Tips to Getting Your Offer Accepted

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“How is the housing market during the pandemic?”

This is the number one question clients have been asking us for the past 9 months. Although the last year has seen a lot of change, the housing market – like the stock market has been not only resilient – but downright hot. In addition to low interest rates, the influx of people fleeing quarantine in small apartments has led to an extremely competitive housing market for home buyers.

Many people are taking advantage of the historically low interest rates as an opportunity to upgrade, refinance, or purchase their first home.

All of this competition into the market means that when you and your Realtor find the right home – it is imperative to write the strongest offer possible every time. To have the best chance at getting your offer accepted, check out these creative tips and tricks we have put together for you from some of our lender & Realtor partners who have scored big with some wins for their clients this year!

• Work with a Local Realtor! This can be a game changer when making offers. Did you know that you don’t pay their commission, the seller does! Need a great Realtor? We would be happy to connect you.
• Offer a higher Earnest Money Deposit check or make it Non-Refundable. The higher the Earnest Money amount, the more serious the seller is likely to consider the buyer.
• Waive Inspections! Usually, waiving a home inspection is done to speed up the closing process. You are accepting the property in “as in” condition. This carries risks; however, some clients will even bring inspectors to the showing if they know it’s a competitive situation.
• Going Non-Contingent vs Contingent. First, let us explain what a Contingent offer means. These offers are not as strong as Non-Contingent because the buyer is dependent on their home selling first. In most cases, Non-Contingent is preferred, but our Bridge Loan program may help to turn a Contingent to a Non-Contingent Pre-Approval!

*Our Bridge Loan program can utilize the equity in your current home to put down on your new home purchase before your current home is sold. If you qualify with both mortgage payments (old house and new house) and the down payment is the only thing making it contingent, this program may be for you!

• Offering an Appraisal Gap or Guarantee. This means that if your appraised value comes in a little bit lower than the sale price, you are willing to make up the difference!
• Give the seller a little extra Possession Time after closing.
• Guarantee a Quick Closing. Here at Treadstone, we are closing loans in about 21 days! You can count on us to close on-time, every time. No exceptions!
• A Local Pre-Approval letter from a Local Lender. Blatant self-promotion aside, listing agents prefer accepting offers from local companies that they can hold accountable. For instance, in our community the Treadstone pre-approvals carry more weight, where our letter in Northern California might not mean anything.

What you get with a Treadstone Pre-Approval Letter:

• We have an outstanding track record and reputation in West Michigan
• We set responsible and accurate buying limits
• Our appraisers and underwriters understand the local market
• Our approval and turn times are fast – especially faster than local banks, credit unions and most other mortgage companies!
• We communicate clearly and consistently
• We close on time, every time

Contact your favorite Treadstone Loan Officer today to get started!