Author: Cierra Taylor

Although mortgage rates are at record lows, demand for homes creates a new challenge in 2021. This year has seen a large increase in demand for homes fueled by historic low rates. Now the average home buyer needs to offer ABOVE asking price, often by 10’s of thousands of dollars. Inventory is dwindling while prices and competition climb. Buyers have to prepare for the highly competitive market. But how? 

In a world where offers above asking are turned down and a dozen offers are made on a single property, buyers must put their best foot forward at all times to stand a chance. That means making a strong first offer. Depending on the market where one is buying, there may not be a chance to counteroffer. Buyers should give a solid initial offer. Yes, that may mean above asking. Today, the average house sells above asking.

Buyers should be prepared to offer above asking and get pre-approved beforehand. Because agents have a surplus of applicants, they won’t spend their time with buyers who aren’t already preapproved. One must show they are a serious buyer. This will save both the buyers and the agent time and energy. The offer should be clean. This includes avoiding seller concessions and asking for personal property. There’s a high chance a similar offer is on the table. It will make a difference if one offer has contingencies and the other does not. 

As stated before, it is a good idea to come in strong right off that bat. This isn’t always the right strategy, but in today’s market, it’s essential. There will be other offers on the table for the seller to consider. It may be wise to add an escalation clause to your offer. This tells the seller that you plan to outbid other offers on the table. 

The other, more obvious factors that help buyers are a larger down payment or an all-cash offer. This may not be an option for everyone and you can still be selected without doing so as long as you make yourself a desirable candidate. 

Lastly, write a letter to the seller. For some, this makes all the difference in the world. Tell them all the things you love about the home. Take a page out of “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. Flatter them on specific details you enjoy, whether it be the renovated kitchen or lovely garden. People take pride in their homes and if they know you notice the love and effort they put into it, it may give you a leg up to a similar offer. Tell them why you want them home, what it will mean for you and your family, and the memories that will be created there. Tell them about the love and effort YOU would put into the home. It can bring the seller peace knowing that you will take just as good care of it as they did. People hold sentimental value in their homes. Sharing a letter that resonates with the seller could end up being the final factor that lands you a home. 

Real estate investment is one of the greatest ways to build wealth today. Notice how I said build. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it takes a lot of hard work, research, and experience to understand the difference between a good and bad real estate investment. However, when done correctly, it is a very lucrative way to diversify your portfolio and produce passive income. One of the major benefits of investing in real estate is freedom and flexibility. It is a source of income, it could be your only source, where you work for yourself. You get to pick and choose what areas and projects to focus your time and energy on. That is, of course, if there aren’t other investors you’ve teamed up with. That being said, if you are going to find a partner or two, make sure they are like-minded individuals. Too often deals go south when partners no longer see eye to eye. It is not a bad idea to team up with someone to share some of the costs and liabilities even though you may lose some of your freedom in decision-making. Maintaining and operating rental properties is also a time-sucking ordeal. That is why, more times than not, investors choose to hire management companies to deal with the day-to-day responsibilities of managing your properties and tenants. It is a cost worth making if it means time is freed up to pursue other endeavors. One of the nice things about owning real estate is that it appreciates as time goes on. A well-managed, up-to-date property in a desirable area only becomes more and more profitable. Owning property provides a long-term return and you can take advantage of all the tax deductions that come along with it. Real estate investing is not get rich quick scheme. It takes time and long-term costs, to manage and profit.

There are many benefits to a VA loan. One of the greatest benefits is the option for no-down-payment when making a purchase. Borrowers have the option to finance 100% of the purchase versus traditionally putting down 20%. This is great news for service members and vets, as they don’t have to spend years saving for their down payment. With no or a smaller down payment, borrowers typically have to pay for mortgage insurance due to the loan being high risk. VA Loans do not require mortgage insurance on top of not requiring a down payment. Fees and costs are limited by the VA, saving borrowers even more money. Additionally, VA loans have more forgiving credit requirements and income requirements are lenient. There are many different VA loan programs. The perfect fit is out there depending on one’s needs and goals. It’s also easier to qualify for a VA Loan than a traditional loan with fewer hoops to jump through. You served us, now let us serve you! Contact our team and we can get started.