Make an offer they can't refuse

When searching for the perfect new place, finding your dream home is only half the battle. Once you’ve decided to purchase a property, it’s of the utmost importance to submit a quality offer that the seller is likely to accept. An offer that is too low for the market or vague information about your financials could indicate to the seller that you’re not really serious about the purchase and lead to your offer being ignored. If you really want to demonstrate to a seller that you’re ready, willing and able to buy, follow our tips for making an offer sellers can’t refuse.

1. Submit an offer with a financial snapshot: This should be done via email and list the buyer’s assets, liabilities and income. If the seller is interested in your offer they may request a more detailed financial disclosure, but the above will suffice for initial discussions.

2. Pre-qualification: Every seller is going to insist on seeing a pre-qualification letter from a lender if you are planning to finance. It only takes a few minutes of your time to talk with a lender and get pre-qualified, and your offer won’t be taken seriously without it.

3. Property use: When submitting the offer, be sure to indicate how you intend to use the property, i.e. for personal use as a primary residence, pied-a-terre, etc. This will help the seller ensure they’re accepting an offer that is in line with the rules for their building.

4. Include comps: Show sellers your rationale using comparable sales which support your offer price.

Including all of this information will allow the seller properly assess the offer and make an apples to apples comparison with any other offers that might come in. Presenting your offer the right way indicates that you are serious about purchasing the property and should get a quick answer/counter-offer from the seller.