Posted by Kait Spurrier ● March 30, 2021

Suggestions to Strengthen Your Offer on a House Series: Part 3

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Part 3: Creative Suggestions to Benefit or make the seller feel at ease.
Co-authored by Jennie Kussart of Re/Max Aspire

Check out these 4 suggestions that can strengthen your offer on your home. Beneath each suggestion, you can find details from both the realtor and mortgage lender side of things.

1. Consider offering the seller a free rent back, if needed.
  • Jennie, REALTOR®:This would allow the seller to live in the home after settlement for free. This may give them extra time to move or purchase their next home without needing to get a short-term rental. This agreement would be part of the sales contract and would be subject to terms, conditions, and possibly a deposit.
  • Kait, Mortgage Lender: If buying a primary residence, the maximum time a rent back can be offered to the seller is 59 days. Please check with your lender before offering this to ensure you have the correct information.  

2. Consider having the home professionally cleaned, so the seller doesn’t have to do it.

  • Jennie, REALTOR®: This is a simple yet affordable gesture to save the seller a little bit of time and money.
  • Kait, Mortgage Lender: This should have no impact on financing.

3. Consider paying all of the State, County, and City transfer and recordation taxes, instead of the 50/50 split between the buyer and seller that is customary for Maryland.

  • Jennie, REALTOR®: This is a great way to increase the net profit for the seller without raising the sales price and potentially dealing with the home not appraising.
  • Kait, Mortgage Lender: Before offering this, check with your lender or a title company to get an estimate of how much this could additionally cost you. For most transactions, we see this costing an additional $3,000- $6,000. However, every area and transaction can be different.

4. Have the lender call the listing agent.

  • Jennie, REALTOR®: Working with a lender that takes this extra step is imperative. If all offers are equal and one of the lenders proactively calls the listing agent, while the other lenders were difficult for the listing agent to reach, that could be the deciding factor for the seller to choose your offer. This has won my clients a few offers in the past, and it didn’t cost my buyers a cent.
  • Kait, Mortgage Lender: It’s rare that lenders do this, but it is very important. When shopping around for a lender, I recommend that you evaluate this as criteria. My group and I have been told on several occasions that hearing from us was the deciding factor in the seller accepting our customer’s offer instead of someone else’s.

Inventory is at an all-time low. Getting your offer accepted has never been more competitive. Having a local and experienced team working with you is imperative when trying to buy the home of your dreams. Please reach out to us if there is any way we can help you!


 
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Kait Spurrier
Sr. Mortgage Banker
NMLS# 1277963
O: (410) 794-4127
kspurrier@apexhomeloans.com 
apexhomeloans.com/kait-spurrier
Jennie Kussart, MRP
RE/MAX Aspire
REALTOR®
D: (443) 986-8874
jenniek@remax.net
www.remax-aspire-md.com
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Topics: Mortgages for Millennials, Mortgages for Millennials: Strengthen Your Offer

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