraisal Guarantee"

The winning offer on the majority of homes in a competitive market is complemented with an appraisal guarantee. This helps your offer stand out against multiple offer situations.

This means that if the Lenders Appraised Value comes in below the purchase price, you are willing to cover the difference (up to a set limit / not to exceed the offer price)

This strategy tells the Seller; you are a strong Buyer who is willing to be competitive.

The most successful use of this strategy, for deciding the amount of the guarantee you want to offer, is to match the guarantee (Dollar for Dollar) that you offer over list price. 

  Offering the seller the option to remain in the home for a set period of time after closing can make your offer more appealing without impacting your bottom line. 

Many sellers need additional time to finalize their next purchase, coordinate movers, or handle personal logistics, and giving them this flexibility shows understanding and can give your offer an edge over others. 

It’s a simple, cost-free way to stand out in a competitive market while helping the seller transition smoothly.

The expected Due Diligence Period on an offer is 7–10 days.   Shortening that contingency to 3–5 days speeds up the process and looks more attractive to the Seller. 

For most homes, there is nothing we would find in 10 days that we wouldn’t find in 5.

 While typically used alongside “over-list offers” and “appraisal guarantees,” offering to cover certain seller costs can boost their net proceeds and make your offer more attractive. 

Common expenses to consider include transfer taxes and the title insurance policy.

Submitting a larger Earnest Money Deposit demonstrates your commitment and reassures the seller that you are serious about the purchase, strengthening your overall offer. 

While the average EMD is 2–3%, offering 3–5% can make your bid more compelling. 

These funds are applied toward your closing costs, effectively acting as “money already invested” in the home.

***MOST IMPORTANT STRATEGY ***

Minimize contingencies and complications.

Limit minor repair requests, Avoid asking for excessive credits or concessions, be flexible with closing dates to better suit Seller's timeline.

A simple, straightforward offer is more appealing than one filled with conditions, terms, and contingencies.