Fabulous! You’ve found the perfect home and want to submit an offer. Before we draft the contract, please provide the details below so we can prepare a clean, compelling offer.
Information We Need
- Full legal name(s) & email(s) — for everyone on the contract. Names must match government ID (driver’s license or passport) that will be shown at closing.
- Initial offer price — we’ll send recent comps and our opinion of value, but the number is ultimately your call.
- Your walk-away price — your maximum before emotions run high. We won’t share this with the sellers; it guides our strategy.
- Desired closing date — typical timelines are 30–60 days with a loan (some local lenders can close in ~21 days) and ~14 days for cash. Closings occur Mon–Fri, not weekends/bank holidays.
- Availability on closing day — exact times are set 2–3 days prior; plan to be flexible between 9:00 AM–4:00 PM. If you can’t attend, tell us 2–3 weeks ahead to arrange a Power of Attorney.
- Earnest money amount — minimums vary, but many offers include about 1% of purchase price. Typically due 3–5 business days after acceptance.
- Down payment — e.g., 3.5%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%.
- Closing cost credits — do you want to ask the seller to contribute? We only recommend this if needed for funds to close; it can affect competitiveness.
- Home warranty — if there aren’t multiple offers, we usually recommend asking the seller for a 1-year warranty (~$500–$800, property-type dependent).
- Contingencies — e.g., sale of your current home, special terms, or anything else we should include.
Offer Strategy & Timing
Don’t expect the seller to accept your very first number unless it’s truly your highest-and-best. Most deals involve some back-and-forth. Once submitted, negotiations may take 2–4 days depending on the seller’s responsiveness. Patience helps our leverage.
For date planning: if you want to move around July 1, consider writing offers around May 10–15 (most lenders need ~30–45 days to close).
Pro tip: We’ll discuss sensitive topics (budget, walk-away price, strategy) outside the property. Many homes have recording devices, and oversharing can weaken our negotiating position.
Once you’ve decided on the items above, email or text us your answers. We’ll draft the contract and send it for e-signature via Dotloop, then submit to the seller’s agent.